Major Archaeological Discovery Found Near The Duwamish River

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By By April Zepeda

Summary

The problem is, it's also close to where Sound Transit wants to build its light rail.

Story Published: Feb 25, 2005 at 10:44 AM PDT

Story Updated: Aug 31, 2006 at 1:52 AM PDT

Major Archaeological Discovery Found Near The Duwamish River
SEATTLE - Archaeologists have made a significant find at a planned construction site for Sound Transit.

They have discovered more than 900 artifacts so far, including fire cracked rocks, stone tools, animal bones, and parts of a shelter with a hearth. They are all clues into life hundreds of year ago.

"We can find out a lot about how people were living, what they were doing, what they were eating and why they were at this exact spot," Archaeologist Phil LaTourneau said.

The site likely pre-dates the arrival of white people in the Northwest. The archaeologists have contacted the Muckleshoot, Duwamish and Suquamish Indian Tribes.

"I can't assign it a modern name in the political sense, but these would have been the people of the Duwamish River," said Archaeologist Astrida Blukis Onat. Sound Transit still plans to use the site to build a bridge across the Duwamish River.

But they are very much aware of what happened in Port Angeles, when state transportation crews working on pontoons for a new Hood Canal Bridge. They unearthed bones and artifacts from a Klallum Indian village and burial ground. The state abandoned the project after spending $58 million.

But Sound Transit says the light rail line won't be delayed or rerouted, because archaeologists will have enough time to excavate the site before construction begins.

"Unlike other prominent cases you've may heard of, we are very confident in our ability to build our project in our timeline," said Geoff Patrick of Sound Transit.

That could change if any human remains are found are discovered. Archaeologists will turn an old house at the site into a field lab and start a large scale excavation that is expected to last six weeks.