Archaeological Testing of 31MA77, Proposed
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ARCHAEOLOGICAL TESTING OF 3lMAZ 1, PROPOSED MACON COUNTY AIRPORT EXPANSION, FRANKLIN, NORTH CAROLINA CHICORA RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION 312 Prepared For: T 1 his repod is printed on permanent papen In March 2000 Chicrora Faundation In the high prob&&~area tLs work identiked cted an intensive archaeological 1,498 psthoies and 162 ieatures. The mean number posed Macon County airport ol per trench is 20, although the standard expansion. That work revealed &at viauslly aU of the deviation oi: 16 reflects the sonsi$ex&ie variation &el$ to the west ol tL small Iotla Branch contained between the trenches (the number oi ranges remains attr$utAe to 3BMA-27. TLie site, based on horn 2 to 16).Regardless, it is that as many as the range of materials recovered, site size, depth of the 18.246 and 2,034 features are present in the +plowzone (Aich may provide protection to underlying high probabdi~portion of the site. ieatures), inability to identi6 the subsoil in multiple tests, and associated Listoric comections, was Of tke 168 ieatxres identiked in tLis wonk, recommended potentially eligible ior inclusion on tLe to represent burials with in situ human National Register o$ r were identrhed in the high probability site area and were accidentally uncovered during The N.C. O&ce of State Archaeology (NC stripping operations. The idedication oi these iour SHPO)concurred with tbis Anding and recommended burials suggests that at least 48 bluials are present at a program ol mechanical site stripping in order to 31MAZ%. Since there are at least an aJditionai 28 evaluate the density and distribution ol leatures at 1 burials, the nuder of total inhmations at 3HMA71. The site was divided into two broad zones may be considerably higher, ptentialiy numbering 390. hifads identiked during the stripping operations suggest that signikcant Connestee (A.D. ) and QuaUa (ca. A.D. 1450-1838) components are present, witL ithscldier (and insignificant) Archaic, Swnanoa, and Pisg& ?his study reports on that testing program. A components. series oi 80 trenches, incorporating 52,6 were opned during the lour weeks oi keld investigation. This investigation revealed a wi This included 6,197 square ieet in data sets, including a large number ol site identiked as low probability, r features (including human burials). the presence oi 46,483 square ieet in what was identike stholes (Ach are &eIY 10 reveal house patterns), and ability, reflecting an 8.21% sample. cukural remains including pottery, cut mica, stone tools, and at least one historic ar+iiaet. Moremr, the In the low prob&ility area this work iderrtilied worl reveals that these data sets are well pserved and 71 postholes and one ieature. Over a third oi these distinct. There is limited evidence of faunal remains, and the single Lateature were Iound in Trench but very preservation oi ethnabotanicai remains. 10, situated at the toe of tbe slop, in an area which me sealed deposits may be especially important lor the might better be considered intermediate or higL recovery ol and phytolith evidence. probabiiity. Nweriheless, this suggests that as many as 34.9 and 4 ieaimres exist in tLe As a result, we recommend the entire site as low probability area. eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places under Criteria D (ability to yield important inlomation) at the state level of sign&cance. In addition, the linbage etween tis site and tRe historic Cherokee vlilage of Joree suggests that the site is also eligible under Criterion A (association with historic events or activities). It is woah noting that even if tLe site did not meet these clearly deiined criteria, the property might still be eligible br inclusion on the National Register for its t cujtural importance to Native If the project is ol such signiiicance that it must be conducted, then data recovery is the only compliance with the Nationd Historic Preservation Act, but also nth North Car a's 'TJmmarLed Hmm BuriaI and Human Skeletal Remains Protection Act" (NCArticle 3, Section 70-29). This repod contains a recommended data recovery Ior the site. List of Figures List of T&Ls Introduction Saurces Cited Appendix I. Artifad Catdog Appendix 2. Photo Data Sheds Appendix 3. Data Recovery Appendix 4. Analpis and Reporting on the Human ShLtal Remains Project vicinity in hfacoan County Area oi the Macon County Auport View ol the survey traei A Excavation and screening ol Unit 2 Tracked Lacbhce opening a trench iked Ieature and with metal tags Site map showing limits of anticipated &sturbance, sampling areas, and trench locations installing the Mter Iabric Trench 7'0, Feature 158 Trench 70, Feature 156 Trench 74, Feature 160 Clusters of materials at 31MAll and gjeneralized site boundaries Test Unit 1, top of subsoil Test Unit 2, top ol subsoil Artifacts Lorn 3 Pottery Lorn 31 Table 1. Trenches, Postholes, and batures 2. Size and nature of identiked ieatrares 3. Projectile points recovered at 31 I appreciate the support and assistance oJ Mr. ordinary, but they did eve* ng to assist us in Shawn Kinder and Mr. GaryVarga with our work. ' in Columbia, South Carolina. We opportunity to provide this study $or (heir use. A number oi proiessiona%colleagues have also appreciate the assistance pvided by Ms. Lin given oi their time to provide assistance in the Western Field Ofhce Archaeologist with the North pietion oI this st~.