Scientists Discover 5,200-Year-Old Boat In US Lake, Revealing Details Of Ancient Human Life

Discoveries under Lake Mendota are helping scientists better understand early human life in North America. Researchers have found ancient wooden canoes resting at the bottom of the lake, showing that people lived, travelled, and used advanced skills in the Great Lakes region thousands of years ago, reported the Newsweek.

Researchers with the Wisconsin Historical Society have discovered a total of 16 ancient hollow wooden boats in Lake Mendota. Researchers say the oldest of these boats dates back to a time before the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt even existed.

The first boat, approximately 1,200 years old, was discovered in 2021. Another boat, approximately 3,000 years old, was discovered in 2022. Further discoveries identified 14 other boats, six of which were discovered in the spring of 2025.

These discoveries suggest that an advanced civilisation may have existed in the Great Lakes region thousands of years ago. The people there possessed a strong understanding and technical know-how for building strong and long-lasting vessels.

According to researchers, these boats were used to navigate the lake and access the surrounding natural resources. Fishing net weights were also found in some of the boats, suggesting they were used for fishing.

Using carbon dating, scientists estimated the age of each boat. According to them, the oldest boat is approximately 5,200 years old, while the most recent boat is estimated to be around 700 years old.

Based on this, the oldest boat is believed to have been built around 3000 BC. This period predates the construction of the Great Pyramids of Egypt and around the time of the beginning of writing in the Sumerian civilisation.

This boat is now considered the oldest dugout canoe ever found in the Great Lakes region and the third-oldest boat in eastern North America.

Of the 16 boats discovered, eight were made from red or white oak wood. This finding surprised researchers, as red oak is generally not considered suitable for boat construction because it absorbs water quickly.

To understand this aspect, scientists tried to understand how such wood was used. One theory suggests that oak wood may develop structures called tyloses, which restrict the flow of water within the wood. These structures form when the tree undergoes some form of stress, such as injury, infection, or aging.

By restricting water circulation within the wood, tyloses also reduce the growth of fungi and bacteria. This increases the wood's water resistance, improves its flotation, and prevents rot.

Researchers believe that ancient boatbuilders deliberately selected damaged trees or injured them during their growth period to promote the formation of tyloses. This suggests a deep understanding of how ancient societies could optimise natural resources for their own use.

According to Tamara Thomson, a marine archaeologist at the Wisconsin Historical Society, this method indicates that concepts like bioengineering were being practiced long before they were named in the 20th century.