4.12 Test Excavation 167 (T-167) - Honolulu Rail Transit Project

Cultural Surveys Hawai‘i Job Code: KALIHI 23Kewalo Geographic ZoneKewalo wetlands surface (SIHP# 50-80-14-6636) (Clark and Gosser 2005). In 2005, CSHconducted an archaeological inventory survey for the Moana Vista Project on Kapi‘olaniBoulevard, located approximately 240.0 m east of T-171. No cultural resources wereencountered (O’Leary and Hammatt 2006). In 2010, CSH conducted archaeological monitoringfor a Traffic Signal Project around the intersection of Queen Street and Kamake‘e Street, whichwas located approximately 135.0 m southeast of T-171. Portions of a truncated buried A-horizonoverlying Jaucas sand were documented, and no cultural resources were encountered (Yamauchiet al. 2011).Documentation Limiatations: T-171 was excavated to a depth of 1.30 mbs and beneath thewater table at 1.21 mbs. There were no specific factors that limited documentation of T-171. Abackhoe was used to remove the upper fill strata and expose the underlying natural sediment. Allof the natural sediment within T-171 was hand-excavated to below the water table.Stratigraphic Summary: The stratigraphy of T-171 consisted of fill strata overlaying naturalsediment. Observed strata included asphalt (Ia), very gravelly sandy loam (Ib), extremelygravelly sand (Ic), extremely gravelly sandy loam (Id), extremely gravelly sand (Ie), very finesand fill (If), overlying natural silty clay (II) and natural loamy sand (III) over the coral shelf.The stratigraphy generally conformed to the USDA soil survey designation of Fill land (FL).Artifacts Discussion: One fragment of a glass soda bottle (Acc. # 171-A-1) was recovered fromStratum Ib/Ic, 0.13 to 0.25 mbs. The bottle dates from the 1890s to 1913 and was from a bottlingworks with a plant in downtown Honolulu. The artifact collected from Stratum Ib/Ic indicates thedeposit dates from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century.Feature Discussion: No features were observed.Terrestrial Faunal Remains Collected During Excavation: A single Bos taurus (possible)distal tibia fragment was collected individually during excavation from Stratum II (at 0.85 mbs).This bone showed evidence of being butchered with a metal blade, this (and the presence of Bostaurus - an introduced species) indicates an historic origin, not traditional Hawaiian.Sample Results: No additional sample analysis was conducted.GPR Discussion: A review of amplitude slice maps indicated no linear features which mightindicate the presence of utilities. Reflectivity was relatively uniform throughout the grid anddecreases with depth. A transition from higher reflectivity to lower reflectivity was observed atapproximately 0.75 mbs.GPR depth profiles for T-171 identified horizontal banding, commonly associated withstratigraphic layering, throughout the survey area. This banding corresponded to variations ofdensity and chemical composition within fill deposits. The profile also indicated a change inreflectivity occurring around 0.2 mbs. No utilities were observed in the profile. The maximumdepth of clean signal return was approximately 1.0 mbs.Summary: T-171 was excavated to a depth of 1.30 mbs and beneath the water table at 1.21 mbs.The stratigraphy of T-171 consisted of fill strata (Ia-If) overlaying natural sediment (II-III). Thestratigraphy generally conformed to the USDA soil survey designation of Fill land (FL). Onefragment of a glass soda bottle (Acc. # 171-A-1) was recovered from Stratum Ib/Ic, 0.13 to 0.25mbs. The artifact collected from Stratum Ib/Ic indicates the deposit dates from the late nineteenthHHCTCP City Center (Section 4) AIS Report, Vol. IV C 814TMK: [1] 1-2, 1-5, 1-7, 2-1, 2-3 (Various Plats and Parcels)