PRELIMINARY REVIEW OF
MATERIALS OBTAINED DURING
A
SALVAGE EXCAVATION OF A ROCK SHELTER SITE
A portion of the salvage conducted between August 1995 and
February 1996 was sponsored by a
Salvage Conducted by: Matthew P. Maley, MS, CEE
This report is dedicated to Charlie Stamper who’s
permission and assistance made the
Salvage study possible. Harold Plummer, also, was instrumental in
gaining permission
to visit this site and many others over
the 23 years of the study (1984 -2007)
P.1
The Two Sandal Shelter Site –
15CR173 is located in a deep canyon that forms an intermittent stream
side-branch to the Tygarts Creek in central
The shelter is composed of a
Mississippian age sandstone overhang with a deep sandy floor. Figure 1. The nearest limestone outcropping is located
at least 6 meters (19.5 feet) below the floor of the site. There is a small cave under the north end of
15CR173 where water that percolated through the sandstone drained. Thus, the northern end of the site was very
dry and accounted for the exceptional preservation of plant and other cultural
remains.
The site was first visited on
an area reconnaissance designed to locate and map archaeological sites within
the Tygarts Creek drainage. In April of 1995, two local residents and the
owner were pointing out various known sites and specific geological features of
the area. The Two-Sandal Shelter was the
last in the series of sites to be visited and refuge from a cold spring rain
was sought in the shelter site. During a
discussion about the site and items found by two of those in the party, it was observed
that preserved plant remains were scattered in back dirt associated with
disturbance of the site. The owner
indicated that his grandchildren were excavating parts of the site but that evidently
others likewise were digging into the site.
Permission was obtained from
the owner to obtain several liters of the back dirt for analysis and samples
were gathered from four locations within the shelter. Two were associated with a fairly deep hole
that suggested that undisturbed stratified remains of plant materials might be present. Subsequent examination yielded a large number
of burned and
unburned nut shells, pieces of wood, egg shell, animal hair, feathers, chert
flakes, grasses, leaves, and insects.
The owner was contacted and
written permission was obtained to visit and undertake a more in-depth and
organized review of the
deep hole to obtain additional samples.
This was accomplished and it was very apparent that the site had the
potential to provide a large amount of preserved plant remains (unburned). Likewise, it was apparent that a stratified
midden existed adjacent to at least two of the holes dug by relatives of the
owner. At that time, the survey of
Much of the surface of the
site had been disturbed and establishing a “surface” point (datum) to begin
measurement presented several problems.
Thus, a point on the ceiling of the site was established as a datum and
accurate measurements were made to the existing floor surface under the
datum. A laser was used to mark off
specific areas of the
site to establish reference points to begin the salvage activity.
The northern end of the site
was mapped to indicate the position of rocks that had been in place before and
during any historic disturbance of the site.
These rocks served as additional reference points and areas immediately
adjacent to some of the rocks served as the first areas for review. Figure 2.
Assessments were made to
determine the depth of historic disturbance of the site. It was determined that in most areas the
depth of disturbance ranged between about 21 to 42 cm. (8-17inches). The disturbed soil was removed and 100% was
passed through a 6-7 mm. (0.25 inch) sieve.
After small rock fragments were removed the remaining material on the
sieve was bagged and labeled. Initially,
each segment (layer) of the excavation was in 5 cm. (1.9 inches) units. However, when undisturbed midden was
encountered the units/segments were reduced to 2 cm. (0.8-0.9 inches).
It was difficult to establish
standard 1-meter (39 inch) grids between the rocks because the space between
them was too narrow. However, a pit was
excavated which had a length of 1-meter (39 inches) with adjoining areas
maintained to provide a cross sectional view of the stratified cultural
remains. The dry sandy characteristic of the site produced
considerable dust and it was necessary to use respiratory protection. Also, slumping of site walls was
P.2
in some cases a continuous problem. Care was necessary when working adjacent to
large rocks to control slumping and subsequent movement of the rocks into the
excavated area.
