Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Volume 24 Article 8

1970 Archeological Investigation of Bayou Bartholomew, 1969 Martha Ann Rolingson University of Arkansas at Monticello

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Recommended Citation Rolingson, Martha Ann (1970) "Archeological Investigation of Bayou Bartholomew, 1969," Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science: Vol. 24 , Article 8. Available at: http://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol24/iss1/8

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Archeological Investigation of Bayou Bartholomew, 1969 Martha Ann Rolingson Arkansas Archeological Survey, Arkansas A&M College, Monticello, Arkansas 71655

ABSTRACT

Archeological investigation along Bayou Bartholomew in Ashley County was initiated with the primary objective of establishing a chronological sequence of prehistoric cultures. This paper reports the first season of fieldwork. Emphasis was placed on locating sites and obtaining adequate surface collections while only two sites were tested. The different types of sites and their relationship to the Bayou Bartholomew channels are discussed. Prehistoric occupations from four general periods are outlined, including late Archaic, early to middle Woodland, late Woodland and Mississippi.

At the beginning of the nineteenth century that por- ber of reasons, some theoretical and some practical. tion of Arkansas lying south of the Arkansas, east of the First, the bayou is on the western edge of the delta and Ouachita and west of the Mississippi rivers was known the physiography is much the same as in other por- as an extensive, gloomy, uninhabitable wilderness of tions of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Despite this mosquito- infested swamps dominated by cypress, tupelo physiographic link with the Mississippi River area, the gum and cane. It was thought to be used by Indians stream is in the Ouachita River drainage system and only as a hunting territory and it remained relatively un- was once the main channel of the Arkansas River. explored through out the early period of archeological in- Second, it has been used as a boundary for the de- vestigation in the Mississippi valley. Cyrus Thomas lo- finition of archaeological regions although little is known cated sites south of the Arkansas River in 1894 and C. about the area itself. Third, almost the entire area is B. Moore investigated sites on the Arkansas, Mississippi, under cultivation and sites are thus easy to locate. These Ouachita, Saline and Bartholomew rivers between 1908 sites are also rapidly being destroyed by the increasing and 1913. These men located neither large, spectacular mechanization of agriculture and need to be investigated sites nor cemeteries with large numbers of pots and before they are gone. Fourth, some Arkansas Archeologi- other desirable museum items. The region was largely cal Society members have made the work easier by ac- ignored in the succeeding 50 years. The survey of the curately reporting site locations, donating surface col- Mississippi Alluvial Valley by Phillips, Ford, and Griffin lections from the sites, and generally being helpful in in the early 1940's and the work of Ford and Redfield in every way possible. 1962 barely touch upon the area. None of the pre- historic sites have been excavated and reported on by a Two distinct physiographic units are included in professional archeologist. southeast Arkansas, locally termed the "delta" and the "hills". The division between them is an abrupt escarp- Our knowledge of the archeology of this region is ment. The delta portion is flat and is almost entirely therefore minimal. Perhaps the lack of archeology is a converted to large-scale mechanized agriculture of cotton reflection of the prehistoric situation, that is, it has not and soybeans. The hills were cleared for small sub- attracted attention because it was always marginal to sistence farms in the early nineteenth century but the centers of development in other areas. Even if there was soils are too poor in quality for good crop production and no cultural climax here, it should be a zone of contact are now covered with tree farms of southern pine. between climax regions. It lies between northeastern Arkansas, the southern portions of the lower Mississippi Geologically, the "hill"portion is called the Prairie valley and the Red River area of Texas, Louisiana and Terrace and is Pleistocene in age. The "delta" portion Arkansas. These regions each have centers of distinctive is Recent in age and is the Arkansas River alluvial fan. local development where extensive archeological work This portion of the alluvial fan has two units, Macon has been done. The nature of contact between the Mis- Ridge and the Boeuf Basin. The Boeuf Basin encom- sissippi Valley and the Red River valley and between the passes most of the delta in southern Arkansas and lower and central Mississippi valley regions has been the Macon Ridge separates this Basin from the Mississippi subject of much debate. Questions cannot be resolved River floodplain. The Boeuf Basin has never been part without information on the developments in the interven- of the Mississippi River system, rather it has always ing region. been Arkansas River drainage, paralleling the Mississippi and draining into the Ouachita River. The Bayou Bartholomew area was chosen for the initial investigation in southeastern Arkansas for a num- The major features of the Boeuf Basin are the Ar-

