Chapter I: Part 1

THE MISSOURI ARCHAEOLOGIST

VOLUME 24 DECEMBER 1962

THE MISSOURI ARCHAEOLOGIST

VOLUME 24, WHOLE VOLUME, COLUMBIA, MISSOURI DECEMBER, 1962

Editor: Robert T. Bray, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
Associate Editor: Carl H. Chapman, University of Missouri, Columbia,
Missouri
Art Director: Eleanor F. Chapman

SOCIETY OFFICERS

Henry W. Hamilton, _President_
_Vice-Presidents_

J. Allen Eichenberger
Walter M. Davis
Richard A. Marshall, _Secretary_
Leonard W. Blake
Leo J. Roedl
Dale R. Henning, _Treasurer_

TRUSTEES

O. D. Evans, _Chairman_
Leo Anderson
Royal D. M. Bauer
C. L. Blanton, Jr.
Bartlett Boder
Dr. H. E. Calkin
Archie K. Cameron
R. I. Colburn
Harry L. Collins
J. L. Connelly
Dr. G. F. Cresswell
Jake M. Crick
Judge S. P. Dalton
Mrs. W. L. Davidson
Bruce Debo
Richard V. Dolby
Ralph J. Duerr
Terrance Dyche
William K. Erickson
Charles R. Fiorita
Franklin H. Flora
J. W. Gerhardt
Dr. Ernest B. Hanan
H. F. Hansen
Harry Harner
Dr. M. M. Hart
Leonard Haslag
Leo P. Hopper
Sam C. Irvine
Edwin Johnson
C. T. Kelly
George K. Kirk
Albert Kuchs
J. H. Larwill
Miss Margaret Lawlor
George O. Laun
James Lowe
Frank Magre
J. J. McKinny
Steve Miller
Art Province
Julian D. Pyatt
Wilson Reardon
Ralph Roberts
Leonard Rowe
Paul V. Sellers
C. K. Sheets, Jr.
John W. Taylor
Dr. P. F. Titterington
John C. Vinton

PRESERVATION OF SITES COMMITTEE

J. J. McKinny, _Chairman_
Lee M. Adams
Roy E. Coy
William R. Denslow
Robert L. Elgin
Arthur L. Freeman
Sam F. Hamra
Dr. H. Lee Hoover
M. E. Morris
Clyde C. Norman
Haysler A. Poague
Art L. Wallhausen
C. H. Turner
Robert L. Seelen

FRONTISPIECE

PREFACE
by
Carl H. Chapman

The events leading to the publication of the following report by John H. Moselage has been one of the highlights of many years of work with amateur archaeologists. At first meeting it seemed that he protested too much that he wanted to do “real archaeology,” but this desire turned out to be quite genuine. He really wanted help. He wanted to do the job right at any cost.

Enthusiasm and determination clothed the man almost completely. Working with him was a challenge. During the few days of vacation he could spend with regular crews of professional archaeologists his quest for knowledge, techniques, methods and the proper tools was almost insatiable. Then followed long letters containing notes, profiles, photographs and maps, to be criticized, and with each new step the request for assurance of proper techniques and accepted methods before moving ahead. Months stretched into years; bundles of detailed notes, long letters of explanation, copies of hour by hour, day by day descriptions of work and progress were frequently interspersed by long distance calls to solve the problems in the field as they arose. His telephone greeting was “Mr. Chapman, I’ve got a problem!” It was usually thirty minutes to an hour later before a long distance operator could once again clear the line between Missouri and Tennessee or Missouri and Arkansas.

All his spare time, all the influence he could exert to get his friends to join him, were used to progress the work. His determination carried him through rain, mud, flood, and cold, in order to complete the job. His enthusiasm and drive carried many others along with him to the conclusion of the Lawhorn Site investigation.

Study of pottery types and projectile points became his steady reading diet. Long hours were spent in washing, numbering and cataloging the specimens from the digs. Analysis of the material through compilation of ground plans of the excavation, of house structures, and of vertical profiles was a tedious process necessitating the aid of many people. The most generous of these in giving time, advise, and use of facilities was Mr. Charles H. Nash.

The resulting report on the Lawhorn Site which follows is testimony to the unstinting efforts that John Moselage has made. It is an outstanding example of what can be done by a true amateur archaeologist and is a worthy goal for other dedicated amateur archaeologists. The search for knowledge has always led man to his greatest achievements. Research is never-ending as knowledge in any area of endeavor is never complete. The achievement in this instance is a solid contribution to the archaeology of the Eastern United States.

