The Palace Site is a ca. 7,000-year-old archeological site in Des Moines, Iowa with evidence for some of the oldest houses west of the Mississippi valley and the oldest human burial in Iowa.[1] Since 2011, the site has yielded 6,000 or more artifacts, which included human skeletons.

Details

A short documentary of the excavation is available on YouTube.[2] When a sewage plant was being built in the area, artifacts were found. The total of artifacts at Palace Site reached over 6,000 by 2011.[3]

The site was discovered during construction of a new wastewater treatment facility.[3] Anytime federally permitted or funded construction is occurring, archaeologists are called to perform an evaluation of potential archaeological sites in the area.

According to Bill Whittaker, a co-director of the dig “It became clear very quickly that the site was something spectacular — something none of us had seen before or probably will ever again, as well-preserved house deposits of this age are extremely rare west of the Mississippi River Valley,” [3]

References

  1. ↑ Collins, Angela R., Richard Beckley, Allan Hawkins, Mark Anderson, and John Doershuck. University of Iowa, "Archaeology on the Road." Last modified July 20, 2013. Accessed July 31, 2013. http://iowaarchaeology.org/sites/default/files/RAGBRAI2013/book.html.
  2. ↑ Riehl, Nicole. "UI Office of the State Archaeologist discovers 7,000-year-old village in Des Moines." The University of Iowa News Services, August 18, 2011. http://news-releases.uiowa.edu/2011/august/081811OSA_palace_site.html (accessed July 31, 2013).
  3. 1 2 3 UI archaeologists find 7,000-year-old site in Des Moines. Cedar Rapids Gazette, August 2011, http://thegazette.com/2011/08/18/ui-archaeologists-find-7000-year-old-site-in-des-moines
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