Lay of the Land
T
he Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy dominated what is now upstate New York for some 300 years until it was pushed out by invading Europeans in the 18th century. During that time the Six Nations— Mohawk, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, and Tuscarora—were the most well organized Indians in eastern North America. In this issue of American Archaeology, we get caught up on the Seneca, the largest of the Six Nations (see “Reexamining the Seneca,” page 32). They, like the other Iroquois, lived in compact fortified villages that consisted of several longhouses where a
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number of families lived. Every 20 years or so, the village moved to a new location, probably because of the depletion of natural resources around the village. Thus, there are quite a number of Iroquois villages stretching from Buffalo to Albany. The Seneca are the best documented, and they are taking an active role in preserving and researching their history. A Seneca longhouse has been re-constructed at Ganondagan State Historic Site near Rochester, where Natives and others can learn about Iroquois lifeways. The Seneca, as well as other Iroquois nations and the state of New York,
liz lopez
Preserving Iroquois Sites Mark Michel, President
are working with the Conservancy to acquire and permanently preserve the ruins of early villages. So far, the Conservancy has purchased Seneca, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Mohawk sites. Many more acquisitions are in progress, and we hope to be able to permanently preserve a large sample of this fascinating Native culture.
spring • 2012