CONTENTS

_Page_
PREFACE
By Carl H. Chapman iv
THE LAWHORN SITE
By John Moselage 1
FOREWORD 2
LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION 2
GEOLOGICAL SETTING 4
METHODOLOGY 9
Sunday, October 21, 1956 9
Saturday, October 27, 1956 9
November 25, 1956 10
38R5, Sunday, April 28, 1957 11
15R8, June 21, 1957 12
7R13, July 14, 1957 13
31R17, March 15, 1958 13
27R32, January 25, 1959 15
32R36, March 20, 1960 16
41R21, March 22, 1960 16
41R22, March 22, 1960 18
EXCAVATIONS 18
MATERIAL CULTURE 20
Pottery 20
Sand Tempered 20
Shell Tempered 25
Appendages 25
Effigies 30
Vessel Forms 34
Bowls 34
Jars 36
Water Bottles 36
DESCRIPTION AND COMPARISON 38
SUMMARY OF THE POTTERY 42
Pottery Disks 44
Projectile Points 44
Other Chipped Stone Artifacts 51
Mortars and Pestles 51
Stone Abraders and Whetstones 54
Pottery and Clay Abraders 54
Anvilstones 57
Hammerstones 57
Groundstone Celts 57
Pipes 57
Bone and Antler Artifacts 58
Brickette and Daub 58
Shell Artifacts 63
Vegetal Remains 63
FEATURES 63
Refuse Pits 63
Ash Pits 65
Firebasins 65
HOUSES 69
House 1 69
House 2 69
House 3 73
BURIALS 80
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 87
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AREA CHRONOLOGY 93
APPENDIX A: IDENTIFICATION OF THE FAUNAL REMAINS FROM THE LAWHORN
SITE
By Paul W. Parmalee 95
APPENDIX B: ANALYSIS OF VEGETAL REMAINS FROM LAWHORN SITE
By Leonard W. Blake 97
APPENDIX C: BURIALS AT THE LAWHORN SITE
By Charles H. Nash 99
REFERENCES CITED 104

ILLUSTRATIONS

_Figures_ _Page_
FRONTISPIECE iii
1. Map of Lawhorn Site in Relation to Archaeological Sites in the
Central Mississippi Valley 3
2. Aerial View of the St. Francis River “Sunken Lands” and the
Lawhorn Site 5
3. Aerial View of Drainage Ditch and Levee at the Lawhorn Site 6
4. Contour Map of the Lawhorn Site, with Levee, Drainage Ditch,
Excavated Areas and Grid Control System 7
5. Cord Marked Sherds and Positive Impressions 21
6. Sand Tempered Textile Marked Sherds and Clay Impressions 22
7. Sand Tempered Textile Marked Sherds and Impressions 23
8. Pottery Handles and Lugs 26
9. Jar Forms 28
10. Pottery Handles 29
11. Human Effigy Head 31
12. Painted Pottery 32
13. Decorated Pottery Sherds 33
14. Bowls 35
15. Water Bottles 37
16. Pottery Vessels with Burial 24 40
17. Pottery Disks 45
18. Corner Notched and Stemmed Arrowheads 47
19. Ovoid and Trianguloid Arrowheads 48
20. Stemmed Projectile Points 50
21. Projectile Points 52
22. Chipped Stone Tools 53
23. Mortars and Pestles 55
24. Stone and Pottery Abraders and Stone Pipe 56
25. Bone Tools 59
26. Bone Beads and Burned Clay Daub 60
27. Brickettes or Fired Clay Artifacts 62
28. Shell Ornaments and Tools 64
29. Broken Pottery Jar 66
30. Firebasin of Unusual Shape 68
31. House Ground Plan with Charred Remains, Firebasin, Ash Dumps
and Refuse Pit 70
32. Charred Cane Poles and Grass, Part of House 1 71
33. Houses 2 and 3 72
34. Pottery Vessel in House 2 Firebasin 74
35. Ground Plan of House 2 with Firebasin and Burned Floor Area,
and House 3 with Details of the Burned Super-structure 75
36. Charred Wattle Work Wall or Roof Section of House 3 76
37. Basal Ends of Poles along West Wall of House 3 77
38. Cross Sectioned Log from Floor of House 3 78
39. Broken Pottery Vessel from House 3 79
40. Hypothetical Reconstruction of the House Type at Lawhorn 81
41. Burials 21 and 22 82
42. Burial 25 and Associated Pottery Bowl 83
43. Burial 36 84
44. Soil Profiles above and near Burial 36 85
45. Pottery Bowl Inverted over Shoulder of Burial 37 86
46. Cutting a Horizontal Profile in Square 27R32, Showing Use of
Hand Tools 88
47. Vertical and Horizontal Profiles Showing Intrusion of Sand
into Cracks in Soil, Judged to be caused by Earthquake
Activity 90
48. Missouri Archaeological Society Achievement Award, 1961 106
49. Francis Stubbs, Achievement Award Recipient, 1960 107
50. Mr. and Mrs. Harry Collins, Achievement Award Recipient, 1961 108
51. Sam C. Irvine, Award Plaque Recipient 1961 109
_Tables_ _Page_
1. Summary of the Sand Tempered Pottery 24
2. Summary of Shell Tempered Plain and Decorated Pottery 25
3. Relative Occurrence of Pottery Lugs 27
4. Comparison of Domestic and Mortuary Vessel Forms 34
5. Summary of House Data 80
6. Comparative Analysis of Corn from Lawhorn and Four Area Sites 98
7. Comparative Dates from Lawhorn and Four Area Sites 98
8. Burial Data 101-102
9. Age and Sex Groups 102
10. Mortuary Vessels 103
11. Average Age of Fourteen Burials 103

THE LAWHORN SITE

by
John Moselage

FOREWORD

The success of the Lawhorn endeavors is due to the encouragement and efforts of many people. However, without the guidance of Carl H. Chapman, this venture could not have been undertaken. From its beginning, he always found time in his busy schedule to help me with the many problems which arose during the course of the excavation and narration of the site.

Mr. Charles Nash, Tennessee State Parks Archaeologist, aided in preliminary analysis of the material remains, analyzed the burial complex and prepared that section for this report. Mr. Nash also edited the first draft of the report and prepared the first typescript. The time and effort expended by Mr. Nash is sincerely appreciated.

