Dr. Ashley Lemke, associate professor of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and an alum of the U-M Department of Anthropology, will present the Sheppy Dog Fund Lecture at the Flint Institute of Arts on Wednesday, March 26.
Her lecture, "Flooded History: Underwater Archaeology in the Great Lakes," will focus on her research exploring a preserved Ice Age landscape and archaeological sites below Lake Huron that date to 9,000 years ago, when the Great Lakes were lower. This underwater archaeological project has focused on the Alpena-Amberley Ridge, a corridor running across the lake basin that would have served as a migration route for animals and a predictable hunting territory. Investigations have documented stone-built hunting structures, including hunting blinds and recovered artifacts. Lemke will provide an overview of the research, which includes using underwater robots, sonar, and virtual reality to explore the ancient Great Lakes and their flooded history.
The event is free and open to the public, but registration is encouraged at https://flintarts.org/.
Image caption: Scuba diver and Michigan resident Tyler Schultz samples a 9,000 year old peat bog 100 feet below Lake Huron.
