Trail Marker Trees Research Papers (original) (raw)

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Interpretations for the assemblage of anomalously shaped trees commonly referred to as trail marker trees were investigated through a review of the historic, anthropological, and botanical literature, documentation of 25 shaped standing... more

Interpretations for the assemblage of anomalously shaped trees commonly referred to as trail marker trees were investigated through a review of the historic, anthropological, and botanical literature, documentation of 25 shaped standing trees from 12 counties in Wisconsin, and an experiment on a sapling. The goal of the investigation was to test the hypothesis that each tree in the assemblage had been intentionally modified by native peoples as a sapling for utilization in the construction of a spring pole trap. The sapling, once bent for the purpose of capturing animals, and often aligned in a cardinal or ordinal direction, was now trapped in an irreversible pattern of growth that could only be altered by the triggering of the device. If the sapling was not released before secondary growth thickened its stem to a point at which the plant would no longer be pliable, it was destined to become a culturally modified tree.

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  • Culturally Modified Trees, Trail Marker Trees, Anthropogenic Trees, Shaped Standing Trees

Living trees historically modified by human populations, oftentimes referred to as “culturally modified trees” (CMTs), are found throughout the North American landscape. In eastern North America specifically, indigenous populations bent... more

Living trees historically modified by human populations, oftentimes referred to as “culturally modified trees” (CMTs), are found throughout the North American landscape. In eastern North America specifically, indigenous populations bent thousands of trees to mark trails, and some of these still exist in the region today. In this article, we present a synthesis of current knowledge on trail trees, including their speculated functions, formation, and selection. We also examine the theoretical implications of these living artifacts (or vivifacts) and how they may open new avenues for investiga- tion by archaeologists, environmental historians, and ethnobiologists. To conclude, we make a call for expanded public recognition and documentation of trail trees, discussing the need for their incorporation into forest and park management plans.

• • by Cailín Murray and +2
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  • Eastern Woodlands, Culturally Modified Trees, Trail Marker Trees, vivifacts
• • by Nicholas Kawa
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  • Ethnohistory, Geography, Environmental Anthropology, Ecological Anthropology
• • by Cailín Murray
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  • Ethnohistory, Environmental Anthropology, Ecological Anthropology, North American archaeology