Prior to the final draft and editing, a conference was held at the University of Missouri for an analysis and interpretation of the site material. Those participating in the conference were Carl H. Chapman, Robert T. Bray, Richard A. Marshall, Edwin Sudderth, Richard Bradham, and the writer. Editing of the second and final draft was by Robert T. Bray and Carl H. Chapman. The job is one which too often goes without recognition of the many long hours which are necessary in producing the finished report. Especial thanks are due the property owners, Mr. W. O. Lawhorn, whose cooperation made this investigation possible. It is with deep and sincere appreciation that I recognize the aid and assistance given me by my family—my daughters, my son, and my wife, and any success is shared equally with them.

Though the day-by-day crew seldom exceeded four in number, many gave unselfishly of their time making possible the successful completion of the field work. The following is a list of those most helpful:

J. L. Henson
J. T. King
Lavern Harris
F. N. Davis
Robert Smith
C. L. Scheel
Dan Printup
Harry Madison
Ted Nelson
Irby Long

Others too numerous to mention helped me from time to time, and I am most grateful to them all.

LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION

The Lawhorn site is located on the Leachville-Arkansas-Missouri Quadrangle of the U.S. Army Engineer Map in the NW SW Sec. 5, T15N, R7E. This lies along the watercourse of the St. Francis River, in Craighead County four miles north of Monette, Arkansas. In all probability, at the time the site was occupied, the main river channel was not far away.

Figure 1 shows the general location of the site in northeast Arkansas just below the boot-heel of Missouri. The larger and better known sites shown on this map indicate the extent of the Mississippian groups in this region. The site is close to one just north and one or two south which seem to be almost identical judging by surface finds and tests. The Lawhorn material is mostly Mississippian or has a Mississippian component that predominates in the materials found. An early component is Woodland or Baytown but it is not well represented on the site.

CAHOKIA
HERRELL
KINCAID
WICKLIFFE
MATTHEWS
CAMPBELL
LAWHORN

Early St. Francis River meanders flowed eastward along the southern end of the site, and in doing so washed away, then redeposited new silt over that section. This showed quite clearly in the R22 profile drawings. Other than this, in discussing the general nature of the site, it must be recognized that the New Madrid earthquake of 1812 changed the contours and drainage of this area to a great extent. It is to be noted that the Lawhorn site lies on a natural levee or ridge; that is, a ridge in the terms of the people who live in this flat country. It is some three to five feet higher than the surrounding land. This rise is adequate to keep the site dry and well drained through periods of high water and floods except during abnormal years. An Army Engineer aerial photograph of the area (Fig. 2) shows the general topographic relationships. The old meander of the St. Francis River, where it cut through the southern end of the site, can still be made out. The most recent of the old channels of the St. Francis are quite apparent in the densely overgrown jungle-like terrain. This is the area known as the Sunken Lands.

The higher elevations on either side are protected by levees and by drainage ditches to carry off the immediate drainage water to a point where it can be siphoned back into the St. Francis. It is this drainage ditch which was cut recently through the Lawhorn site and which can be seen very clearly as it parallels the new levee. The site itself is in the left central part of the figure as marked by the delineating outline (Fig. 3). The black spots showing in the aerial photo are areas of higher moisture content due to irregular drying and perhaps have more to do with the New Madrid earthquake disturbances than with archaeological phenomena.

Figure 4 indicates the extent of the excavations and the method of horizontal control through a grid system. Base lines were established on the south and west sides of the site so that all squares carry an E (east) distance number combined with an N (north) distance number. Ten foot intervals or squares were used so that square 17R30, for example, would be marked by the southwest corner stake of a square 170 feet north and 300 feet west of datum. Datum control point was marked by an iron rod firmly set in the ground.

GEOLOGICAL SETTING

The geology of the Monette area along the St. Francis River is that of a complex river valley. It is further complicated by the New Madrid earthquake of 1812 and perhaps some earlier disturbances of the same nature.

On a substratum of undifferentiated plio-miocene deposits, the cross-sectional profile of the valley (Fisk 1944, Plate 15, Sheet 1) shows an elevation of 100 to 125 feet above the present mean sea level as the base of the alluvial deposit. The top of this extensive graveliferous alluvium, 225 feet above sea level, was laid down by the Ohio River as its channel pattern changed through the centuries, burying older channels under later ones as the ocean levels rose and the ice age melted out of existence, thus forming the area known as the Malden Plain. The present surface contour at the town of Monette is 235 feet. At the site under study the elevation readings are from 237 to 240 feet above sea level.

This valley story is duplicated west of the area known locally as Crowley’s Ridge where the Mississippi River flowed during the waning of the ice age. Crowley’s Ridge, it should be noted here, is an old land surface that was not eroded by the late glacial run-off waters. It is this relatively unaltered ridge of land that originally separated the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers during the formative age of the present alluvial valley. This ridge, only a few miles west of Monette, Arkansas, offered a totally different environment and was, presumably, one which the Lawhorn people made, at least, seasonal use of. The St. Francis River channel, lying close to the eastern edge of Crowley’s Ridge is the end result of these early braided Ohio River channels while today the Black River has replaced the Mississippi in the western valley.

