SIAS EAST

In 2005 the Oxbow Archaeologists began excavations at the Sias East site (20MD263). This site is located along the Chippewa river on Chippewa Nature Center's grounds. The site is located 30-40 meters north of the Chippewa river on a terrace about 2 meters above the current floodplain. In the 1960's, topsoil was stripped from the field to the north of the site destroying part of the site and leaving only a 5-6 meter wide strip along the edge of the terrace. Our excavations have focused on this 5-6 meter strip.

In the 2005 season we opened two test trenches (60 West and 85 West), a 2x2 m unit (46 West), and began a block excavation (110 West Block). The 60 West and 85 West trenches revealed stratified deposits containing some cultural material (mainly fire-cracked rock) to a depth of 1.5 meters. We have not recovered diagnostic material from two buried A-horizons, though we suspect that they may be Early Woodland-Late Archaic and Middle Archaic in age.

At the end of the 2005 season we began excavations in the 110 West Block and continued excavations there in 2006, 2007, and 2008. This area contains two dated occupations (see the C-14 dates at this link - SIAS EAST C-14 DATES): 1) a Middle Woodland occupation dated to the fourth century A.D. and 2) a late prehistoric occupation dated to the fifteenth century A.D. The Middle Woodland occupation is represented by tens of thousands of flakes (almost exclusively of Bayport chert, representing all stages of reduction from the nodule to finished tools), about a dozen side- and corner-notched projectile points, and about a half dozen pottery vessels. Artifacts from the late prehistoric occupation consist of two pottery vessels. Several of the artifacts from Sias East can be seen by following this link: SIAS EAST ARTIFACTS.

Excavations at Sias East on ongoing and we plan on returning to the site in 2009. You can follow the links at the top of this page to read our weekly updates for each season.

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