The initial or preliminary
excavations were conducted around rocks A, B, and C. (Figure 2). However, these areas were for the most part
disturbed the deepest. Excavations
adjacent to and between rocks C and D provided the deepest undisturbed
soils. Also, a good example of an
undisturbed stratified midden was apparent under rocks C and D. Figure 3. No
excavations were initially conduced under rocks C or D due to the risk of the
rocks moving. This was both a safety and
midden preservation concern. However,
once the excavation around these rocks was completed, some of the midden under
the rocks was sampled. Eventually, rock
D did move but in a direction that did not hinder the salvage. Rock E was part of the northern wall of the
site and it was possible to excavate under this rock to determine how far
cultural remains were distributed. It
was interesting to note that the sands under E were generally yellow and suggested
“sterile” soil, however, a few chert flakes and large pieces of bone were
observed back to the actual shelter rock face.
During the review adjacent to
and between D and E, the relatives of the owner began digging along E in a
western-NW direction and dumped the back dirt onto the study area. Fortunately, a barrier had been placed over
the un-excavated area and it was possible to continue the review. However, their digging by rock D caused it to
move and drop into part of the previously studied area. They did not dig under D so it was possible
to salvage some of the undisturbed midden under D.
It was obvious that all of
the rocks, at the northern end of the site, had fallen at various times after
the site had begun to be occupied. This
preserved much of the midden and permitted a review of segments of the site
that would have eventually been lost to the digging of the relatives of the
owner.
Very few “diagnostic”
projectile points were obtained in the salvage areas; but scattered pieces of
pottery suggested a possible Early Woodland association. Also, two ovate base points were recovered. One had evidently been exposed to high heat
and was damaged, however, the other was in pristine condition and had a blade
of grass
(bluestem?)
wrapped around the base. Figure 4. The
point and the intact grass were sent to OSU for review and preservation.
The disturbed soils that had
been reviewed prior to excavation of the undisturbed midden yielded several
broken Late Woodland projectile points.
Also, shell tempered pottery was observed in the context of these
blades. The specific origin of these
items within the shelter could not be determined but it provided a suggestion
of a temporal association of occupation.
Charlie Stamper had farmed
the property for much of his life and had collected artifacts from the field
site and three of the shelters on the property.
He and local friends excavated 15CR173 between 1968 and 1971. The artifacts collected from the northeastern
and southern areas of the site suggested an occupation from the Early Archaic
to the Late Woodland Periods. Plant
fiber items were collected from at least two parts of the shelter. In one case, a bag containing hickory nuts
was excavated from a narrow space between a large rock that had fallen and
split.
In the north-western part of
the shelter Charlie described finding a thick bed of chestnut leaves that was about 2.0 meters (6.5 feet) long and 1.5 meters (4.8
feet) wide and at least 15-16 cm. (6 inches) thick. At the one end of the leaf bed there was a
mummified dog and on one side of the bed were two twined slippers (Figure 5)[the identification of the site as Two Sandal is related to these but
they are slippers and not sandals].
P.3
Also, he found a number of
bone awls and punches, animal jaws and teeth (including beaver) and in 1971 he
and three local friends excavated a human skeleton located in a naturally
occurring “crypt” in the central area of the site. He reported that the individual was about 6
feet tall (1.8 meters) and was a male (determined by the coroner). He had called the sheriff and it was reported
that the skeleton had been taken to the
Those who found the skeleton
reported that it had been covered with bark pieces and a slab of wood. Also, the details related to the few
artifacts found under the skeleton suggest a possible Late Woodland Period
association but this could not be confirmed.
It is interesting that three other skeletons were reported to have been
excavated within the proximity of 15CR173, with one additional coming from the
Stamper farm (15CR171) and two from a shelter on another areafarm (15CR241).
Several individuals in
The slippers were purchased
from Charlie and one was donated to a
Plant
The focus of the salvage was the recovery of preserved
plant remains related to prehistoric Native American occupation of the
site. To this end, over 200 liters of
material was recovered. Much of this was
associated with the KHC grant but some was recovered before the grant was
issued and after the grant had been transferred to OSU.
A limited analysis has been
conducted of samples from different undisturbed areas as well as disturbed
areas and it is obvious that the site was a focus point for the use of and
processing of native plant remains.
The largest amount of
material observed in all areas reviewed was nutshells. Most of the nutshells were not burned but
were sufficiently preserved to permit identity of the genus and species of the
plant from which they originated. Also,
plant fiber items were observed during the excavation, which included a braided
cord and rather decayed segments of a woven slipper .Figure 6. A few modified
sticks had been found by the owner and additionally some were found during the
salvage excavation. The specific purpose
of these items, however, is left to speculation. Table 1.
