Freshwater Colloquium: The Frontier of Archaeological Research: Submerged sites in the North American Great Lakes

Ashley Lemke will present “The Frontier of Archaeological Research: Submerged sites in the North American Great Lakes” as part of the School of Freshwater Sciences fall colloquium.

This talk will discuss underwater archaeology, specifically 9000-year-old caribou hunting sites and artifacts currently 100 feet below water. At the end of the last ice age, water levels all over the world were much lower than today, exposing large areas of land for human occupation. The Great Lakes also experienced lower water levels and in the Lake Huron basin a strip of land was exposed connecting mainland Michigan to Ontario, called the Alpena-Amberley Ridge (AAR). This feature has preserved a unique archaeological record of caribou hunting sites, stone tools, and pristine environmental data that allows for an unprecedented glance into past lifeways 9,000 years ago.

Ashley Lemke is an Associate Professor in Anthropology at UWM (hired Fall 2023!). She conducts archaeological research both on land and underwater and is a leading expert on submerged ancient landscapes, with research experience in the Great Lakes, Atlantic Ocean, and Gulf of Mexico.

This presentation is open to students, faculty, staff, alumni and the public.

The Colloquium series creates a platform where students, faculty, and scientists discuss emergent issues related to freshwater science research. Invited speakers present specific topics of their research, as well as policy, commercial, and industrial experiences.