PREHISTORIC OCCUPATION OF THE CALUMET DUNE RIDGE, NORTHWEST INDIANA

Archaeological survey, testing, and excavation of sites associated with the development of a National Park Service campground at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore provide a basis for interpreting prehistoric settlement and land use on the Calumet Dune Ridge on the south shore of Lake Michigan. The project documents the presence of short-term campsites dating roughly from 2400 BP to about 500 BP. The study also presents evidence that the sites associated with the Calumet Dune Ridge are largely intact, and often extend to a depth of .5 below surface. Preliminary ceramic compositional analysis suggests that most ceramics are probably made from local clays. Urban growth and development along the south shore of Lake Michigan have disturbed much of the Calumet Dune Ridge, making archaeological studies at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore important for understanding prehistoric land use in this region.