By 2000 B.C. the Mississippi River had moved to the east side of Crowley’s Ridge and well east of the Monette area. The Ohio River was then in the vicinity of the present Mississippi River. During the next 1000 years the Mississippi channel moved gradually eastward until it was flowing close to the Ohio River and roughly parallel to it, merging in the vicinity of Helena, Arkansas. By the beginning of the Christian era, the two rivers had joined near Cairo, Illinois and so began the modern alluvial valley pattern (Fisk, 1944).

If the interpretation of the time of geological developments is correct the story of mankind in this region would be limited to something less than 6000 years. Early Man may have wandered the shoreline of the ancient river channels, but if he did there is very little likelihood that any of his remains would be found today in this valley area since they would have been washed away or covered with the refilling of the valley.

Further complicating the picture there has been a tremendous amount of recent geological disturbance in this area due to the New Madrid earthquake and possibly others of earlier date. These geological developments set part of the environmental state for the users of the Lawhorn site. Later developments contrived to destroy much of the evidence left by man as a series of earthquakes changed the face of the land (Humphries, 1960, p. 32).

Another factor that must be taken into account is the recent work of the United States Army Engineers in protecting the higher lands from the floods of the St. Francis River Sunken Lands and in draining this entire region. Within the last five years a new ditch has been dug parallel to a new levee on the east side so that it cut through a section of the Lawhorn archaeological deposit. This work laid bare many skeletons and considerable occupational debris. Harmful as this activity is to archaeological sites it was nevertheless an important factor in bringing this site to the attention of the writer. It is unfortunate that most sites thus destroyed, in whole or in part, by drainage and levee building excavations cannot be similarly salvaged. Governmental machinery is available for this work but unfortunately there has been no institutional agency ready, willing and able to accept the burden in this area.

The first evidences of man at the Lawhorn site are sand tempered pottery and associated dart points. These show that this site was occupied by man long enough to produce an archaeological deposit judged to be Woodland or Baytown. The deposit is thin and gives little evidence of ever having been much deeper. Above this thin evidence were shell tempered pottery and related stone, bone and shell artifacts that indicated a more intensive use of the site at a later time by Mississippian people.

METHODOLOGY

The archaeological methods used were standard handtool methods. The following excerpts from day to day field notes will give a fair idea of how these were applied. These appear in essentially unedited form.

Sunday, October 21, 1956

We began the little project with the first crew, Mr. Irby Long, surveyor; C. B. and R. E. Gaylon; J. R. Marret of Caldwell, Missouri; Josephine, Carolyn, J. H., Jr., and myself (John Moselage).

The work consisted of determining the extent of the site, putting up the map table, and staking out the boundaries of the site and recording them on the map.

We had expected to have started the contour lines on the map but determining the boundaries of the site required most of the day.

The above mentioned boundaries were permanent markers, being long pieces of steel pipe. The steel markers were put in at the NW corner, and the SW corner; wooden stakes were used in the NE corner and SE corner, these were of wood due to that part of the site being in cultivation, however, all of our measurements used in regard to locating the squares are based on the measurements of the SW steel stake as it is the R 8 line although it is the SW corner of the site. The reason it is the R 8 line is due to the levee running in a NW direction and at the NW corner the site is 80 ft. in a westerly direction. All squares are to the right as the starting point is at the levee.

Saturday October 27, 1956

On the site early this A.M. were Mr. Long our surveyor, the Gaylons, John Jr., J. T. King, E. R. Deen, and myself. We all worked hard this day. We divided up into smaller crews and mapped in the contour lines, while the others staked out the R 8 line. This line, as before mentioned, began on the southwest corner of the site. The 32 line appeared to be about the center of the site due to the angles of the site. It was the likely point to begin the test trench, as we thought, and we began at the levee working in the direction of east on the south side of the 32 line. The soil was exceedingly hard and we had to work with small picks (Army surplus). During late evening I had the wall scraped down and drew the first profile.

Mr. King’s part of the trench did not work as easily as the part I had undertaken, and because the trench was irregular in depth, and the hour so late, we decided to resume work after there had been a good rain, in hopes that the ground would be in better condition to work, as the ground was like concrete. Though the soil was so hard, the profile was good.

There was distinct separation in soil colors and they changed in other parts of the trench. On the top was a brown color and at the bottom was brown with a band of what appeared to be ashes through most of the center.

At the end of the day we all felt proud of the map, and having actually started digging.

On the section line, or corner of the section, (NW corner) is a brass marker with elevation stamped on it, this was used to get the elevation of the highest point on the site.

This same elevation was transferred to a stake by a large gum tree. This stake is of walnut. The elevation was also transferred to a stake in the levee near the 32 line.

November 25, 1956

In company of J. L. Henson, we staked out square 38R9 of which over half was in the seep ditch. With such a small crew we decided on that small part of a square to excavate.

We recorded the datum depths on the NW and SW corners—the others being in the ditch—and removed the plow zone. At the bottom of the plow zone there were strips that measured approximately two inches, running in a straight line. With lots of concern we finally figured that it was where the bottom of the plow had sloped off toward the ditch, and we wanted to level the next surface, so the established depth of the plow zone for this square was set at DD 6.5 though at one edge it was not that deep. There was not anything that we could report for that level, and we went six inches lower to DD (Datum Depth) 7.0. In this area a pit showed up for when we scraped off the level at DD 7.0 we had the outline of a pit.