Published by Arkansas Academy of Science, 1970 13 Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 24 [1970], Art. 8

Martha Ann Rolingson

Kansas River meander belts that are now occupied by concentration of artifacts easily distinguished by th smaller streams. H. N. Fick's study of the Mississippi sterile surrounding soil. These are usually small, les valley placed the Arkansas River channels in a sequence: than 100 feet in diameter, and often characterized b Stage B3 was along the edge of the Prairie Terrace, a darker soil color. Potsherds are abundant. Sometime Stage C in Crooked Bayou and Boeuf River, Stage H in they also have bone and shell debris, while stone i Bayou Macon, Stage 4 in the series of small bayous 2 scarce. Bartholomew, Stage 11 in to 6 miles east of Bayou The third village in present channel. type of site is termed a becaus Bayou Bartholomew and Stage 12 the the the Corps of Engi- midden accumulation covers a more extensive area Roger Saucier, geologist with U. S. usually oblong, to 1000 in length Station, Vicksburg, has re- These sites are up feet neers Waterways Experiment and contain relatively large amounts of pottery and study of the Boeuf Basin. lesse cently undertaken a geological amounts of stone. There are seven village deposits in Bayou Bartholomew sites and He estimates that the the three of these also have small mounds. area are less than 5000 years old. The fourth type of a mound in an entrenched meander site is site. These are Bayou Bartholomew flows differentiated because they are prominent Bluff, Arkansas, to Monroe, Louisiana. mounds but belt from Pine a village area has not yet been located. Two of by sandy levees built up the The Bayou is bordered natural may be flat-topped pyramidal mounds while land be- mounds the to an elevation of 125 feet mean sea level. The other are so that the original outline two miles six altered is no tween the Bayou and the Terrace is less than longer evident. wide and is a backswamp deposit with a drainage sys- tem distinct from that of the Bayou. As is typical of a In general, the different types of sites have different meander belt, the present channel of the bayou is lined location in relation to the bayou and its abandoned chan- with abandoned channels and oxbow lakes, some of nels. Most of the diffuse sites are situated on the banks which are characterized by open water while others are of the abandoned channels. All of the abandoned chan- almost completely filled in. Today the bayou is a slow- nels so far checked for sites are lined with a scattering moving stream throughout most of the year. The area of artifacts but with one or more relatively concentrated escaped the great floods of 1874 and 1882, but was areas. These concentrations are more sparse and scat- flooded in 1927. tered than the hamlet and village site concentrations.

The initial investigation of the Bayou Bartholomew Most of the village and hamlet type sites are located area concentrated in Ashley County in the vicinity of on the present bayou channel. Seven of the eight Portland. The project started with a core of forty-two mounds are also located on the banks of the present sites located and reported by members of the Arkansas bayou channel. The situation along the oxbow lakes is Archeological Society. These sites are primarily along in marked contrast to that on the abandoned channels the east bank of Bayou Bartholomew and on Dry and as only six sites are on the banks of these lakes. County. of Big 3ig Bayous in Chicot The tributaries There is, of course, no reason to think that all 3ayou drain the backslope of the Bayou Bartholomew abandoned channels are the same age or that all oxbow south, paralleling the evee and Big Bayou flows Bar- lakes are the same age, although most of the oxbow streams carry tholomew, six miles to the east. These lakes are probably younger than most of the partially ittle water mest of the year. This is the location of the filledabandoned channels. Also, the lakes or sloughs in Stage 4 channel of the Arkansas River. One month of the oxbows and abandoned channels may have been con site survey in June, 1969, added 22 sites to the list. sidered desirable site locations and chosen in preference Bar- Most of these are located on the west side of the to the bank of the river so that there will not be a direct, archeological ex- holomew. The area of intensive work one-to-one correlation of site age to channel age. tends along both banks of Bayou Bartholomew from Parkdale to Boydell, a distance of 18 miles north-south Only two sites have so far been located in the back- on a straight line. Within this area, especially between swamp area between the bayou and the hillescarpment. Montrose and Boydell, there are still portions to be in- This may be due to the fact that sites have been buried vestigated. Two sites tested are the Wilson Brake site, by flood-deposited alluvium. More likely is the fact that 3AS85, and the Ellis Pugh Site, 3CH20 in July, 1969; we have not yet looked here for sites. The two that have Burney McClurkan tested the Grampus Site, 3AS84, in been located were reported by local residents. One is apparently single prehistoric June 1968. All are multiple component with little indi- a component late village and cation of stratigraphic separation of these components. the other is a diffuse late Archaic site. The along Big Dry Bayous most common type of site is termed "diffuse" situation and is somewhat The different. Three of the sites are villages, one is a hamlet, and is characterized by a scattered distribution of arti- and there mounds, two been including projectile points and grinding stones were three of which have acts both leveled. The other small, sparse much pottery. no darkening of sites are concentrations but without There is scattered along the banks of the bayous. These are to distinguish area the artifacts are soil color site and characterized by a predominance of pottery with some apparently eroding out of the red clay subsoil. often stone debris but no heavy concentration or change in A second type is termed a hamlet and has a heavy soil color.

