Where the Water Is Shallow and the Current Is Strong: Identifying Stone Fish Weirs of the Eastern Woodlands

David J. Cranford, PhD, Office of State Archaeology, North Carolina

Though often overlooked, stone fish weirs are relatively common archaeological features in many swift-flowing rivers and streams above the fall-line across the eastern Unites States. Often seen as V- or W-shaped stone alignments, these highly efficient fishing structures were used extensively throughout the pre-colonial and historic periods, some potentially dating back millennia and represent an important part of our cultural landscape. For a variety of reasons, stone fish weirs have received only intermittent attention from the archaeological community and are rarely the focus of systematic surveys. Improvements in the quality and accessibility of satellite-based imagery, such as Google Earth, have made the identification and recording of fish weir sites possible on a regional scale. This presentation addresses the ongoing efforts to document stone fish weirs in rivers throughout the Eastern United States and to situate these features as part of the cultural landscape. .

David J. Cranford serves as an Assistant State Archaeologist for the North Carolina (NC) Office of State Archaeology (OSA). He provides environmental review and technical assistance for counties in the Southern Piedmont of NC, and he promotes public outreach and archaeological education across the state. In addition, Dr. Cranford manages the North Carolina Fish Weir Archaeological Project and is a member of the Office of State Archaeology scientific diving program. He received a BA at Appalachian State University and an MA from the University of Oklahoma before completing his PhD at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His dissertation research is an archaeological examination of community organization and household variability within the Catawba Indian Nation of South Carolina during the late 18th century (ca. 1760 – 1800). Dr. Cranford’s other research interests include the archaeology of North Carolina, public archaeology, ceramic and lithic analysis, and the application of new technologies in archaeology.

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