We cross sectioned the pit to obtain a profile, and it extended six inches below the top of the subsoil. The profile drawn shows the pit starting at DD 7.0 which is where we first discovered it. Subsoil was on an average of DD 7.6.

The outline of the pit was not as distinct as shown on the Feature form but that is closest lines that we could obtain of it. I packaged the pit material and classed it as belonging to the level from DD 6.5 to 7.0. See feature form 2 for details.

38R5, Sunday, April 28, 1957

Accompanied by J. L. Henson, Chas. Scheel and John Jr., we began work on the site. For the last few weeks we have removed our stakes after each day’s work because of the farming expected on the site. This causes an extra amount of work each trip that could have been used so badly in the excavation.

After removing the plowzone, the square was scraped off, and there was no pattern or postmold to be seen. We removed all potsherds, bone, and stone F. S. (Field Specimen) 83 DD 6.5 to 7.0, and again scraped off the soil, and again there was no pattern. We also found a projectile point in the above mentioned level F. S. 84. We removed the next 6 in. of the square collecting potsherds, etc., F. S. 85. Also in this level the soil changed from the strong midden rich brown in color to that color of the subsoil, which is of a light sandy brown to yellow. This soil presented a problem, it was of a mottled color, the same as found through the subsoil. There is so little difference between this soil and the absolute sterile soil. This soil has been checked the entire length of the site in the new seep ditch, which is over 6 ft. deep and there is no doubt of its being sterile. This situation is of great concern because of the burials that have been found in what appears to be the subsoil. There is positively no connection between this burial and the dark brown midden in the soil above. There is no sign of a pit leading to the burial, but there is a difference in pottery styles, texture, even the feel of the material found in what appears to be the subsoil, and in that found in association with the dark brown midden.

Mr. Scheel, working in the square with me, commented on the change of color, and I asked him what he would think if I told him there was a burial below where he was working. He asked me how I knew, and I told him of the legs being in the last square we worked, and he said it would be Woodland, as there was no connection with the Mississippi midden above the soil we were then working in. We were being pressed for time at this part of the square so we narrowed the square to 5 × 10 ft. and when we reached the burial, we also reached water. The river at this time was over the banks and seemed to boil up in the square; this presented a real problem. We debated as to whether we should quit the square and fill it up or do the best we could. We thought of filling in the 10′ × 10′ square and reopening it a year later but decided that we would finish since we had lots of decisive facts and we needed the rest to complete forms. We gathered up boards to stand on to keep from sinking in the sand, and the condition of the bone was so poor, being wet, it was just impossible for us to remove it. Though I did get the skull taped up before trying to remove it, the other bones were so soft they crumbled when handled, so the skull was all the bone that I could remove in one piece. There were three pottery vessels with this burial, a bottle, which was upside down, a bowl beside the head (it too was upside down) and a jar by the right arm which was right side up.

While working in square 37R5 this burial was partly in it (37R5) and there weren’t feet present (see photo 34). The absence of feet has occurred before and it is a trait that may be distinctive.

While removing the skull of this burial, which was on the line (R6), the arm of another burial, in square 38R6, was found. It was not removed, but was left for future investigation since the conditions are the same as the above mentioned burial. The soil color in the levels below the midden is of great concern in this area; there seems to be a discoloration in what appears to be the top part of the subsoil. There will be a thorough check made of the soil.

15R8, June 21, 1957

Accompanied by J. L. Henson and son, Charles, James Vorus, and John, Jr., we moved to the part of the site that I rented for the summer, and decided on a square on the highest part on this end of the site. We established the square 15R8 and put up the shelter over the square to protect us from the sun. We removed all potsherds from the plow zone to DD 4.7, at DD 4.7. There appeared a black area in the NW ¼ of the square. The NE ¼ had indications of burned clay. The black area suggested a pit but there was no outline of one. At DD 5.0 the black area was still there and contained above the normal amount of charcoal but still no define outline of a pit. At DD 5.5 we outlined the black area and sketched in the square form. At DD 6.0 the area did not exist. The only difference in this area and the rest of the square was the dark color; the contents or number of potsherds, and other evidences appeared to be the same as the rest of the square. I could not positively say that this area was a pit.

At DD 5.5 the soil changed to a lighter brown. There were tree root impressions visible that were not visible in the above level. This suggested another natural level. Also, there was little material to be found. The few sherds were not in a midden. There was little other sign of an occupation in this soil (the lighter brown soil).

This lighter brown soil was mottled in color, having light sandy streaks and circles and at DD 7.2 there was yellow sand. In this mottled sandy soil was a burial (25) under the R9 line and less than one foot north of the 15 line, and there was no sign of the midden with this burial, though there was a little darker appearance of the mottled soil. The members of the party and all kept up with activities throughout the whole square and it was plain to all that there seemed to be no connection between this burial and the midden above. There was a separation at the knees. Also, there appeared a sunken place in the pelvic region which was reflected in the midden above. It would also account for the separation between the bones at the knees. There was a deformity of the right femur which should be explained at a later time after examination by proper persons.

A different method of taking the soil profile was followed. This time I used the transit at each running foot of the east wall to record the lines inscribed in the wall.

According to the profiles of the four walls, they were nearly uniform in depth, that is, no marked difference was present to warrant drawing all four. The east wall was used because of the sunken area, on the R9 line. During the afternoon we had a shower of rain though we worked on through it.

We finished work at nightfall and then filled the square. It was nearly 9:00 P.M. when we finished. We arrived home after 11:00 P.M.

