Archive · 16 Jan 2026
5,200-Year-Old Boat Found in US Lake
Scientists found 16 old wooden boats at the bottom of Lake Mendota in Wisconsin.
The oldest boat is about 5,200 years old, which is even older than the Great Pyramid of Giza.
These boats show that people living there a long time ago were very skilled at building things.
They used special kinds of wood that could stay strong in water.
The boats were used for traveling and fishing.
Scientists think these people knew a lot about nature and how to use it to make good boats.
This helps us learn more about how people lived thousands of years ago.
16 ancient wooden boats discovered in Lake Mendota, Wisconsin, with the oldest dating back to 3000 BC.
The oldest boat is the oldest dugout canoe in the Great Lakes region and the third-oldest in eastern North America.
Boats were used for navigation and fishing, with some containing fishing net weights.
Eight of the boats were made from red or white oak, which is unusual due to its water absorption properties.
Researchers believe ancient boatbuilders may have deliberately selected or damaged trees to enhance the wood's water resistance.
- Who
- Researchers from the Wisconsin Historical Society
- What
- Discovered 16 ancient wooden boats in Lake Mendota
- When
- Oldest boat dates back to 3000 BC, most recent around 700 years ago
- Where
- Lake Mendota, Wisconsin, USA
- Why
- To understand early human life and advanced skills in the Great Lakes region
- Location
- Lake Mendota, Wisconsin
- Number of Boats
- 16
- Oldest Boat Age
- 5,200 years
- Most Recent Boat Age
- 700 years
- Wood Types
- Red or white oak, other unspecified types
- Significance
- Oldest dugout canoe in the Great Lakes region, third-oldest in eastern North America
- Discovery Timeline
- First boat found in 2021, additional boats discovered in 2022 and 2025
- Research Institution
- Wisconsin Historical Society