Intro Report
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REPORT ON STAGE 4 SALVAGE EXCAVATION OF THE SERENA SITE (AhGx-274) ALLISON ESTATES, SUBDIVISION (25T-91014), CITY OF HAMILTON, REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF HAMILTON, ONTARIO Submitted to Urbex Engineering Limited Ontario Ministry of Culture 161 Rebecca Street 400 University Avenue, 4th Floor Hamilton, Ontario L8R 1B9 Toronto, Ontario M7A 2R9 Tel: (905) 522-3328 Tel: (416) 314-7100 Prepared by ARCHAEOLOGICAL SERVICES INC. 528 Bathurst Street Toronto, Ontario M5S 2P9 Tel: (416) 966-1069 Fax: (416) 966-9723 Email: [email protected] Website: www.archaeologicalservices.on.ca Edited by Ronald F. Williamson Licence #95-020, #96-019, #97-017, and #98-014 ASI File #97UR-02 June 2004 SECRETS IN THE SOIL The soil carries secrets of people long ago, the way they lived, the way they died and the types of crops they’d grow. You can see the change of colors as you shovel shine the dirt, a firepit, some pottery, or a piece of Erie chert. You can see how dark the stains are of the posts that stood so strong, once keeping out the enemy, relationships gone wrong. On moonlit nights, I hear the sounds, of the village long ago, where native people lived and died and watched their children grow. I hear sounds from the fire as it cooks the hunters catch, in pots that carry on their clay, a decorators etch. I hear the sounds of children, as they laugh so heartily, while they try to make a pipe, some beads, or piece of pottery. I hear the chipping of the chert, by hands so skilled and strong, I hear the drums, the calls, the cries and sometimes, even their song. Oh, how I long to go back in time, when these people shared the land, But, I must be content to see, their remnants in my hand. For beneath the cool, moist, darkened soil, these secrets they do lay, to be uncovered by strained hands, in the archaeologists’ day. -Heidi Scarfone 1997 Dedicated to Bruce, Jack, and Shaun and the other devoted archaeologists from the Serena Site. With much thanks and appreciation. The knowledge that you shared with my children and myself, has helped us to appreciate even more, the richness of our local history. i Project Personnel Project Director: Dr. Ronald F. Williamson Field Directors: Dr. Shaun J. Austin Dr. Bruce M. Welsh Field Archaeologists: Mr. Andrew Allan Ms. Jane Cottrill Ms. April DeLaurier Ms. Eva MacDonald Mr. Rob MacDonald Dr. Stephen Monckton Mr. David Robertson Ms. Deborah Steiss Mr. Rob Von Bitter Gradall Operator: Mr. Jack Rooney Report Preparation: Ms. Caroline Theriault Ms. Irena Miklavcic Artifact Processing: Ms. Monicke Thibeault Artifact Photography: Mr. Rob Pihl Ms. Keli Watson Graphics: Mr. Andrew Allan Mr. Andrew Clish ii Table of Contents Secrets in the Soil.....................................................................i Project Personnel .................................................................... ii Table of Contents....................................................................iii List of Figures ...................................................................... vi List of Tables....................................................................... vi List of Plates ...................................................................... vii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Shaun J. Austin and Bruce M. Welsh PROJECT BACKGROUND AND REPORT ORGANIZATION ................................... 1 PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS AT THE SERENA SITE (AhGx-274) .............................. 1 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING ....................................................... 3 RESEARCH METHODS ........................................................... 3 CHAPTER 2 SETTLEMENT PATTERNS Shaun J. Austin and Ronald F. Williamson INTRODUCTION ................................................................ 6 VILLAGE PLAN ................................................................ 6 HOUSE 1 ..................................................................... 7 HOUSE 2 ..................................................................... 9 HOUSE 3 .................................................................... 12 HOUSE 4 .................................................................... 15 HOUSE 5 .................................................................... 19 HOUSE 6 .................................................................... 21 EXTERIOR FENCES ............................................................ 23 EXTERIOR ACTIVITY AREAS .................................................. 23 EXTERIOR ACTIVITY AREA 1 (MIDDEN 1) ............................................ 23 EXTERIOR ACTIVITY AREA 2 ..................................................... 23 EXTERIOR ACTIVITY AREA 3 ..................................................... 24 EXTERIOR ACTIVITY AREA 4 ..................................................... 