Highlights of the trip were when we found the burial which was quite a bit of excitement for James Vorus; the boat ride to the car in the darkness; and when we all got to the nearest store we each had three king size cold drinks.

In regard to the sunken area in the square which has shown up in the midden and in the burial in the subsoil, perhaps (this) has some connection with the New Madrid earthquake. This site is in the Sunken Lands. There was also the absence of the two strata profile in the midden. Perhaps future work will reveal the reason for the change.

7R13, July 14, 1957

James Vorus, Mr. F. N. Davis, John, Jr., and myself arrived at the site early this A.M. We had discussed moving to the edge of the site on the south end, which we did. We established square 7R13 and set up for work. The plowzone produced little material. The potsherds were scarce at the bottom of the plowzone. There was no pattern of pits, or other features to be found.

The next level, DD 6.2 to DD 6.5 produced several possible postmolds, but when cross-sectioned, they were either tree roots or just shallow black areas—not postmolds.

This level produced little material, only a few potsherds and debris. From Datum depth 6.5 to 7.0 there was just a handful of potsherds. This is a marked difference over the rest of the site that had been excavated to date. As a rule, the sherds are plentiful. At DD 7.0 when the surface was scraped off, the outline of a fireplace appeared and in the fireplace was a small flat stone, under which was a considerable amount of charred root. Readily identifiable were nut shells and hulls.

At DD 7.5 there was the outline of two pits in the subsoil (subsoil first showed at DD 7.2), one small pit, the other three feet in diameter. The pits were cross-sectioned with a two-foot trench. The two pits were then photographed. The north wall was then scraped and marked with lines at each running foot, the profile sketched in the wall, then photographed, and drawn on the graph paper, using datum depths at each line on each running foot of the profile. The square was filled shortly before dark.

31R17, March 15, 1958

The crew on the site early this A.M., and we decided to work on the east side of the ditch and in the vicinity of the burials that had been found previously. We staked out square 31R17, and began work; we removed the plow zone. We scraped off the new surface in search of any possible pattern of pit outline, or postmold, and there was none to be found. Potsherds, and other items, were collected for that level F. S. 185 which was the plow zone.

With no visible pattern in the horizontal profile at DD 5.0 we began the next level collecting potsherds, which were designated F. S. 187. At DD 5.0 to DD 5.5, and at two-tenths of a foot in the level there appeared the top of a skull (See burial form 34). Burial 34 had a skull at its feet, possibly a trophy skull, and was a positive association with burial 34. At the completion of the square, the following information was recorded:

There were four burials directly beneath Burial 34, and in a very compact arrangement; two of the burials were adults, and two of them infants. They were in a very disturbed condition, at the time they were discovered. The problem arose as to what took place. They were in an east-west direction, and in very compact arrangement. It seems as though each burial was disturbed when each succeeding burial was placed in the pit. The question arose, due to the placement of one atop each other in such an exact arrangement, could there have been some sort of mark to denote the location (That is, if each one had a time space between them.) But the search produced nothing to indicate such a marker; no postmolds could be found.

These burials began atop the subsoil, and continued upward to datum depth 5.2. If there was a pit outline in the square it was not visible to us, and that is one of the items we are so careful about. In spite of the fact that the burials were disturbed and in a very poor state of preservation, one assuring condition was the position of the remaining vertebrae which indicated the four burials were under burial 34. There was a broken bottle associated with these burials, and in all probability belonged to burial 34 F. S. 191; DD 5.7 to the bottom of the vessel.

The soil changed to a lighter brown at DD 5.5 and continued about the same to subsoil which was listed as DD 6.0. The DD was based on the average depth of subsoil.

About two inches south of the 32 line, there appeared another burial, which was almost entirely in the square to the north, square 32R17. The south half of square 32R17 was also opened in order to record this burial. In doing so, the top of a bottle appeared, about two feet north of Burial 32, and nearby were the fragments of an infant burial and there were no artifacts associated with it. The burial was partly in the plow zone, and was almost completely destroyed. The bone was in poor condition and crumbled in removal.

The bottle was associated with a burial. The burial was on top of the subsoil and consisted of part of one arm, the radius, ulna, and hand—nothing else. There was no indication of disturbance, and no missing bones were found in the midden. Less than two feet north of burial 34 was another burial, the feet extending into parts of squares 31R16 and 32R16. The burial was in a shallow pit in the subsoil, and had one association with it, a bowl F. S. 190. The vessel had little nodes on four sides near the top, four nodes to each side except one side which had three nodes. This burial was .4 ft. below the average datum depth of the subsoil of this square. There was no disturbance to burial 32 and burial 33 was partly under burial 32. Burial 33 was in a lighter brown soil than that above datum depth 5.5.

There have been many burials in somewhat similar condition in regard to the missing bones, both disturbed and undisturbed, throughout the whole site in which burials were found. The skeletons were removed to the best of our ability, one of the burials in its entirety.

We filled the square and returned home.

27R32, January 25, 1959

J. T. King, Dan Printup, and myself returned to the site. Continuation was in square 27R32 beginning at DD 5.5. There had been some disturbance to the square since we were there last. A large potsherd had been removed from the ground plan DD 5.5, and a portion of the skull that was showing in the east wall of the square had been dug out. Most of the skull remained. Otherwise things were just as we had left it.

