Archaeological Testing of 38Rd1082, Kiva Construction Project, Richland County, South Carolina
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ARCHAEOLOGICAL TESTING OF 38RD1082, KIVA CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, RICHLAND COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA CHICORA RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION 232 © 2001 by Chicora Foundation, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or transcribed in any fQrm or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherWise without prior permission of Chicora Foundation, Inc. except for brief quotations used in reviews. Full credit must be given to the authors, publisher, and project sponsor. ARCHAEOLOGICAL TESTING OF 38RD1082, KIVA CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, RICHLAND COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA Prepared By: Michael Trinkley, Ph.D. Prepared For: Ms. Rebecca Miles, CEO Mental Health Association in South Carolina 1823 Gadsden Street Columbia, SC 29201 Chicora Foundation Research Series 232 Chicora Foundation, Inc. PO Box 8664 c 861 Arbutus Drive Columbia, South Carolina 29202-8664 803/787-6910 Email: [email protected] October 30, 1997 rl'his n.'port is printed on pern1anent paper 00 ABSTRACT ·rhis study reports on archaeological stains or other disturbances. No vertical testing at 38RD1082. 'll1is site was first reported as stratigraphy was apparent in this work, with both a scatter of lithic n1aterials encountered during Early Archaic and Late Archaic materials co construction of t\\'O concrete pads for aparttnent occurring in the san1e zone of dense remains. units. Situated north of the ('ity of ('olurnhia, just Horizontal stratigraphy, while difficult to outsi<lc Blythe\vood, the site \Vas found on a ridge conclusively identify in the testing, is possible. The nose currently wooded in 1nixed harlhvoods and investigations, however, failed to identify any p111cs. features an<l no concentrations of materials were identified in the units excavated. Faunal material An archaeological survey of the site is present only as small fragments of calcined bone. revealed a large quantity of artifacts, at least son1c Ethnobotanical material, while present, is widely of which were reported to he found at depths of dispersed and lacks clear cultural contexts. nearly 2.6 feet below grade. This survey consisted of the excavation of 13 shovel tests. ·rhe site was lbe presence of a number of worked found to measure ahout 165 by 500 feet and lithic specintens, as well as abundant secondary and ntaterials were recovered spanning the J\rchail· tertiary flakes, suggests that the site may represent Period. Several sherds, representative of the the loci of repeated encampments. There is little Woodland, were also recovered, although this indication of priniary reduction, although l'Ontponcnt scented n1uch less well dcfinc<l. resharpening and tool nlaintenance activities seem comn1on. As a result of the initial survey, the site \vas evaluated as potentially eligible for inclusion The investigation of the site also explored on the National llegister of 1-listoric Places. the disturbance which had already occurred, as well Additional testing was reco1nn1cn<led by the as the additional activities anticipated at the 1.:onsultant perfornting the initial survey. construction site. Although there has been considerable earth n1ovement throughout the 1.5 C~hicora Foundation \Vas retained to acre area, cut and fill areas appear about equal in ":on<luct additional testing of the site, which after volume, although the fill covers a greater surface consultation \Vith the State 1-listoric Preservation area. Even in the cut areas there appear to be Office was lirnitcd to two 5-foot units, one in each intact cultural remains, although they do occur pad area, and four 2-foot units, placed in the higher in the profile. posited site core. I::ach test \Vas excavated by <:1 con1hination of natural stratigraphy and arbitrary The proposed construction activities are 0.5 foot levels. litnited to the excavation of a 6-inch electrical service line, a 6-inch water line, and the placement ·rhese tests revealed the presence of t:arly of waste lines to a septic field (which is to located Archaic (Taylor), Middle Archaic (Morrow off the site). As a result, additional damage to the Mountain), l.ate Archaic (Savannah River site is expected to be limited and well-defined. Stemmed and Small Savannah River Stemmed), and Woodland (Yadkin pottery) materials. The The materials present at the site do not excavations, however, revealed that all materials appear to support the site's eligibility for inclusion \VCrl· confined prin1arily to tlu.