AUGUST 29, 2009

From: Scott Beld
Sent: Sunday, August 30, 2009 7:35 PM
To: Oxbow Archaeologists
Subject: Sias East - August 29, 2009

Hi Oxbow Archaeologists,

Becky and I made it out to the site yesterday (see map-8-29-09.gif).

In the morning we opened unit 3S-100W. We excavated the 0-20 cm levels of this unit. 0-15 cm produced a few flakes and bone fragments. The density of material picked up at the bottom of the plow zone (15-20 cm). Several flakes and bone fragments, one bodysherd, and a biface fragment that is probably a Madison point (see . This would be the first point we've found associated with the late pottery and Late Prehistoric occupation from the site!

In the afternoon, I excavated part of a small feature (#9 - dark gray stain with fire-reddened silt surrounding it) in unit 3S-103W. While screening the dirt from outside the feature, I recovered a lead round ball (see lead ball 3S-103W 40 cm.jpg). The section that produced the round ball also had a rodent hole filled with loose dirt, so the ball is very likely intrusive into the level where it was found. It is flattened from impact. I forgot to weigh it (in order to determine caliber) before I left, but will try to remember to do that Wednesday.

We will be at the Resource Building this Wednesday evening. Next Saturday we will plan on excavating at Sias East.

Hope to see you at the site.

Scott

************************************************
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
************************************************