Tract holds ancient signs of native life

A 20-acre tract on Middleborough's Plymouth Street, nestled on the shores of the Nemasket River, has been found to be one of the area's richest in native artifacts, a few dating back as far as 9,000 years.

But this recently discovered archeological gem is in jeopardy: Sharon developer Elliot Schneider holds the permits to build a nine-house subdivision on the land.

While Schneider is required by the Massachusetts Historical Commission to shift the location of the houses to avoid the most sensitive areas on the property - such as burial sites - he can still move forward with construction. One requirement is that all digging in sensitive areas be done under the watchful eye of the Middleborough Historical Commission.

Local and national historical preservationists, however, are hoping they can buy the property from Schneider and protect it permanently.

Andy Stout, regional director of the national nonprofit Archaeological Conservancy, met with Schneider on Tuesday, "just to walk the property. . . . It's a good sign that he was at least willing to meet with me."

But whether the site will be preserved is unknown. Schneider preferred not to comment, and Stout said the purchase is a costly proposition in a weak economy. It would take at least a year to raise the money and require the pursuit of grants that are becoming harder to find.

"Preservation of an archeological site is not an event. It's a process," Stout said. "Times are tough, and we certainly don't have the money now."

The list of items found on the site includes evidence of about 20 oval-shaped houses, known as wetu, that were each 25 feet long by 15 feet wide, and of a longhouse that extended about 60 feet, according to the archeologists who studied the property.

Other finds include a projectile point that dates back about 9,000 years, to the Archaic Period, along with other projectile points of various styles, pottery, animal bones, and shells. Most are believed to date back between 400 to 3,000 years, to a time archeologists call the Woodland Period.

Several artifacts, along with charcoal from some fire pits, are slated for carbon-dating at a facility in Florida.

Christopher Donta, a project archeologist with the University of Massachusetts Archaeological Services in Amherst, said it was unusual to conduct the extensive excavation that took place on the Plymouth Street property. Donta, along with fellow archeologist Craig Chartier, director of Massachusetts Archaeological Professionals, were in charge of the dig, which lasted about a year and ended this summer.

"The project design for this was to open up all the areas where houses and septic systems would go in," Donta said. "We cleared away the plow zone soil and focused on soil beneath. That gave us opportunities to see things like the shape of the houses."

The number of artifacts, along with features indicating past structures, made it clear the site had been a major Native American settlement. "We found 15 to 20 house forms, although they might not have all been occupied at the same time," Chartier said. "The longhouse could have been the residence of someone of status or a place where three or so families lived together."

Massachusetts Archaeological Society member Eugene Winter said letters by 17th-century colonists confirm the presence of longhouses in the area.

"We can rest assured if there was a longhouse, it probably belonged to the sachem and his immediate family," Winter said.

Chartier said it's unusual to be able to determine the layout of a village, such as the one found.

"Anywhere we put a shovel, there were features and artifacts," Donta said. "We know people were there during the last 3,000 years, particularly from the Middle Woodland to the late Woodland Period, since there was lots of pottery.

"It gives us a sense there was a large and extensive village there," Donta said. "That runs counter to the past philosophy that Native Americans in that area were mobile farmers."

The lack of typical barter items such as trade beads, gun flints, and ceramics, indicates the site was abandoned before contact with European settlers.

"It's possible this area was impacted by diseases or some of the epidemics that happened in the general area before the European settlers arrived," Donta said.

"This is just an amazing site, and it will be great if it is preserved. We did a huge amount of excavation there, but that was still only about 10 percent of the whole area."

Chartier said the Mashpee Wampanoag have shown an intense interest in the site. "They have been very involved," Chartier said. "A number of them have visited there. They were really psyched." The property is quite close to the targeted casino site.

Christine Legere can be reached at christinelegere@yahoo.com