JUNE 11 and 14, 2008

From: Scott Beld
Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008 8:23 PM
To: Oxbow Archaeologists
Subject: Sias East Site - June 11 and 14, 2008

Hi Oxbow Archaeologists,

We made it out to the site on Wednesday and Saturday last week.

On Wednesday, Marianne, Brigitte, Becky and I excavated at the site. In the afternoon, I excavated the 40-45 cm level of units 0S-102W and 1N-102W. These two units produced a few flake and fire-cracked rock. In the evening, Marianne, Brigitte, Becky and I excavated the 30-35 cm level of units 0S-101W and 1N-101W (see Map - June 11, 2008). These two units produced numerous flakes, bone fragments, and fire-cracked rock.

On Saturday, Nik, Becky, Kevin and I excavated at the site. In the morning we opened and excavated the top of the plow zone (0-20 cm) in units 0S-100W and 1N-100W (see Map - June 14, 2008). These units produced flakes, bone fragments, and fire-cracked rock. In the afternoon, I excavated the 45-50 cm level of units 0S-102W and 1N-102W. I only found three fire-cracked rocks in these units. This level is below the Middle Woodland occupation which is at 30-40 cm below the surface. I finished the day excavating the 35-40 cm level of units 0S-101W and 1N-102W. These units may be on the edge of a feature or midden. Usually the soil is a brown silt at this level, but these two units have a dark gray silt, particularly on the east side of unit 0S-101W. However, if it is a feature there is no distinct edge apparent at this time – we need to excavate 0S-100W and 1N-100W to this level to see what is going on. In addition to the usual flakes, bone fragments, and fire-cracked rock, I did find several interesting artifacts in these two units. There were two large bodysherds which appear to be lightly brushed (parallel striations – see Photo 1), a scrappy badly weathered rimsherd (see Photo 2), a biface fragment (see Photo 3), and a fragment of an endscraper (see Photo 4). Note that the endscraper is bifacially worked down one lateral edge. This is identical to an endscraper we recovered last year in unit 1S-100W, 30-35 cm, immediately to the south (see endscraper 1S-100W on 20MD263 Artifacts).

This week we will be at the Resource Building on Wednesday evening. We will probably be washing 1/8” screen bags outside. On Saturday, we will plan on excavating at Sias East.

Hope to see you at the site.

Scott

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Scott G. Beld, Ph.D.
Research Laboratory Specialist - Intermediate
The University of Michigan Museum of Paleontology
1109 Geddes Road
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1079
Phone: 734-764-0489 (UMMP Main Office)
734-763-9253 (My Office)
Fax: 734-936-1380
Email: sbeld@umich.edu
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