We began removing the level DD 5.5-6.0. The soil was in the best of condition to work by the method of taking thin vertical cuts. The square produced as follows: in the SE quarter the soil was similar to the subsoil in color which was of a light brown or yellow color and with a high content of sand. There were lighter streaks and blotches throughout this area, and as has been found in most of the other squares, there was a small quantity of sand tempered fabric impressed sherds in the top part of this soil just described. The NW portion of the square had a concentration of the midden as is usually found in the main occupation. The NW quarter of the square produced a good quantity of shell tempered sherds. This area was screened but produced only sherds and a few small animal bones. This deposit continued through the depth of the level and was evident in the ground plan or horizontal profile at DD 6.0 though nearing the termination of it.

The ground plan at DD 6.0 revealed what appeared to be several postmolds in an arc-like pattern. Photographs, black and white and color were taken of this ground plan. These areas which appeared to be postmolds were cross sectioned and the cut was photographed in color. To date it is doubtful that they could be postmolds for the following reasons: there were no definite lines to indicate the post, the sand streaks were evident in the unbroken pattern of the rest of the soil, the soil appeared to be stained, and in one of the patterns in question, the stain was in a pattern similar to an outline of a postmold. In the others the depth varied from less than a tenth of a foot to five tenths and they were in an irregular shape in the cut or profile where it was cross sectioned.

32R36, March 20, 1960

From an aerial photograph of the site made in January, 1960, there appeared to be several dark areas along the east line of the site. These could have been damp spots or could have been patterns representing refuse pits, houses or some other features. They were in a straight line and uniformly spaced. It was difficult to locate the spot from the ground, but using photographs from two angles, we were able to find the approximate location of one of these dark areas. Then the grid system was staked out in this area and using 1 × 4 × 10 ft. boards painted white and placed at designated squares the site was again photographed from different angles and altitudes. Square 32R36 appeared to be within one of the dark circles, which did not appear as clearly as in the first aerial photograph for the site had been plowed in the meantime.

Charles Scheel and myself began work. The plowzone produced few potsherds and bone (F. S. 388) and a number of bits of burned clay appeared in the plowzone as well as the sherds. The first horizontal profile contained a considerable amount of charcoal bits. The profile indicated changes of color in different areas of the square but did not give any indication of a pit or postmolds or anything that would indicate a feature to us. There was evidence of earthquake disturbance on the west side of the square. There was a dark area on the east side with considerable charcoal and burned bits of clay with numerous potsherds and a fair amount of animal bone—quite suggestive of a refuse area. To the south of this was an area of medium brown sandy soil with a bit of clay mixed in but it contained little material.

The area to the west was of a lighter color and contained fewer charcoal bits, but about as many potsherds and bone. On the west side of the square beginning at the north end one foot east of the west wall, a vertical sand streak one half inch wide, possibly earthquake disturbance, running to the west wall four feet south of the north end, and another vertical sand streak two feet wide running about four and one half feet south of the north end to the south wall three feet east of the SW corner of the square.

In the NW quarter of the square Burial 38 was found. It was quite compact and not articulated. Some of the bone had been burned and was in fragments.

In the NE quarter of the square and just north of Burial 38 was located Burial 39. It too had been partially burned but the bones were more neatly placed than Burial 38. The skull and parts of the other bones were not burned. Both burials were photographed.

41R21, March 22, 1960

Charles Scheel and myself began work this A.M. Plowzone removed and potsherds etc., F. S. 400, were not too numerous in the plowzone. Also in the plowzone were fragments of glass, bottles, chinaware and crockery. At one time there was a house located some one hundred feet from this square, and this possibly accounts for this disturbance. Also in the plowzone at the south center of the square were found fragments of a skull and fragments of a pottery vessel (this bone fragment listed as Burial 40 and pottery fragments as F. S. 401, DD 4.4). The first horizontal profile at DD 4.5 produced a general overall color, medium dark brown.

At this point being mostly out of the present plowzone level there was not the clear cut undisturbed Indian deposit. There was a considerable amount of charcoal bits and a few pieces of burned clay showing in the horizontal profile.

DD 4.5 to 5.0, potsherds, stone and bone, F. S. 402, for this level. Burial 40 was evident in this level and was determined to be head to north from other bone fragments found. Recent disturbance was again noted in this level, the presence of a shotgun shell base, pieces of glass, chinaware and nails. The nails were in excellent condition.

An unidentified soft red sandstone object shaped somewhat like a boatstone, F. S. 403, DD 4.9, was found. An area to six feet north of the SE stake running to one foot east of the SW stake appeared to be undisturbed.

DD 5.0 to 5.5, NE corner at check for DD 5.5 appeared to be undisturbed soil and nearing the color of the subsoil. Part of this level on west side toward the south end of the square appeared to be recently disturbed but not as deep as DD 5.5. Several charred poles appeared as noted on horizontal profile at DD 5.5.

DD 5.5 to 6.0. The soil began to change to the color of the subsoil at DD 6.0 in the NW corner. Further work revealed a fired clay floor, and outline of same worked out as shown on horizontal profile (took photographs).

