A cluster of prehistoric dugout canoes resting beneath Lake Mendota in Madison, Wisconsin, has been dated to as early as around 3000 BC, meaning at least one is older than Egypt’s Great Pyramid of Giza. The discovery is part of a wider underwater site where archaeologists have now mapped 16 canoes, offering rare evidence of long-term Indigenous travel and lake use across thousands of years reports Earth.com. it is mind blowing that such organic objects have survived underwater as long as some of the oldest stone structures in the world.
A “canoe parking lot” Spanning Millennia
The Wisconsin Historical Society says the canoes are grouped in two distinct clusters and appear to represent repeated use of the same shoreline access points over very long periods. Radiocarbon dating indicates the oldest canoe is roughly 5,200 years old, while the newest is about 700 years old—suggesting that people returned to these locations again and again, perhaps using them like shared storage points along an established travel network. Wisconsin Historical Society
This fits what Ancient Origins has previously reported about the lake, where earlier investigations identified canoes ranging from about 800 to 4,500 years old, hinting at a major archaeological site rather than a single “lost boat” incident. Ancient Origins
- Evidence of Prehistoric Canoe Share Scheme Found in Wisconsin Lake
- 11 Ancient Canoes at Lake Mendota Reveal Wisconsin's Early Civilizations
“The manner of making their boates” (c. 1590), showing dugout canoe construction. (Public Domain)
Ancient Boatbuilding - and a surprising choice of wood
One of the most intriguing details is the frequent use of oak - especially red oak, which typically absorbs water and is not usually considered ideal for watercraft. The Wisconsin Historical Society reports that wood analysis conducted with the USDA Forest Products Laboratory suggests the builders may have selected stressed or wounded trees that had formed tyloses - structures that block water movement in the wood and can improve resistance to rot and water absorption. In other words, the canoe-makers may have understood how to “prepare” timber long before modern terminology like “bioengineering” existed.
For broader context on ancient dugout traditions worldwide, Ancient Origins has also explored some of the oldest known boats, including the famous Pesse canoe from the Netherlands, often cited as the world’s oldest-known vessel.
- 1200-Year-Old Ho-Chunk Dugout Canoe Found In Wisconsin Lake
- Europe's Famous Mesolithic Pesse Canoe: Earth's Oldest Known Boat
Underwater work at Lake Mendota has revealed multiple ancient canoes. (Wisconsin Historical Society)
Indigenous History and Preservation Efforts
The Lake Mendota finds carry particular cultural weight because they sit within ancestral landscapes tied to Indigenous communities in the region. In the Wisconsin Historical Society release, tribal historic preservation officers describe the canoes as evidence of sophisticated networks and enduring relationships with waterways—connections that remain meaningful today.
Only two canoes have been recovered so far, and both have been undergoing long-term stabilization treatment. The Society says one is expected to be exhibited in the future Wisconsin History Center, with preservation supported in part by a Save America’s Treasures grant.
Top image: Wisconsin Historical Society maritime archaeologists recovered a 3,000-year-old dugout canoe from Lake Mendota in Madison, Wisconsin. Source: Dean Witter/ Wisconsin Historical Society
By Gary Manners
References
Wisconsin Historical Society. 2025. Submerged Canoes in Lake Mendota Offer New Insights into Ancestral Traditions and Waterways. Available at: https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS17431
Villellas, A. 2026. Prehistoric canoes found in the US are older than the Egyptian pyramids. Earth.com. Available at:https://www.earth.com/news/prehistoric-canoes-found-in-the-us-lake-mendota-are-older-than-the-pyramids/