XXIV, http://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol24/iss1/814 Arkansas Academy of Science Proceedings, Vol. 1970 14 I Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 24 [1970], Art. 8 A phase sequence of the area will not be defined pottery types at five sites. One of these sites is on a until after the second season of work is completed, how- abandoned channel, two are on oxbow lakes and two ar ever, some trends are already clearly evident. For gen- on Dry Bayou. The Wilson Brake site -has both an ear eral comparative purposes, Iam using the periods and Woodland-Marksville and Plaquemine like occupations cultures of the Lower Mississippi Valley as defined by A conical mound was located off one end of the midde Philip Phillips. The major problem in analysis and in- area. Since this mound has been leveled, we will neve terpretation is the fact that this region is marginal to know much about it. Reports indicate, however, that n areas where extensive work has already been done but bone and littlepottery was uncovered during the leveling in which separate lines of analysis have developed. The When the flat-based vessel form occurs, it is usually o Bartholomew ceramic analysis is based strictly on sherds one of these sites. These sites also have Gary Stemme and yet decorative techniques overlap regions while pot- projectile points but the specimens are usually smalle tery types are actually distinguished by paste, design and less crudely shaped than on the Archaic sites. style and vessel form. For example, a shell-tempered potsherd decorated with trailed-incised lines might be The succeeding Baytown and Coles Creek period classified as Wallace Incised, Foster Trailed, Keno Trail- are more of a problem. Most of the diagnostic pottery ed or Leland Incised. Clay-tempered pottery decorated types for these periods have not yet been found. Mino with narrow incised lines in multiple parallel line de- amounts of Mulberry Creek Cord-marked, Larto Red signs might be Manchac Incised, Alligator Incised, Dunkin Filmed and Woodville Zoned Red types are present only Incised or even Pease Brushed. Further complications at the Ellis Pugh site, 3CH20, and French Fork Incised is are added when allowance is made for characteristics present at the Hackett site, 3CH32. Both of these sites that may be distinctive for this region alone. are in the Dry-Big Bayou area east of Bayou Bartholo mew and both are multiple component. A few sherds o Some general conclusions about the ceramics of the Mulberry Creek Cord-marked are also found on somp made, Common vessel forms are area can be however. Bayou Bartholomew sites. Diagnostic Coles Creek cul straight sided vessels with rounded bases. Some flat ture ceramic types such as Coles Creek, Greenhouse bases, square, both round and are present but are a Mazique and Beldeau Incised and Chevalier Stamped are distinct minority. Bowls are also common. A minor completely absent in the entire survey area. Twelve o variation of these has a slightly flared rim. Rims are Bayou Bartholomew, however, have only tapered although nicking the 50 sites on predominantly unmodified or Baytown Plain pottery. These sites are all rather non lip of the exterior edge of the is a minor variation. Ab- descript but, since not all have been visited in the pas appendages, handles, effigy Shell sent are and forms. year, the surface collections are not as complete as a tempering, present, always a percentage when is minor some of any finely of the other sites. Two these sites have small of site sample and the shell is always crushed. badly damaged Perhaps the relationships o many mounds. Bone tempering is also present at sites. The Bayou Bartholomew region during the Marksville not Baytown the sherds with bone do differ from the Plain Baytown, and Coles Creek periods are strongest with the except for the addition of finely crushed bone and it is region to always Lower Arkansas River the north. An alternative a minor inclusion in the paste. The amount of of the Baytown Coles Creek periods with ranges percent is that the sites and sherds bone from 0.5 to 11.0 of are not in the delta but are on the Terrace where we the Baytown sample at usually Plain the site and is 5 have not yet looked for sites. It is also within the realm to 7 percent. tempering present some Bone is also in of possibility that the Arkansas River shifted to its pre decorated types, all of which are considered part of a sent If so, occupation channel about this time. the environmenta late of the area. conditions of the Bartholomew area might not have been The earliest occupation is in the late Archaic period. very stable or desirable. The distinction between late Archaic and early Woodland The prehistoric occupation not yet established as only three sites in the area do late is clearly related to developments in the I using ot have any potsherds. Sites with early diagnostic arti- south. For the moment am Jcts are the diffuse on the term "Plaquemine-Caddoan" because the material sites the abandoned channels to, f Bayou Bartholomew. Gary Stemmed points are com- seems to be related but separate from, both of these. ion artifacts and these are usually made of novaculite. Most of the hamlet type of sites as well as components I; of the village sites were occupied at this time. Sites 'orked and unworked flakes are common on these sites and 43 percent of the worked flakes are of novaculite. are located on the present channel of Bayou Bartholo- Dry Big Relatively large, trianguloid, bifacially flaked tools are mew and on and Bayous. Single component common. Minor yet distinctive artifacts include hamlet sites do not have much stone debris present. Projectile points are tiny, oth chipped and ground celts and adzes, spearthrower barbed and bulbous stemmed are probably to eights, magnetite plummets and crude biconical clay and related the Alba Barbed type. Pot- alls. Three sherds from the Grampus site are identified tery types include Plaquemine Brushed, Harrison Bayou s Tchefuncte Stamped and Lake Borgne Incised. Incised, Manchac Incised and Evansville Punctated. All Ilso of these have parallel Caddoan types. In the Bayou area early to middle Woodland occupation is indicated these types have a minor percentage of sherds with bone the presence of Withers Fabric-impressed, Marksville tempering. Iassume that the Baytown Plain bone temp- amped, Marksville Incised and Churupa Punctated ered sherds are also part of this phase. Minor amounts