24 EXTERIOR ACTIVITY AREA 5 ..................................................... 25 EXTERIOR ACTIVITY AREA 6 ..................................................... 25 EXTERIOR ACTIVITY AREA 7 ..................................................... 26 EXTERIOR ACTIVITY AREA 8 ..................................................... 26 EXTERIOR ACTIVITY AREA 9 ..................................................... 26 EXTERIOR ACTIVITY AREA 10 .................................................... 27 EXTERIOR ACTIVITY AREA 11 .................................................... 27 CHAPTER 3 CERAMIC ARTIFACTS SECTION 1 CERAMIC VESSELS Robert H. Pihl and Shaun J. Austin INTRODUCTION ............................................................... 28 VESSEL RIMS ................................................................ 28 DESCRIPTIONS .............................................................. 29 iii Table of Contents (cont'd.) SECTION 1 CERAMIC VESSELS (cont’d.) TRADITIONAL TYPOLOGICAL ANALYSIS ............................................ 32 CERAMIC CHRONOLOGY SUMMARY ............................................... 34 SURFACE TREATMENT ......................................................... 34 CERAMICS WITH APPLIED PIGMENT ............................................... 34 CASTELLATIONS .............................................................. 35 JUVENILE CERAMICS ........................................................... 35 SECTION 2 CERAMIC PIPES Eva M. MacDonald DISCUSSION ................................................................. 36 CHAPTER 4 LITHIC ARTIFACTS SECTION 1 FLAKED STONE Shaun J. Austin INTRODUCTION ............................................................... 38 RAW MATERIALS ............................................................. 38 FORMAL FLAKED STONE TOOLS Projectile Points ....................................................... 38 Drills ............................................................... 41 Gravers.............................................................. 41 Spokeshaves.......................................................... 41 Wedges.............................................................. 42 Burins............................................................... 42 Scrapers............................................................. 42 Crude Bifaces ......................................................... 42 FLAKES AND FLAKE FRAGMENTS Primary Thinning, Secondary Knapping, Secondary Retouch, Bipolar and Shatter . 43 Utilized and Retouched Flakes ........................................... 43 CORES ..................................................................... 44 SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION ........................................................ 44 THERMAL ALTERATION ........................................................ 44 FLAKED STONE SUMMARY ...................................................... 46 SECTION 2 GROUND STONE AND EXPEDIENT TOOLS Shaun J. Austin DISCUSSION ................................................................. 47 CHAPTER 5 FLORAL ANALYSIS Stephen G. Monckton INTRODUCTION ............................................................... 48 ANALYTICAL METHODS ........................................................ 48 RESULTS .................................................................... 48 WOOD CHARCOAL ............................................................ 52 iv Table of Contents (cont'd.) CHAPTER 6 FAUNAL REMAINS AND WORKED BONE Bev J. Garner DISCUSSION ................................................................. 53 CHAPTER 7 CREMATED HUMAN REMAINS Deborah Merritt INTRODUCTION ............................................................... 55 NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS ....................................................... 56 AGE-AT-DEATH ............................................................... 56 SEX DETERMINATION .......................................................... 56 CREMATION CONDITIONS ....................................................... 57 CONCLUSIONS ............................................................... 58 CHAPTER 8 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS Shaun J. Austin and Ronald F. Williamson THE LOCAL AND REGIONAL CONTEXT OF THE SERENA SITE . ...................... 59 REFERENCES CITED ............................................................. 62 PLATES ......................................................................... 65 APPENDIX A1: CERAMICS CATALOGUE APPENDIX A2: CERAMIC VESSELS INVENTORY APPENDIX B: PIPES CATALOGUE APPENDIX C1: CHIPPED LITHICS CATALOGUE APPENDIX C2: GROUND STONE AND EXPEDIENT TOOLS CATALOGUE APPENDIX D: FAUNAL REMAINS INVENTORY AND BONE TOOL CATALOGUE APPENDIX E: CREMATED HUMAN REMAINS INVENTORY v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Location of Study Area .................................................