NY State Museum Archaeologists Survey The North Shore of Oneida Lake

 Archaeologists working for the New York State Museum Cultural Resource Survey Program in Albany are digging survey test pits along the sidewalks of Constantia and Cleveland along the North Shore of Oneida Lake, searching for clues to our past.

 Before the sidewalks get torn up and replaced by the DOT, the Archaeologists dig approximatly 100 - 200 test pits in the surrounding area searching for history and clues to the past from Ancient Native America up to the Present.

 Initially a "phase one recon survey"  is conducted which is a series of test pits dug in 25 to 50 foot intervals in search of potentially important cultural and historical material and possible undiscoverd sites of historic importance. If alot of relevant historical material is being found, a closer examination of the area called a "Phase Two survey" is done. Phase Two test pits are dug in a tighter grid, which gives the Archaeolgists a better picture of what may have taken place in that spot. If artifacts of  importance are discovered and the site is of potential historic importance then a "Phase Three" survey is done, which can consist of a full scale Archaeological dig. A number of years back,while doing a survey in Belgium NY, on the Seneca River near where the Belgium bridge was getting replaced, during a survey they found a comletely intact and undisturbed 13th - 14th Century Village Site, a significant find. The Village was once used for fishing as well as agricultural use. They dug as far down as deep as six feet on this site. 

So far nothing important has been dug in Cleveland, Mostly modern items such as ceramic and glass shards dating from the Mid 1850's to the Present. Last week while surveying in Constantia they found Artifacts dating as early as 300 to 400 BC,  possibly even older. They wont know for certain if the artifatcs are older than that until further testing is done back at the NY State Museum. Some of the Native American artifacts dug near the Constantia sidewalks were Scrapers and other stone tools, as well as pottery shards along with tools that served one purpose and eventually re-worked into a different type of stone tool and used for something else.

 Other sites designated for Archaeological surveys this summer include Pulaski, Williamstown and Weedsport,  among other towns as well.

 In 1998 during a routine survey in downtown Albany, they discovered an 18th Century English Blockhouse and a 17th Century Church, parts of those sites were as deep down as eight feet.  For more information on the exciting field of Archaeology you can visit their website at:

http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/research/anthropology/crsp/

NY State Archaeologists digging test pits in Cleveland NY, on The North Shore of Oneida Lake.