Under the Isles of Shoals: Archaeology & Discovery on Smuttynose Island

Second Edition: The serene sloping lawn of Smuttynose Island is, in fact, a time machine. Only two buildings survive on this flat, primitive spot, ten miles out to sea from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. But look deeper. The thin layers of soil that cling to the rocky island are thick with treasure. No, this is not the imaginary pirate gold of romantic lore. This is rich new data about our shared American past.

Indigenous Peoples hunted here 6,000 years ago. Hundreds of European fishermen salted and dried their prized Atlantic cod on these rocks in the dawning days of the American colonies. The hardy fishing families who lived here were eventually displaced by Boston tourists drawn to the region by poet Celia Thaxter.