Archeological Archeological Excavation Excavation

AtAtDanbury SiteDanbury Site

33OT1633OT16Ottawa County, Ottawa County,

OhioOhioJune, 2004June, 2004

Danbury Site Danbury Site LocationLocationwww.mapquest .com June, 2004www.mapquest .com June, 2004

BackgroundBackground

While doing the initial preparation for building a While doing the initial preparation for building a housing development, a developer found many housing development, a developer found many Native American artifacts very close to the surface Native American artifacts very close to the surface of his land. He invited archeologists to do a site of his land. He invited archeologists to do a site survey and found a very “rich” area. Archeologists survey and found a very “rich” area. Archeologists from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History

were invited to the site to study and to clear it.were invited to the site to study and to clear it.

Why do you think the developer called Why do you think the developer called the archeologists?the archeologists?

““Salvage Archeology”Salvage Archeology”Probably because very few Probably because very few

people would choose to people would choose to build a house on an Indian build a house on an Indian graveyard, the developer graveyard, the developer was eager for the was eager for the archeologists to study and archeologists to study and remove any bones that were remove any bones that were found. They would later be found. They would later be reburied in an area chosen reburied in an area chosen and sanctified by present and sanctified by present day Wyandots. The earth day Wyandots. The earth moving equipment was moving equipment was ready to begin the next ready to begin the next step. The archeologists had step. The archeologists had to work fast.to work fast.

The Actual ProcessThe Actual Process

Earth Moving equipment removed the soil to Earth Moving equipment removed the soil to below “plow level” (about 12-18 inches).below “plow level” (about 12-18 inches).

A grid was made using a global positioning A grid was made using a global positioning system. The individual units were 2 meters system. The individual units were 2 meters square.square.

The archeologists did a visual survey to find The archeologists did a visual survey to find promising areas, marked them with stakes promising areas, marked them with stakes and graphed the entire area.and graphed the entire area.

Scrapping the top layerScrapping the top layer

Site MapSite Map

FeaFea feature feature

BFBF burial burial featurefeature

OO Pit feature Pit feature

oo PPM – PPM –possible possible post post moldmold

Note reference numbersNote reference numbers

Field Manual, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Archeology in Action 2004 Field Manual, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Archeology in Action 2004 p. 26 p. 26

Laying out unitsLaying out units Next the units were laid Next the units were laid

out using nails and string out using nails and string so that the perimeters so that the perimeters were marked.were marked.

Then layers of soil were Then layers of soil were carefully removedcarefully removed

Each unit was checked Each unit was checked for features. (Features for features. (Features are discolorations in the are discolorations in the soil that may mark how soil that may mark how the area was being used, the area was being used, i.e. midden, fire pit, buriali.e. midden, fire pit, burial

When features When features were found, were found, they were they were mapped again mapped again as well as as well as photographed. photographed.

How would you How would you make sure the make sure the

graphs and graphs and drawings of the drawings of the

unit were unit were accurate?accurate?

““Pinning the features”Pinning the features”

Two tape measures Two tape measures were put on parallel were put on parallel edges and a third edges and a third one was used to find one was used to find coordinates for a coordinates for a graph.graph.

Even the color of the Even the color of the soil was recorded for soil was recorded for both the feature and both the feature and the surrounding the surrounding matrix.matrix.

Drawing the feature planDrawing the feature plan

Two people moved Two people moved the tape that went the tape that went across the middle across the middle of the feature and of the feature and a third called out a third called out the measurements the measurements from the tape. The from the tape. The fourth person used fourth person used that data to make that data to make a feature plan.a feature plan.

Feature plansFeature plans

These feature plans These feature plans are from an are from an ossuary, or bone ossuary, or bone pit. They show pit. They show what was actually what was actually seen before the seen before the bones were bones were removed from the removed from the unit.unit.

While I was there, the archeologists While I was there, the archeologists worked on two burial features.worked on two burial features.

These turned out to be ossuaries. These turned out to be ossuaries.

An ossuary is a bone pit.An ossuary is a bone pit.

The native Americans here either The native Americans here either reburied their dead, or at least reburied their dead, or at least postponed winter burials until the postponed winter burials until the ground was soft enough to dig.ground was soft enough to dig.

** Out of respect for the dead, there ** Out of respect for the dead, there are no pictures taken of the ossuaries.are no pictures taken of the ossuaries.

Then another layer of Then another layer of soil was removed.soil was removed.

The goal was to reach The goal was to reach the bottom of a feature the bottom of a feature –the area where there –the area where there was no change of soil was no change of soil color from the matrix. color from the matrix. This is a post mold.This is a post mold.

Then the depth of the Then the depth of the feature was measured feature was measured and the shape graphed and the shape graphed again. Note the level on again. Note the level on the string to make sure the string to make sure that measurements are that measurements are accurate.accurate.

PostmoldPostmold

Here is a picture of a Here is a picture of a post mold that has post mold that has been excavated. been excavated. Below it is the feature Below it is the feature plan of the same post plan of the same post mold.mold.

The fact that it is The fact that it is pointed in important. pointed in important. Recent posts tend to Recent posts tend to be flat rather than be flat rather than tapered.tapered.

Pottery Pottery fragmentsfragmentsThe crew digging in The crew digging in

the midden, trash the midden, trash pile, uncovered pile, uncovered several pieces of several pieces of Early Woodland Early Woodland pottery.pottery.

The position of the piece was graphed and The position of the piece was graphed and photographed again.photographed again.

Then the piece(s) were removed, covered in foil, Then the piece(s) were removed, covered in foil, and put in a bag marked with the site number, and put in a bag marked with the site number, the unit number, the date, all the people the unit number, the date, all the people working on the unit, and any other useful working on the unit, and any other useful information or description.information or description.

Everything Everything removed from removed from the feature the feature was screened was screened so no small so no small parts were parts were lost.lost.

FlotationFlotationSoil from around the bones in Soil from around the bones in

the ossuaries was collected the ossuaries was collected and sent to Ohio State and sent to Ohio State University for flotation.University for flotation.

These samples will be put in a These samples will be put in a container with a screen on container with a screen on the bottom and a spout on the bottom and a spout on the top.the top.

Water is pumped in from the Water is pumped in from the bottom and small bits of bottom and small bits of material float to the top and material float to the top and are collected in a small are collected in a small screen by the spout.screen by the spout.

The small fragments of bone, The small fragments of bone, pollen, fish scales and other pollen, fish scales and other materials will be further materials will be further studied there.studied there.

This photograph is from another This photograph is from another project involving students from Loyola project involving students from Loyola University working on a different site.University working on a different site.

Other ArtifactsOther Artifacts

A few broken projectile points were A few broken projectile points were found.found.

Several large pieces of charcoal, Several large pieces of charcoal, suitable for dating were also uncovered.suitable for dating were also uncovered.

Most other evidence of early industry Most other evidence of early industry like baskets, weaving, textiles, and mats like baskets, weaving, textiles, and mats were too fragile to survive.were too fragile to survive.