~d~.In p icdax Dr. David Moore Carolina Okce of State Archaeology in hhedle and Tom Padgett (NC Mr. Steve Claggett, State Archamlogist with the North OT), Dr. Bad Webb (TGR Garrow), Mr. Ken Carolina O&ce oi Skate Achaeology in RoLinsm, and Dr. David Weaver (Wake Forest University) have generously given oi their time and expertise. In I appreciate the assistance ol aver in preparing the recovery and analpis nvestigations. The maps man skeletal remains at 3HAn/lA27'. prepared by Ms. Debi Hacker and her constant reciated. In addition, we I also appreciate the proiessional and cordial appreciate the assistance oi everyone at AppalacLian assistance Lorn Mr. James Bird and Mr. Brian Burgers Construction. In we need to thank Mr. Jake ol Ace Eastern Bmd of CAeroLee Historic Preservation Henderson lor his care and EM in equipment 016ce; Mr. Greg kchardson, Executive Director, NC operation. I also appreciate the assistance 04 everyone Inkan Mairs Commission; as weU as other interested mi& Macon County; our requests were oken out oi the in&vi$ua!s, such as Mr. B Pisg& and Connestee remains. The study found that the runway expansion d any cultural resources on the east side oi the branch. On the west side, however, site 31M.,A71 North Caroha (Figure 1).The airport is reported to be was found to be very large and ptentiJYPigpikcant. one of the few landing strip capable ol handling mid- The site was recornmen incLusion on the Nztt-ional promoting tjle need for expansion. The airport Iacility a Jeteminration with which the State Historic is situated in the mi Preservation O&ce concurred. sunom&cJ, by steep topography to the north and south (Figure 2). A hther testing plan was dewloped by Dr. stem Field Okce Archaeologist with XHZ 2800 Chicora Foundation wms the No& Carolina OIhce of State Archaeology in y W.K. Dickson LO conduct a cultural Ashedle. This discussed in greater detail in a resources study necessary for the expansion o$ t IoUowing section, specilied th the steep slops of ounty airport. The projed the site a 2% sample should b cted to mechanical this survey r~asconducted to assist stripping, wMe in the more Ievei site areas an 8% d Macon County comply with the sample should be stripped. The goal of this work was to provisions 04 the National Historic Presemtion Act. identliy Ieature density and types. With a&tional input The work wdd invohe extending the existing concrete Lorn W.K. Dickson on the actual limits ol anticipated runway and taxiway Lorn t disturbance resulting lrom the expansion project were to tLe west, along with relocation of utilities and other associated coxastmction issues (such zs the filling in oi: 20 acres arere expected to be involved in also include grading and preparing oi a safety area tLe project. extencling west oK the runway dlor an a I ' Let. The entire survey area, therelore, included a] testing wzs cornpieked approximately 26.6 acres. The investigation included to Chicara on July 20. examining the end oi the existing runway at the western our testing to edge ol the airport, as weU aa the a&c pn JI& 24 arid an agreement was arest, on the opposite si approved by W.K. Dicbon on September 8, 2000. A I B,S,C~. copy of the testing scope ol work and our proposar was re completed on November 9, with a total ol rson hours being devoted to the held ns. h additional 42 person hours were field notes and associated management activities. management summary aras submitted by Chicora tbe reburial oi any identihed human skeletal remains . Dicbon on Noveder 14,2000. whicL are removed horn the site. This letter was iomrded iie the of this investigation were ead agency ofhcial lor this clearly dehned to needed management project. In addition, copies of thi assistance, the large area of the site exposed and plotted surrmary were provi&d to the State Ar does address a variety of more scholarly research Steve Ciaggett; the Chero e Tribal Historic interests. For example, t!ae distsrrlbutio~og remains on Presemtion ~lhcer,Mr. James ; as well as Macon the site -provides a speculative glimpse ol intra-site County and other interested pariies. patterning. The small collection of adiiacts gathered during the mechanical stripping helps to better identi& the cultural assemblages identilied witlrr the site.