· upper 1.5 feet. on the National Register of Historic Places. The When ntaterials \Vere found deeper they \Vere absence of vertical stratigraphy, the uncertainty of ahnost ahvays associated \Vith l'learly visible tree horizontal stratigraphy, the failure to identify features, the absence of culturally affiliated cthnohotanical ren1ains, and the highly 111iucralized nature of the sn1all quantities of fauna I n1atcrial all suggest that data sets at the site arc li111ited and not likely to he able to address significant research questions. It also appears that the proposed activities \viii have n1inin1al in1pact on the data sets which arc present. Further, the testing conducted at the site has obtained an excellent sa111ple or those ntatcrials for con1pariso11 to other fall line Archaic sites. As a result, no additional 111anagen1ent activities are reco111n1ended at 38RD1082. There is, of course, the possibility that additional resources will be identified during construction. Crews should be ntade aware that if pottery, arrowheads, concentrations of bricks, or the presence of hones are found in the project area, ground disturbing work should be suspended until the finds can be assessed by either the project archaeologist or the State Historic Preservation Office. II TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures iv List of Tables iv Acknowledgments v Introduction 1 Background 1 Goals and Methods 3 Curation 6 Environmental Background 7 Physiography 7 Geology and Soils 8 Clilnate 9 Floristics 9 Prehistoric E111•iro111ne11t 11 Prehistoric Synopsis 13 Prehistoric Qpen 1ieiv 13 Previous Archaeological Studies and Research Orie11tatio11 19 Archaeological Testing 25 Methodologv 25 Findings 30 Conclusions 41 Site Eiialuation 41 Recon1111e11da lions 42 Sources Cited 45 iii LIST OF FIGURES 1·\g.Url~S I. Clcneral area nf the projecl tract in Richland County 2 Project lract on the Hlythewood US<TS topographic map 4 3. View of open fnres\s on tlw wcsll'rn slope of lhc sitt· area 10 .\. 1\rca on the ridg.ctop cleart·d of Vt'gl'tation 10 (icnmcralizcd cultural scqucnct'. for South Carolina 14 I>. Test Pit 2 in the southern pad 26 7. Eastern edge of the site showing. cul and fill areas 26 ~- Top of the ridge al 38RDI0~2 27 9. Cleaning. ·rest Pit 2 27 10. Plan view of the excavations 28 11. Profiles of excavateJ units 32 12. Test Pit I excavated 33 13. 'fest Pit 2 t~xcavated 33 14. Examples of li1hics and pottery recn\'l'rt'li frotu 3f;RD10g2 37 LIST OF TABLES Tahle I. 1\rtifact counts from the original survey 21 2. Sand. silt. and clay content of soils in Tt•<;t Pit 1 34 ·'· Materials recovered hy Deplh 34 4. Materials recovered from 31'RDIOR2 35 '· Projectile points recovered from 38RD10~2 36 IV ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I \Vant to thank Mr. l)an I .igon for his received the level of investigation that it so richly ~ssistancc <luring the course or this projc<.·t. lie deserved. I also appreciate the efforts of Ms. Barile showed \vhat can only he described as exceptional and Ms. Rachel Campo, who were responsible for interest in the archaeological rcsourct's of the cataloging the collection under the supervision of project area, first halting his project, calling the Ms. Hacker. The initial field map was draft by Ms. site to the attention of the archaeological Barile and was transformed into the computer con1n1unity, and then patiently \Vaiting as the site generated graphic by Ms. Hacker. All of these \Vas explored in t\vo different stages over the efforts, absolutely essential to the production of course of several 1nonths. We realize that these this study, are appreciated. delays cost n1011ey and \Vt' arc very appreciative of his continued patience and support. Likewise it is in1portant to thank the staff of the Mental l·lcalth Association in South Carolina, whose dients will ultimately use the housing, both for their interest and also patience as the \vork progressed. We also \Vant to thank those rt..'sponsihlc for overseeing the \\'Ork at the S.C. J·lousing Authority, as \VCIJ as the U.S. f)epart111ent of llnusing and lJrhan f)cvelnpn1ent, \vho have funded the project. Mr. Keith l)crting, at the S.C'. Institute of J\rchcteology and Anthropology assisted US\Vith site recordation, especially sorting out previously recorded site data. We thank hint for his speedy and thorough work. Ms. Sharon Pekrul was rt.;'sponsiblc for assisting us \vith curation at the S.C. Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology, and again we offer our sincere appreciation for her tin1c and efforts. ()r. Jonathan Leader \Vas very kind to sharL' his insight concerning the site and evaluation of its potential significance. Finally, Mr. Niels 'raylor, staff archaeologist \\•ith the State llistoric Preservation Office, ovcrsa\v the revie\v of the..' project in that office and provided considerable tin1c and effort to go over the site data and explore different options and techniques that were both appropriatl' for the rcsourcL'S an<l also fair to the developer of the property. 'l'ltc field cre\v for this project \Vas Ms. Kerri llarile and Ms. Debi l·Ia<..·kcr. I appreciate their hard work and efforts to ensure that the site v INTRODUCTION Background Preservation Office (SHPO) of the site and it was determined that the project involved federal J\rchacological site 3Xlll)J()~2 is situated funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and in northern llichland (~ounty about 15 1nilL·s north Urban Development, administered through the of ('olu111hia and ahnut .'.\ tnilcs c~1st of Blythc\vood S.C.