A considerable amount of burned and unburned bone was
observed throughout the site and within the salvaged midden. Some of the bones had been modified to
produce awls and punches. Deer antler,
also, was recovered and one tine may have been used as a flaking tool. A specialist has not reviewed the bone but it
is possible to identify
some of the animal species
represented. Additionally, egg shell
fragments, mussel shells, hair, turtle shell, and fish parts were recovered.
P.4
Lithics
Chert flakes and chunks were scattered over the entire
site due to the extensive disturbance of the site. Literally, thousands of flakes were found and
a limited analysis of the flakes has suggested that chert had been obtained from
outcrops at 15CR172 which is located in the central area of a very large
shelter 0.1 km (300 feet) to the south of 15CR173. Also, types commonly found along the James
Branch Creek 0.4-km (1200 feet) to the east represented much of the chert that
was examined. Some of the chert in the
shelter had been exposed to high heat and it was difficult to determine the
source due to color and texture changes.
Table 2 provides a summary of an analysis of chert flakes that were found in the excavations between rocks C & D and F & E. Table 3 provides an analysis of the source of chert flakes relative to areas presented in Table 2.
Three projectile points were found within undisturbed midden strata. One, as mentioned above, one was an ovate base point wrapped with a single blade of grass. The other ovate base point was found adjacent to a hearth and was damaged by exposure to high heat. The third point may be a Bakers Creek and it was found at a 2.0 cm. (0.7 inches) under the central area of rock F (see Figure 2). Additional broken points were observed in previously disturbed areas where the leaf bed had reportedly been located. All of these were associated with the Late Woodland Period with several triangular and one Jack’s Reef point being represented.
The ovate base point with the grass wrapped around the base (see Figure 4) presented an interesting opportunity for speculation as to the reason the grass was present. The first seemingly obvious reason was that it was used as a pendant, however, attempts to duplicate the way the grass was wrapped using a similar ovate base point indicated that this was not very practical. The second speculation, however, seemed more plausible. What if the grass was wrapped around the base prior to hafting to more efficiently secure the point to the stick? To test this speculation, two identical ovate base points were obtained from a local collector. A blade of blue stem grass was wrapped around one point and both were hafted on identical sticks. Each was bound to the stick with deer sinew and allowed to sit for several days. Then the end of each point was grasped and pushed from side to side to determine the tightness of the fit. The point with the grass seemed to be much more secure.
A presentation related to 15CR173 was given at an ASK meeting at NKY (ASK Meeting, October 10-11, 1997, NKU) and the two hafted points were passed among the 20 individuals in the room. They were asked to indicate which point felt more secure. All those present selected the point that was hafted with the grass wrapped around the base. Obviously, this does not prove the specific speculated use but it does provide a strong suggestion of possible application.
A number of whole and broken chert hammer stones were observed. No glacial deposit material was observed in any of the lithic assemblage. Sandstone, which is present in the shelter, had been used for grinding/milling stones and “nutting” stones. Limestone, also, was utilized. One rounded, oblong stone was battered on one end suggesting that it was utilized for some form of pounding. However, the most interesting limestone utilization was for a possible cooking surface.
In at least three segments of the salvaged area, slabs of limestone were found that had the same characteristics. They were generally 35.5-40.5 cm. (14-16 inches) wide, 45-64 cm. (18-25 inches) long, and 6-8 cm (2.5-3.0 inches) thick. One surface (top) was polished and discolored by exposure to heat. The outer edges of each stone were rounded suggesting that they may have been obtained in a stream or weathered outcrop. As the result of exposure to high temperature some were cracked into various shaped small blocks which could easily be pieced together. In one case, there was evidence of a hearth being present directly on top of the slab (Figure 7, 7a), however, in the others wood charcoal and ash was generally found around the edges of the stone.
It is speculated that a shallow pit was dug into the sand floor of the shelter, the limestone slab was laid at the bottom of this hole and a fire was built on top of the slab. After the fire had burned to coals, the coals and ashes
were moved to the edges of the slab and food was placed onto the slab similar to using a griddle. The “polished” top surface of the limestone slabs suggested that the stone could easily have served as a griddle.
