Archaeologists uncover earliest evidence of human settlement on Montserrat
The Survey and Landscape Archaeology on Montserrat (SLAM) project, co-directed by Wayne State University archaeologist Krysta Ryzewski, has identified Archaic-period lithics that push back the estimated date of human settlement on the island by at least 1,000 years. The findings were published in "Antiquity" (86:333).
Ryzewski, alongside SLAM colleagues John F. Cherry and Thomas P. Leppard, also published "Multi-period Landscape Survey Results and Site Risk Assessment on Montserrat, West Indies" in the "Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology" (7:2), detailing multi-period landscape survey results and site risk assessments on Montserrat. The study provides critical insights into the island’s long-term human occupation and environmental changes.
In addition to her work in the Caribbean, Ryzewski collaborated with researchers from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Brown University’s School of Engineering to advance 3-D neutron imaging of archaeological bronzes and ceramics. Findings from this research were presented at the International Topical Meeting on Neutron Radiography in Kingston, Ontario (June 2012) and the Gordon Research Conference on Scientific Methods in Cultural Heritage Research in West Dover, Vermont (August 2012).
These projects highlight the evolving methods in archaeology and the role of cutting-edge technology in uncovering new historical insights.