The Development of Watercraft In The Prehistoric Southeastern United States
Mark Hartmann
Dissertation: December 1996
Chair: Hamilton
Nautical Archaeology Program
ABSTRACT
The maritime and riverine past of the southeastern United States
has often
been ignored or poorly addressed in previous archaeological
research. Historical
records and archaeological data indicate that this heritage was
rich and centered
around the development and use of dugout canoes. Such vessels
were used in all
aspects of southeastern life, including subsistence, trade,
transportation, and warfare.
They were well-suited to the geography of the region which
contains networks of
interconnected braided and meandering river channels, swift
tidal currents, and
broad, shallow sounds.
The core of the research is the examination of more than 200
dugout canoes
throughout the southeastern United States. The majority of the
canoes studied were
discovered in Florida, with significant finds also occurring in
Louisiana, Mississippi,
and North Carolina. Two major wood types were identified in
dugout construction,
cypress and pine, both of which were used frequently depending
on which species
was available in a particular
region. While two major adaptive strategies are
considered, inland and coastal, dugout canoe construction did
not vary significantly
between these environments.