P.5
To test this speculation, an equivalent size slab of
Ordovician limestone was obtained, a hole dug, and 65 pounds of maple/walnut
logs were burned until they were ashes with a few coals. The maple/walnut was used to match the wood
charcoal found in one of the excavated hearths.
The ashes were pushed to the side and two eggs, three slices of bacon,
and two pieces of bread/toast were easily cooked on the
surface. The eggs were gritty but could
be eaten (the dog enjoyed them). A hole
had been drilled into the slab to permit the insertion of a very high
temperature mercury thermometer. At the
end of the heating cycle the stone had reached 214 C. (417F.). The temperature remained above 93 C. (200 F.)
for over 120 minutes. An egg will
coagulate/cook at 60.5 C. (141 F.), thus, the temperature when the ashes were
removed was quite sufficient for cooking. (Figure.8)
A few shards of thick, unmarked, limestone tempered pottery were found in both the stratified midden and in the back dirt of prior excavations. Cord marked, shell tempered potter was observed in the same area where the Late
Woodland Period points were found in back dirt. Conversations with the owner of the shelter and two others who had dug in the site suggested that pottery was sparse and no vessels were observed. (Figure 9.)
A “blob” of clay that somehow
had been fired was found in the back dirt associated with the triangular points
and it had what looked to be the impression of the bottom of a slipper. It looked like someone had stepped on the
clay and it was then exposed to a fire.
A black tarry residue was
found in several areas of the northern section of the site. The material dissolved in hot water and
testing suggested it was probably a residue of tannin /gallotannin. Because there was a considerable amount of
the material found it was speculated that Native People might have collected
the material to use in a tanning process.
However, this was dismissed since such material may be obtained when
some green wood, which contain high levels of tannins, are burned. A viscous/tarry fluid exudes from the
cambium/bark area and will oxidize to a dark brown color after exposure to air. There were a large number of hearths present
in the site suggesting that much wood had been burned and the residue may have
been associated with some of the wood such as chestnut or oak.
TABLE 1 – Plant Remains
|
CULTURAL REMAINS OBTAINED FROM 15CR173 |
||
|
PLANT/COMMON |
PLANT/SCIENTIFIC |
PLANT/COMMENT-DETAILS |
|
Basswood |
Tilia
|
Modified sticks, braided cord, loose bark fiber |
|
Beech |
Fagus
grandifolia |
"Nuts", leaves, wood |
|
Black Walnut |
Juglans
nigra |
Nuts, nutshells, wood |
|
Blackberry/Raspberry |
Rubus species |
Seeds |
|
Bluestem Grass |
Andropopgon
species |
Stems, leaves (leaf wrapped around point base) |
|
Buckeye |
Asculus
species |
Capsule/husk, "nut shell" |
|
Butternut Walnut |
Juglans
cinerea |
Nuts, nutshells
|
|
Cane |
Arundinaria
gigantea |
Stems, "split" burned |
|
Chestnut |
Castanea
dentata |
Husk, "nut shells", leaves reported as
bedding |
|
Greenbrier |
Smilax
rotundifolia |
Stems, seeds? |
|
Hazelnut |
Corylus
|
Nutshells |
|
|
Carya
cordiformis |
Husk, nutshells - burned and unburned |
|
|
Carya
ovata |
Husk, nutshells - burned and unburned |
|
|
Carya
species |
Nutshell fragments |
|
Magnolia |
Magnolia
species |
Seeds |
|
Oak, White |
Quercus
alba |
Acorn |
|
Oak, Scarlet |
Quercus
coccinea |
Acorn |
|
Oak |
Quercus
species |
Acorn fragments |
|
Paw-Paw |
Asimina
triloba |
Seeds and possible modified sticks |
|
Red cedar (Juniper) |
Juniperus
virginiana |
Wood |
|
Squash/gourd |
Cucurbita
species |
Stem, seed |
|
Wild Grape |
Vitis
species |
Stem, seed |
|
Yellow Poplar |
Liriodendron
tulipifera |
Seeds, possible wood |
|
|
|
|
TABLE 2 – Lithic Analysis
SITE AREA |
DIMENSIONS (cm) |
DEPTH (cm) |
SAMPLE VOL. (L) |
# OF FLAKES |
|
C/D |
70
x 100 |
260-263* |
1.5 |
54 |
|
F/E |
50
x 100 |
251-255 |
0.5 |
40 |
|
|
|
251-255 |
0.5 |
16 |
|
|
|
251-255 |
1.5 |
92 |
|
|
|
251-255 |
2.0 |
79 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
255-259 |
1.2 |
23 |
|
|
|
255-259 |
1.2 |
36 |
|
|
|
255-259 |
1.2 |
27 |
|
|
|
255-259 |
1.2 |
35 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
259-266 |
1.5 |
23 |
|
|
|
259-266 |
1.5 |
21 |
|
|
|
259-266 |
0.75 |
05 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fire/hearth
site |
257-269 |
1.5 |
83 |
|
|
Totals |
|
16.95
Liters |
529
Flakes |
* Depth is based on measurement from the datum that is on the roof of the
shelter. Also, where a similar depth is
indicated the sample was divided to better determine the distribution of
material across the sample area. A sub-grid had been established within the
indicated dimensions of the sample area.
