An Archaeological Survey of Hamilton County, Indiana Grant # 18-12-41921-4
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Distributional Analysis of Archaeological Remains in the Upper White River Basin: An Archaeological Survey of Hamilton County, Indiana Grant # 18-12-41921-4 By: Matthew R. Swihart and Kevin C. Nolan Compiled and Edited by Kevin C. Nolan Principal Investigators: Kevin C. Nolan and Mark A. Hill Reports of Investigation 82 Volume 1 June 2013 Applied Archaeology Laboratories, Department of Anthropology Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306-0435 Phone: 765-285-5328 Fax: 765-285-2163 Web Address: http://www.bsu.edu/aal 1 Distributional Analysis of Archaeological Remains in the Upper White River Basin: An Archaeological Survey of Hamilton County, Indiana Grant # 18-12-41921-4 By: Matthew R. Swihart and Kevin C. Nolan With Contributions by: John P. McCarthy, Amber J. Yuellig, Alex Barton, and Clayton Ziegler Compiled and Edited by Kevin C. Nolan Kevin C. Nolan and Mark A. Hill Principal Investigators ________________________________ Reports of Investigation 82 Volume 1 June 2013 Applied Archaeology Laboratories, Department of Anthropology Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306-0435 Phone: 765-285-5328 Fax: 765-285-2163 Web Address: http://www.bsu.edu/aal i ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF STATE AND FEDERAL ASSISSTANCE This project has been funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Fund administered by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology. The project received federal financial assistance for the identification, protection, and/or rehabilitation of historic properties and cultural resources in the State of Indiana. However, the contents and opinions contained in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of the Interior, nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the U.S. Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, or disability in its federally assisted programs. If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility as described above, or if you desire further information, please write to: Office of Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project was a shared effort of numerous people. We are indebted to the following individuals for their assistance in completing this project. We would like to thank the Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology (DHPA) and Ball State University for making this project possible. This project was funded in part by a Department of the Interior grant administered by the Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology (DHPA), Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Thanks especially to Malia Vanaman and Cathy Draeger-Williams for their help in administering this grant. This survey of Hamilton County, Indiana could not have been completed without the help of the various landowners that allowed us to survey their properties. A special thanks to We are indebted to your kindness. The field work and laboratory processing was completed by the authors and the following Ball State students: Joe Miller, Oliver Firestone, Josh Donaldson, Brad Painter, Khyrstin Chance, Mary Farrell, Trey Hill, Katie King, John Monger, Eli Orrvar, Lakota Sells, and Adam Zajac. iii ABSTRACT The Applied Archaeology Laboratories (AAL) of Ball State University conducted an archaeological reconnaissance project for archaeological materials in Hamilton County, Indiana, for an FY2012 Historic Preservation Fund Grant (Grant #18-12-41921-4). This Historic Preservation Fund grant project investigated the archaeological resources of Hamilton County, Indiana. This specific project focused on the White River and its associated tributaries, as well as the southern half of the county. Approximately 565 acres (228.55 ha) of agricultural land underwent pedestrian survey, uncovering 230 new archaeological sites and 1625 artifacts. Over 157 acres (63.54 ha) underwent soil phosphate survey, revealing multiple possible prehistoric agricultural fields or gardens. The project recovered 1154 prehistoric artifacts and 471 historic artifacts from 9 different parcels of land within Hamilton County. Multiple cultural periods are represented in the artifact assemblage, including diagnostics of the Early Archaic, Middle Archaic, Late Archaic, Middle Woodland, Late Woodland, and Historic periods. The average site density recorded for the project was one archaeological site per 2.46 acres (0.41 sites/acre). The average artifact density was one artifact per 0.34 acres (2.9 artifacts/acre). A total of 13 sites are recommended as potentially eligible for Indiana Register of Historic Sites and Structures or the National Register of Historic Places iv Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF STATE AND FEDERAL ASSISSTANCE .................................. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iii ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... iv LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................... vii LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ xii INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................ 2 Location ...................................................................................................................................... 2 Geology ....................................................................................................................................... 2 Glacial History ............................................................................................................................ 4 Physiography............................................................................................................................... 5 Soils............................................................................................................................................. 6 Water Resources ....................................................................................................................... 11 Climate ...................................................................................................................................... 13 Biotic Communities .................................................................................................................. 14 Flora ...................................................................................................................................... 14 Fauna ..................................................................................................................................... 14 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 15 Archaeological and Historical Background .............................................................................. 15 Prehistoric Agriculture and Modern Sediments ........................................................................ 22 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 22 Prehistoric, Ethnohistoric, and Ethnographic Agricultural Fields ........................................ 23 Effects of Swidden Agriculture on Phosphate and Magnetic Susceptibility ........................ 24 Soil Phosphate ........................................................................................................................... 25 ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY ................................................................................................. 27 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 27 Methods..................................................................................................................................... 27 Pedestrian Survey.................................................................................................................. 27 Soil Phosphate Survey .......................................................................................................... 28 Laboratory ................................................................................................................................. 28 Artifact Analysis Methods .................................................................................................... 28 Soils Analysis........................................................................................................................ 30 ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY RESULTS .............................................................................. 32 Survey Area 1 ..........................................................................................................................