Archaeological Investigations at Yourhaney Plantation (38GE18)

70FEATURE 44 – POST AND TRENCHFeature 44 is a linear stain measuring 4.5 by 1.5 feet, with an area of clay adjacent to it. Uponexcavation, a post was found to extend below the base of the trench. The trench extended to adepth of 0.4 feet into the subsoil, while the post extended 0.7 feet into the subsoil. The top 0.2 feetof the trench contained very dark grayish brown (2.5Y3/2) loamy sand, underlain by 0.1 feet oflight yellowish brown (2.5Y6/4) clay. The adjacent clay was light yellowish brown (2.5Y6/4).The circular post, which was 0.8 feet in diameter extended 0.7 feet into the subsoil and containedvery dark grayish brown (2.5Y3/2) loamy sand. The surrounding subsoil matrix consisted of lightolive brown (2.5Y5/4) loamy sand. Artifacts consisted of two residual prehistoric sherds, oneeroded decorated sherd, and one rhyolite interior flake. It is unclear whether this feature isprehistoric or historic in origin, but the absence of historic artifacts suggests that it predates thehistoric occupation.FEATURE 45 – HISTORIC POSTFeature 45 is a square post measuring 1.0 by 0.7 feet in size and extending 0.9 feet into subsoil.It is very similar to Features 39 and 40. The fill consists of dark grayish brown (2.5Y4/2) loamysand. Artifacts consist of four plain Woodland fine sand tempered sherds, one residual sherd, oneporphyritic rhyolite interior flake, and one piece of corroded unidentifiable iron.FEATURE 46 – HISTORIC POSTFeature 46 is a square post measuring 0.5 by 0.7 feet in size and extending 0.5 feet into subsoil.The fill consists of dark grayish brown (10YR3/2) loamy sand. Artifacts consisted of nine plainWoodland medium sand tempered sherds, three Thoms Creek plain fine sand tempered sherds,one fragment of what appears to be a fine sand tempered pipe bowl fragment and one porphyriticrhyolite secondary flake. Despite the absence of historic artifacts, given its configuration andlocation near other historic posts, this feature is believed to be historic.FEATURE 50 – BASE OF HISTORIC MIDDENFeature 50 is an amorphous stain measuring 6.0 by 4.0 feet and extending 0.5 feet into subsoil.During mechanical stripping, this area was found to contain moderately dense brick rubble anddark midden-like soil. The midden overlaid several historic posts and Feature 24. Feature 50 isbelieved to represent the base of this midden. The fill consisted of pockets of very dark grayishbrown (2.5Y3/2) loamy sand mottled with light yellowish brown (2.5Y6/4) and light gray(2.5Y7/2) soil. Both historic and prehistoric artifacts were recovered from the feature. They arelisted below in Table 4. In addition there were 14.8 grams of brick. The date ranges for thehistoric ceramics as well the exclusive presence of cut nails suggests that the feature dates to theearly 19th century.