Sunken Village Archeological Site
Encyclopedia
Sunken Village Archeological Site (35MU4) is an archaeological site
on Sauvie Island
in Multnomah County
, Oregon
, United States
.
It was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 1989.
The site consists of a remarkably well-preserved Chinookan
village, dating back more than 700 years.
With scarce law enforcement presence, looting of artifacts is a constant threat to the site's stability.
The site is more immediately threatened by potential engineering work that may damage the site, in order to support an earthen dam.
Archaeological site
An archaeological site is a place in which evidence of past activity is preserved , and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology and represents a part of the archaeological record.Beyond this, the definition and geographical extent of a 'site' can vary widely,...
on Sauvie Island
Sauvie Island
Sauvie Island, in the U.S. state of Oregon, originally Wapato Island or Wappatoo Island, is the largest island along the Columbia River, at 26,000 acres , and the largest river island in the United States...
in Multnomah County
Multnomah County, Oregon
Multnomah County is one of 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. Though smallest in area, it is the most populous as its county seat, Portland, is the state's largest city...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
It was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1989.
The site consists of a remarkably well-preserved Chinookan
Chinookan
Chinook refers to several native amercain groups of in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, speaking the Chinookan languages. In the early 19th century, the Chinookan-speaking peoples lived along the lower and middle Columbia River in present-day Oregon and Washington...
village, dating back more than 700 years.
With scarce law enforcement presence, looting of artifacts is a constant threat to the site's stability.
The site is more immediately threatened by potential engineering work that may damage the site, in order to support an earthen dam.