Sunken Village Archeological Site

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Sunken Village Archeological Site (35MU4) is an ancient Chinookan village on Sauvie Island in Multnomah County, Oregon, near Portland. The village is more than 700 years old and is unusually well preserved because it was buried in an oxygen-poor freshwater environment, a wet site. Archaeologists found well-preserved basketry fragments and other materials. A notable feature is a series of pits used to leach tannin from acorns; these pits and basketry patterns resemble findings from other Pacific coast sites and from Japan, suggesting a rare connection between North American and Asian cultures. The site was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has attracted amateur collectors since the early 20th century and has faced threats such as seepage from a nearby levee and potential damage from proposed dam-related construction in 2008.