AREA
|
DEPTH |
TOTAL |
LOCAL |
OTHER |
15CR172 |
“EXOTIC”** |
|
C/D |
260-263 |
83 |
47 |
28 |
0 |
08 |
|
F/E |
251-255 |
227 |
157 |
47 |
18 |
05 |
|
|
255-259 |
116 |
78 |
30 |
0 |
08 |
|
|
259-266 |
49 |
22 |
19 |
0 |
08 |
|
|
Fire/Hearth |
54 |
47 |
02 |
03 |
02 |
|
Totals |
5 areas |
529 |
351 |
126 |
21 |
31 |
|
%/Total |
|
|
66.4 |
23.8 |
4.0 |
5.9 |
** “EXOTIC” refers to chert not from the area
or form a quarry site that has yet to be determined, or had been altered in
color and texture due to exposure to excess heat. . LOCAL and OTHER refers to known quarry sites in
TABLE 4: Testing of limestone slab
|
TEMPERATURE
OF LIMESTONE USED AS COOKING SURFACE |
|
|
|
||||||
|
Degrees F. |
Time/min. |
|
Degrees C. |
Time/min |
|
Decrease
in temp. |
|
|
|
|
417 |
0 |
|
214 |
0 |
|
per unit
time (deg.F) |
Min. |
|
|
|
370 |
15 |
|
192 |
15 |
|
47 |
15 |
|
|
|
342 |
30 |
|
176 |
30 |
|
28 |
30 |
|
|
|
317 |
45 |
|
162 |
45 |
|
25 |
45 |
|
|
|
292 |
60 |
|
147 |
60 |
|
25 |
60 |
|
|
|
266 |
75 |
|
133 |
75 |
|
26 |
75 |
|
|
|
242 |
90 |
|
119 |
90 |
|
24 |
90 |
|
|
|
225 |
105 |
|
110 |
105 |
|
17 |
105 |
|
|
|
214 |
120 |
|
103 |
120 |
|
14 |
120 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This data
represents an experiment to evaluate the potential for a piece of limestone
to retain sufficient heat to permit
the |
|||||||||
|
cooking
of food. 60-65 pounds of maple/walnut
(hardwood) were burned for a little over two hours. The coals and ashes |
|||||||||
|
were
then brushed to the side. Two chicken
eggs, three slices of bacon, and two pieces of bread were subsequently placed |
|||||||||
|
onto the
heated limestone surface. Each cooked
rapidly and well. The eggs stuck
somewhat to the stone but if the bacon |
|||||||||
|
had been
placed on the stone first this could have been prevented. Also, the eggs contained grit from ash and
the stone. |
|||||||||
|
The stone
reached a maximum temperature of 417 F. (214 C.) with an initial drop of 47
degrees in the first 15 minutes, followed |
|||||||||
|
by a
mean decrease of 25.6 degrees F. over the next five intervals. Followed by a less rapid decline over the
subsequent |
|||||||||
|
30
minutes. The temperature was
maintained above the boiling point of water for about 125 minutes. (see Fig.
7 & 7a) |
|
||||||||
References
US Geological Survey,
Geological Map of the Grahn Quadrangle,
K.J. England, 1976
Grimillion, K.J., The Research Potential of Textile Artifacts: An Example from
Maley, M.P., Plant remains
and other Cultural Material tell of the Life and Times of Prehistoric People in
Carter County Kentucky, ASK Meeting,
Figures: Not included due to
issues relative to size of document and sending via E-mail.