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"For the memory of them is forgotten." - Ecclesiastes 9:5
This book tells the story of archaeology in New Jersey. It is a chronicle about an ancient past that is full of unrecorded events and the lost memories of now nameless, faceless people, whose mouths are stopped with dust. Possessing no system of writing, New Jersey's earliest residents left only a silent record: arrowheads that no longer kill, pottery long since dashed to pieces, and hearthstones turned cold by the passage of time. Such things are the stuff of archaeology.
Archaeology is a study of nuances, made even more subtle by the rapid decay of organic remains. As a rule, only the most durable of human creations -items of stone and pottery-survive the ravages of time. To complicate matters, the onslaught of our own culture and the undisciplined tunneling of greedy collectors have further diminished the stock of cultural materials that the ancients left behind. The task of the archaeologist is to gather and interpret these scraps for the benefit of science and the public generally.
By and large, archaeology originates with things in the ground. To extract those things usually requires digging; it is necessary, in a literal sense, to look beneath the surface. But digging up relics is a trivial pursuit if the only outcome is a collection of artifacts, however attractive or valuable they may be. Understanding what those relics mean in human terms is another matter altogether.
The archaeologist must search for the mundane relationships, the deeper meanings, and the hidden mysteries of ancient life. Who were the people who created the items we now find? When and how did those people live? How did they integrate their lives with the natural and spiritual worlds? The goal of understanding the unwritten human past can be satisfied only through the careful analysis and interpretation of archaeological discoveries. That is the real challenge-and the real value-of archaeology. In this light, the phrase, "looking beneath the surface," assumes a profound, if figurative, significance.
In this book I attempt to tell the story of archaeology as it has unfolded, and as it continues to unfold, in New Jersey. By intent, I have not called this account The Archaeology of New Jersey, and not simply because that title is already twice taken (Cross 1941, 1956). It is inaccurate to portray our current knowledge as definitive, except in a most ephemeral way. I prefer to talk about what we think we know rather than what we can state as a matter of certainty. Our knowledge is never complete, never immutable. Every new archaeological investigation holds the potential to change our view of the past. As with any other science, new discoveries can cause even the most fervently held beliefs to fall precipitously into disfavor.
Each chapter of this book, although designed to stand alone, relates closely to the others. The first chapter, "Setting the Stage," provides necessary background information, describing what archaeology is and what it is not. I also summarize the currently recognized archaeological cultures in chronological sequence. To put into context how those cultures evolved and why they varied from place to place and from time to time, I provide an account of the transformation of the physical environment over the past 15,000 years.
Archaeological dating methods are briefly noted. In addition, I review the fascinating history of archaeological research in New Jersey, focusing in particular on the hot-blooded controversies concerning "glacial man" and the "Trenton argillite culture." Finally, I look briefly at the important role of experimental archaeology.
The next three chapters treat particular subjects-artifact types, archaeological settlements, and burial practices-in considerable detail. The title of chapter 2, "What in the World?" is borrowed from a television program produced by the University of Pennsylvania in the 1950s, which featured artifacts from around the world, together with commentary by leading archaeologists and anthropologists. This chapter is essentially an encyclopedia of the kinds of artifacts that are found in New Jersey and the surrounding region. Although we tend to think of our aboriginal ancestors as living an austere, Stone Age existence, they enjoyed a remarkably well-rounded material culture, devising all of the technologies necessary for their survival from the materials provided by nature. Understandably, their textiles and carved wooden bowls and masks have disappeared, along with a myriad of other perishable possessions. One senses that their material and spiritual worlds were intimately entwined.
Chapter 3, "A Good Place to Live and Work," delves into the nature of aboriginal settlement in New Jersey. All cultures integrate the activities of daily life into a system of settlements. We have our farms and factories, our cemeteries and places of worship, our villages, suburbs, and large cities. Although their settlements differ from ours in form, content, and geographic extent, New Jersey's aboriginal occupants also arranged themselves on the landscape in thousands of villages and camps. In fact, we now occupy many of the same locations.
The fourth chapter, "Of Life and Death," deals with ancient burial practices as revealed by archaeological research in New Jersey. Without the careful work of the archaeologist, who would know that cremation was first practiced here almost 10,000 years ago! Prehistoric skeletons have been found in all parts of the state. Most ancient cultures apparently developed fairly simple burial customs, but elaborate mortuary cults arose from time to time. Some of the related graves contain many well-made offerings, frequently obtained from faroff corners of the continent. Some late prehistoric cemeteries also reveal trade goods that reflect dealings with Europeans. The analysis of skeletal remains can provide important information about the stature and health of ancient populations. Finally, the careful burial of dogs demonstrates the special relationship that developed anciently between humans and canines.
The last chapter, "A Journey of Archaeological Exploration," summarizes 21 archaeological investigations from various parts of the state, arranged in cultural-chronological order. Although the record of archaeological investigation in New Jersey is too lengthy to summarize in detail, these vignettes offer an overview of the wide variety of prehistoric archaeological sites in our state. Just as important, these summaries illustrate the accomplishments of dedicated individuals who have sought to know the past and to communicate that knowledge to the world of science and to the rest of society.
In writing this book, I have attempted to present only factual information and to document my sources thoroughly. When I express opinions, they are clearly stated as such. Without unduly slighting more recent works, I have drawn heavily on older publications because they contain a wealth of information that most readers would have difficulty finding otherwise. Besides, many of these works, now long out of print, offer insights that appear nowhere else. I must admit that my bibliographic selections were also biased by my admiration for the pioneers of New Jersey archaeology. Charles Conrad Abbott, Ernest Volk, Alanson B. Skinner, Max Schrabisch, and Dorothy Cross are immortal icons. Herbert C. Kraft, for decades the mainstay of modern archaeology in New Jersey, has himself now passed into immortality. Anyone with a genuine interest in New Jersey archaeology owes a great debt of gratitude to these departed scholars.
I have attempted to provide solid information about archaeological sites from every corner of New Jersey. Even so, the results are somewhat uneven. Most of the state's heavily urbanized areas have contributed little to the record of archaeological research, because rapid industrial, commercial, and residential development has overlaid or destroyed prehistoric sites. Accordingly, most archaeological research has focused on what are now, or were formerly, the rural and suburban parts of the state, where investigations are less hindered by buildings, pavement, and the bustle of city life. On the whole, however, the accumulated record is imposing.
Although archaeology encompasses all of the human past, in this work I do not probe the historical period. For the rich record of historical archaeology in New Jersey, I recommend Richard Veit's Digging New Jersey's Past (2002). It is an excellent companion volume.
Archaeology is an intrinsic element of our shared cultural heritage. It belongs to all the people. With this in mind, I have purposely focused on archaeological sites that have disappeared from the landscape or that are currently protected from unauthorized digging. I have not given exact site locations, for obvious reasons. If this book encourages readers to involve themselves in archaeology-and I hope that it will-I urge them to do it properly. As will be seen in numerous examples throughout this book, serious students of archaeology need not be professionals. But they must conduct themselves responsibly as stewards of the past. To do otherwise is nothing less than the criminal and selfish destruction of our irreplaceable patrimony. The future of the past is in our hands.