Cannon Valley Trail Archaeology

Cannon Valley Trail Archaeology. . , From its headwaters in the west, the Cannon River's course crosses broad, flat uplands dotted with lakes, and slowly transitions to rolling hills above the deep-cut valley as it nears its mouth. The watershed contains a wide variety of landscapes and resources that have changed over time, and research has revealed a dovetailing of changing environments and lifeways. Although human occupation of the Cannon Valley dates back at least 12,000 years, we know little about life here before A.D. 1000., Between A.D. 1050 and 1300, there was a sudden influx of people into the Red Wing area. During this time, people from a number of different cultures gathered to forge political and kinship alliances, exchange materials and information, and have large, communal celebrations., These groups lived in a series of eight large village complexes composed of habitation areas and surrounding mound groups situated on terraces with commanding views of the Cannon and Mississippi Valleys. This settlement geography is not found elsewhere., Although similar activities were occurring at each village, there are nevertheless differences in the artifacts and village layouts. Because of this, it is important to study all of the villages independently, and to compare the information from one to the others., Archaeological sites are fragile and irreplaceable resources. While the Cannon Valley Trail is a leader in preserving and stewarding these important places, some sites have been lost with very little study. For example, the Bryan site complex, one of the largest and most important Red Wing sites, was destroyed between 1951 and 2001. Only about 10% of the 20-acre village received any archaeological attention before it fell prey to gravel mining and road construction. The 65-acre mound group was plowed into oblivion and is now a housing complex. The Trail encourages public support and involvement in helping preserve these endangered sites., Caption: Last studies at the Bryan Site (1999).