Naomikong Point

Site Name:

Naomikong Point

WSUMA Accession Nos.:

650, 1552

Site Number:

20CH2

Excavated By:

Marie Manty, Niels Bolsen

Excavation Year(s):

1967, 1968

Site Description:

Naomikong Point is a small point of land along the south shore of Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This point defines the eastern boundary of Tahquamenon Bay and the southwestern part of Whitefish Bay . According to James Fitting (1965) , who conducted a survey in the 1960's. Fitting interpreted Naomikong Point to have had several occupations. Brose and Hambacher (1999) describe the site as being “reoccupied over centuries for early summer fishing throughout the Middle Wooldland Period”. The University of Michigan ran field schools at this site from 1966-67. The first was conducted by James Fitting and ran June 29 to July 26 1966 , and the second was conducted by Donald E. Janzen from July 3 through August 15, 1967 . Neils Bolsen, a WSU student, participated in the 1967 field school. The excavations took place on the southern shore of Whitefish Bay . Prehistoric as well as historic materials were found. Bolsen donated the artifacts to Wayne State Museum of Anthropology in May 1968. This small collection includes a map of the area and information on previous excavations and the size of the excavation pits.

Marie Manty visited the site in 1968 and did a surface collection on the beach and then donated her collection to WSUMA.

Artifacts:

• Ceramics:

  • Prehistoric: plain, cordmarked, grit tempered, many are waterworn
  • Historic: flow blue, annular ware

• Lithics:

  • flint and chert flakes, possibly a net sinker

• Metal:

  • fishhook
  • nail

Catalogue Numbers:

1W124364-1W124374, 1W410386-1W410485

References:

• Brose, David and Michael Hambacher (1999 ) “The Middle Woodland in Northern Michigan ” In Retrieving Michigan 's Buried Past . John R. Halsey (ed.) Cranbrook Institute of Science Bulletin 64.
   
• Fitting, James (1965) “ The Archaeological Potential of Naomikong Point”. Unpublished manuscript on file at WSU Museum of Anthropology. [#11W1460]
   
• Janzen, Donald E. (1968) “The Naomikong Point Site and the Dimensions of Laurel in the Lake Superior Region” in Anthropological Papers: Museum of Anthroopology , University of Michigan No. 36.

Misc.:

• Additional artifacts may be found in the Hagge Collection at WSUMA. Further materials and artifacts concerning these excavations may also be found at the University of Michigan Museum of Anthropology.