The fired clay floor did not cover the entire outline of the house pattern and where the fired floor was missing, there was evidence of its having been there, this evidence was on the west part of the house. Explanation of this evidence is due to the soil color—where a piece of the fired floor was removed there was a pink or red color indicating intense heat. The same color was found outside the area of the fired floor as was noted under the piece of floor lifted. There was a definite outline of the west edge of the fired floor and at the same level the soil changed to subsoil west of the line indicating the floor area. There were no postmolds to be seen. The soil color, as before mentioned, is an orange to yellow or very light tan color and since this was built atop the subsoil the postmolds should have been visible.

Evidently the debris had been removed if the house had burned, but there was a small amount of charred poles sizes from .1 to .2 foot in diameter at the northwest end of the pattern. The pattern at the west and north sides was in a square arrangement. There was a depression in the fired floor and associated with it was a pottery vessel, F. S. 406, and it was complete except for the top part. Also in the depression was charcoal but no ashes. The color of the depression indicated it was or had been used as a fireplace, Feature 22. The west and northwest end of the square indicated the house was square or rectangular in shape.

41R22, March 22, 1960

The west 4 feet of this square was opened and the house presented a problem. The fired floor as well as the color representing the soil under the fired floor was not evident, but being careful, following the vertical profile we were able to determine the approximate west line of the house. For safety’s sake we listed the east wall as indeterminate. There was no evidence to be seen of any postmolds. The south end of the house pattern was in this same condition. Further work on the adjoining squares produced another house. The house in 41R21 and 41R22 was partly under the house in 40R21, 40R22, 39R22, 39R21 and 39R22.

The preceding has been a selected sample of essentially unedited field notes not including much detail and barely mentioning the carefully drawn maps, and horizontal and vertical profiles that accompanied the written description. Profiles showing soil color changes were done in color, using colored pencils in an attempt to duplicate the colors observed. Photographs, both black and white and color were taken whenever anything showed up of possible use for record or interpretation. (The Editors).

EXCAVATIONS

A north-south cross sectional profile along the R22 line shows a rise of 3.4 feet from the south base line to a point of maximum elevation some 400 feet north. The midden deposit shows a corresponding increase in depth. The zero base line was on the south end of the site in an area that appears to have been destroyed by an early St. Francis River meander. Excavation was carried on from this point to square 40R22, a distance of 400 feet north, but not to the northern end of the site which is some distance beyond. The northern portion of the profile indicated that this was an area of major house building activity while to the south and just north of the area washed out by the St. Francis River meander there is some indication of a court or open community center. The ancient river meander was filled with a bluish sandy clay. This ends near stake 9R22 with a datum elevation of 1.2 feet above the base line.

From 5 to 8R22 there was a sandy deposit below the plow line which probably represents a deposit from standing water as the meander activity comes to a stop and filling in became a slow silting process. From 8 to 17R22 there was a thin hard-packed deposit from .2 to .3 feet in depth. Test pits through this section yielded almost no archaeological material while just north of 17R22 the midden deposit abruptly deepened. This area, almost 100 feet north-south, was also seen on the east-west profile. It is this area that gives the impression of being a plaza or community center (Fig. 2).

Starting just north of this open area there was a bank of clean sand and the midden deposit below suddenly dipped downward until at 21R22 it was quite pronounced with evidence of a sand boil. This disturbance was due to the New Madrid earthquake and can be clearly seen in many areas of this state. Here, the evidence for land subsidence, along with large sand boils originating from considerable depth, is clear. This earthquake evidence was no longer apparent north of square 29R22 and the full undisturbed midden deposit of 1.5 foot depth gives evidence of the Indian occupation. At square 40R22 the deposit was 1.8 feet deep and it is at this point that houses 2 and 3 were found. The excavation was not carried any farther north.

It is impossible to see absolute stratigraphic separation of archaeological materials in an inspection of cross sectional profiles. There was a general feeling among the excavators that the sand tempered sherds were more numerous in the lower levels but no clear association can be made. In several instances sand tempered sherds were found in the underlying subsoil but never were any shell tempered sherds so found.

It is to be noted that the firebasins and houses built on subsoil had only shell tempered pottery associations so it must be concluded that the people responsible for this pottery lived here at a time when the midden was non-existent. It is tempting to argue that evidence of an earlier occupation by people making the sand tempered pottery and perhaps dart points was washed away in some series of floods sweeping the camp-site clean except for a few minor items left behind in the newly silted sands. The earthquakes of recent times have played their part in reshifting the materials in this deposit thereby completely confusing such stratigraphic picture as may once have been present.

Two east-west cross sectional profiles are available for study, one at the northern end of the site and the other toward the south end. The northern portion of the deposit can be seen along the 32 line starting at the levee at stake 32R2 with a deposit depth of 2.2 feet. From this point to 32R10 the top of the subsoil was quite irregular and this irregularity is apparent on the surface of the land as the midden deposit follows the irregularities of the subsoil. It is probable that this is the result of the New Madrid earthquakes.

It was in this area that the presence of sand tempered pottery in the subsoil was first noted. A number of burials were encountered in this section of the excavation. From 23R10 to 23R16 the drainage ditch has removed all archaeological materials. At stake 32R19 the deposit was 1.6 feet in depth and continued to stake 32R25 where it was 2.2 feet deep. This full depth of deposit continued to 32R28 where it started to taper out until at stake 32R39, it was only .2 feet deep. While levee building has destroyed the western edge of the site we know that it was at least 400 feet wide. This would indicate a town four or more acres in extent.

An east-west profile was also drawn along the R17 line from the levee at stake 17R5 where the deposit is quite thin to 17R39 where it almost tapers out.