Bulletin of the Massachusetts Archaeological Society, Vol. 54, No. 1 ...

BULLETIN OF THE MASSACHUSETTS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, VOLUME 54(1),1993 27
and south of TP 10 (where artifacts were found
during Phase I). No cultural remains were
found in these test pits.
The lack of artifacts across the site
suggested that the prehistoric activity area was
restricted to a small cultural locus in the vicinity
of Test pits 3 and 10 in the western portion
of the impact area. Consequently, the remaining
test pits (TP 13-16) were excavated within
this area in order to define the extent of the
cultural material. One quartzite flake was
recovered in TP 13. One chalcedony-like flake
was found in TP 14. One quartz flake, one red
and gray felsite biface fragment, and six pieces
of pottery were recovered between 20 and 30
cm below the surface in TP 15. The pottery
ranges in color from light to dark brown, and it
is tempered with sparse fine crushed rock. No
artifacts were recovered from TP 16.
Excavation Units (Fig.2)
Excavation Unit 1 was excavated in
order to investigate the potential fire hearth
found during the intensive survey. Soil stratigraphy
in EU 1 exhibited under the duff two
basic horizons: a dark brown fine silty sand
(topsoil, level 1), and a dark yellow-brown
medium sand (B-horizon or subsoil, levels 2-5).
A thin layer of grey, sandy slope-wash covered
the topsoil. Levels 1 and 2 appeared orangebrown
in the field and the transition between
them was gradual and indistinct.
A stemmed projectile point made of
mottled pink and maroon felsite was recovered
in the grey sand at 12 cm below the ground
surface (Figure 3, A). The projectile point,
which lacks the tip, is roughly flaked and does
not appear to be finished. It exhibits a thick
area near the base. Level 1 (6-15 cm) contained
two quartzite retouch flakes and three
sherds of pottery tempered with crushed rock.
One of the sherds exhibits a scallop-shell or
pseudo-scallop impression. Level 2 (15-25 cm,
B-horizon) contained 13 pieces of pottery, 3
quartz flakes, 2 red quartzite flakes, and one
unidentified fine-grained flake. Several granitic
(possibly fire-cracked) rocks were also found
scattered in a haphazard fashion in this level.
The rocks may have been part of a feature at
one time. Very few pieces of charcoal were
found associated with the rocks. Six pieces of
calcined bone were, however, recovered from
this level. Level 3 (25-35 cm) contained a
felsite projectile point tip, two quartzite retouch
flakes, two quartz flakes, and four pieces of
pottery tempered with crushed rock. One
charred hickory nutshell was also recovered.
Level 4 (35-45 cm) contained one quartzite
retouch flake, two quartz flakes, and two pieces
of pottery. No artifacts were found in level 5
(45-55 cm).
Excavation Unit 2 exhibited two basic
horizons under the duff: a dark gray-brown
sand (topsoil, level 1), and yellow-brown medium
sand (B-horizon, levels 2-4).
One piece of pottery tempered with
crushed rock was recovered from within the
duff and a second piece, with linear incised
lines, was found in level 1 (5-15 cm). One
quartzite flake and one maroon felsite flake
were found in level 2 (B-horizon, 15-25 cm).
Thirty-two ceramic sherds were also found in
this level (see ceramic descriptions). In addition
to artifacts, one piece of charred hickory
nut and one fragment of calcined mammal bone
were also recovered.
Level 3 (25-35 cm) contained one
quartzite retouch flake and 18 pieces of prehistoric
pottery, consisting of two rim sherds and
16 body sherds. The majority of pottery sherds
from this unit exhibited coarse, crushed rock
tempering and a decorative motif of horizontal
and oblique incising (see ceramic descriptions).