In 1976, while building a residential subdivision, workers discovered an interesting archeological site. This site is so historical that it is actually prehistoric. Learn information about East Greenwich, RI.
Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, this site contains artifacts from the Late Archaic period which was about 1000 BC. It also contains artifacts from the Middle Woodland Period which was about 200 BC to 500 BC. Discover facts about Historic Water Near East Greenwich, RI.
Shell Midden
We were not the first people to invent landfills. Back in the day, prehistoric peoples had their own landfills. The definition of a midden is “the debris of human activity.” They aren’t called shell middens because they are shaped like a shell, but rather because they are mostly full of shells.
The Greenwich Cove Site contains a fairly extensive shell midden. Each house would dump their garbage and trash outside their house in one spot which today is called a midden.
Shell middens are great for archeologists because the shells are high in calcium carbonate from the shells. This chemical slows down decay, which makes it easier for archeologists to find food remnants, clothing, and human remains. In the case of the Greenwich Cove Site, this is a particularly rare find because coastal Rhode Island doesn’t have very many middens.