Whaleback Shell Midden is a shell midden consisting primarily of oyster shells located on the east side of the Damariscotta River in Maine, United States. It is preserved as a Maine state historic site and was included as part of the Damariscotta Oyster Shell Heaps listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. Other shell middens are located on the estuary in both Damariscotta and Newcastle. As the climate warmed and the ice sheet retreated, Maine's landscape underwent deglaciation from 14,500 to 11,000 BCE. Due to isostatic rebound, a geological process in which the earth “rebounds” from the depression of a glacier, sea levels fluctuated immensely. At the start of the deglaciation, sea level was much higher inland; the landscape at the time would have resembled modern-day northern Alaska. This promoted hunter-gatherer practices that could respond more quickly to changing climates. As the glacier retreated, sea levels dropped, as low as 180 feet below what we now recognize as the coast of Maine. Over the last few thousands of years, the sea level has slowly risen, creating Maine's large littoral zones recognizable to humans today.

The Archaic Period of human culture was taking place from about 3,500 to 9,000 years ago, characterized by cultures who started to exploit marine resources. However, there is not much archaeological evidence to suggest this, and it's more likely that there were ethnic boundaries between groups of people and that transhumance was not occurring, meaning that populations were staying coastal or inland year-round. The midden is located between two sills, Johnny Orr and Indraft. These sills, volcanic in origin and most likely millions of years old, have influenced the salinity and temperature of the river. In fact, on the oceanside of the Johnny Orr sill, the level of the water at high tide is higher than the level on the riverside. However, oysters are not present in significant populations in the river today. This has led geologists to the understanding that at some point in time, there was a great deal of change occurring on the banks of the Damariscotta River that influenced the creation of such substantial middens. Oysters tend to like warmer, brackish waters This challenges our understanding of early maritime technology.

State historic site

The area around the remains of the Whaleback is a Maine state historic site, first opened for a full season in 2005, with some historical displays and a hiking trail.

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  • Whaleback Shell Midden Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry