A notable contribution to North American archaeological literature, The Archaeology of the Atlantic Northeast is the first book to integrate and interpret archaeological data from the entire Atlantic Northeast, making unprecedented cultural connections across a broad region that encompasses the Canadian Atlantic provinces, the Quebec Lower North Shore, and Maine.

Beginning with the earliest Indigenous occupation of the area, this book presents a cultural overview of the Atlantic Northeast, and weaves together the histories of the Indigenous peoples whose traditional lands make up this territory, including the Innu, Beothuk, Inuit, and numerous Wabanaki bands and tribes. Emphasizing historical connection and cultural continuity, The Archaeology of the Atlantic Northeast tracks the development of the earliest peoples in this area as they responded to climate and ecosystem change by transforming their glacier-edge way of life to one on the water’s edge, becoming one of the most successful and longstanding marine-oriented cultures in North America.

Supported by more than a hundred illustrations and maps documenting the archaeological legacy, as well as discussions of unanswered questions intended to spur debate, this comprehensive text is ideal for students, researchers, professional archaeologists, and anyone interested in the history of this region.

The first comprehensive look at the archaeological history of the Atlantic Northeast, this book presents the archaeology of the region from the earliest Indigenous occupation to the first centuries of European occupation.

List of Illustrations
List of Boxes
Foreword 1
Foreword 2
Acknowledgements
Artist Statement

Chapter 1: The Archaeology of the Atlantic Northeast
Chapter 2: The Changing Environment and Climate of the Atlantic Northeast
Chapter 3: The First Peoples of the Atlantic Northeast
Chapter 4: The Palaeoindian Period (ca. 13,000 to 9,000 cal BP)
Chapter 5: Early Maritime Archaic Culture (9,500 to 5,500 cal BP)
Chapter 6: The Late Maritime Archaic (5,500 to 3,500 cal BP)
Chapter 7: Transitional Archaic and Early Woodland (4000-2200 cal BP)
Chapter 8: Arctic Cultures in Newfoundland and Labrador (4,200-500 cal BP)
Chapter 9: The Boreal Woodland Period (ca. 3000 to 550 cal BP) and Middle Maritime Woodland Period (ca. 2200 – 1300 cal BP)
Chapter 10: The Late Maritime Woodland (1300–550 cal BP) and Late Boreal Woodland (1400–550 cal BP)
Chapter 11: The Protohistoric Period (ca. 500 to 350 cal BP)
Chapter 12: Conclusions

Glossary
Bibliography
Index

"Transcending modern borders and taking a stance for long-term cultural continuity, Betts and Hrynick’s cohesive synthesis breathes social life into the rich archaeological record of the Atlantic Northeast. Bridging the past and present, this remarkable book brings to light the deeply rooted historical trajectories of the original inhabitants of this land."

"Betts and Hrynick take a much-needed historical processual approach to the archaeology of the North Atlantic. Bringing together cross-border research, their work illustrates effectively how people, objects, and ideas were integrated over this vast landscape without losing sight of the region’s cultural diversity and local histories. In critically evaluating models of cultural discontinuity, the authors are willing to challenge entrenched archaeological narratives. Importantly, Betts and Hrynick take seriously the implications of archaeological research for Wabanaki peoples today."

"This book offers a remarkable synthesis of the North Atlantic coastal region. It presents much-needed information on regions such as the Quebec Lower North Shore, PEI, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, while tying these areas together with Labrador, Newfoundland, and the Gulf of Maine. The authors make a compelling case for long-term cultural connections throughout all of these regions. In short, it is a remarkable achievement."

"The Archaeology of the Atlantic Northeast is a seminal contribution to the field of archaeology. This comprehensive volume should be the foundation for continuing efforts to build on large anthropological questions, while acknowledging local variation in the past of the Atlantic area. This will be an important resource for teaching archaeology in the region and should also be of interest to amateur archaeologists and others."

"Sitting on the edge of the continent, the Canadian Maritimes, Labrador, and northern New England also seem to sit on the edge of North America’s archaeological consciousness. No longer. With attention to detail and the area’s Indigenous descendants, Betts and Hrynick have produced a readable prehistory of the Atlantic Northeast, attending to its lessons for North American prehistory in general and for present-day Indigenous concerns and interests."

"The Archaeology of the Atlantic Northeast offers a clear and thorough introduction to the material culture and cultural practices of past Indigenous peoples, highlighting important interpretations of cultural connections across time and space. Importantly, Betts and Hrynick acknowledge the rights and roles of contemporary Indigenous peoples in archaeological inquiry, thus creating a valuable archaeological text appropriate for diverse audiences."