Proceedings, XXIV, Arkansas Academy of Science Vol. 1970 15 Published by Arkansas Academy of Science, 1970 15 Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 24 [1970], Art. 8 Martha Ann Rolingson

of shell-tempered sherds are present on some, but not Valuable information has come from this initial field- all, of these sites. Iwould not interpret this as an in- work, especially in regard to settlement patterns and trusion of Mississippian culture. As at Plaquemine and conditions of sites. Questions of chronology and inter- Caddo sites, shell tempering appears to be an addition pretation can now be stated and willprovide the guide- to an already well-established pattern rather than part lines for a second phase of research emphasizing site of a drastic change. Pottery decorative techniques and excavation. It should then be possible to establish a styles are within the range of Leland Incised and Keno chronological sequence of phases and reach some con- Trailed. The distinctive Caddo engraved pottery has not clusions about cultural-environmental interaction and in- yet been found. terregional relationships.

Profiling Techniques In Archaeology Stephen E. Adams, Department of Anthropology University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701

Introduction sticks can be used to mark artifacts, features, or strata to which the profiler wishes to pay particular attention. to The purpose of this paper is describe various An Army surplus field pack is a convenient carry-all for archaeology to graphically techniques used in record the smaller profiling tools and small luxury items such soil strata, features, and in-place artifacts of trench or as insect repellent, suntan lotion, and a transistor radio. pit walls. The advantages and disadvantages of these techniques willalso be described. Presently, however, I There are larger tools which are important to the would like to discuss some of the basic tools of the profiler. A long handled shovel and a mattock are need- profiler. ed when the profiler needs to move large amounts of dirt rapidly. A round-point shovel is best for breaking Tools ground and a flat-nose shovel is best for levelling a trench or pit floor. Water sprayed from a large, refill- tools profiler are, of The most important of the able, pump spray can often help distinguish different paper. Imyself found a number course pencil and have strata and features temporarily for the profiler, especially two pencil best for the job, since its heavy, black marks in strong sunlight. However, I found and bright sunlight encountered, have it easier are easily seen even in the more convenient to shade the area to be profiled. Shad- Profiling more often than not, in the field. often entails ing seems as effective as spraying in making distinct details, markings recording minute therefore distinct and to be drawn. Also, operating accuracy. graph those features the spray drawing are essential to Standard rule can becomes quite awkward and time consuming. paper seems to be best for recording graphic details. it is available in large rolls and can easily be cut to size A grid screen and a horizontal-vertical string system to fit the profiler's needs. An excellent drawing board are used as large measuring tools in profiling. The grid can be made simply by taping a piece of graph paper screen is constructed in the shape of a rectangle with the to a plywood board of a size which can be conveniently use of small and light, but strong, boards. Eyelets are handled. In trench profiling the board can be suspended screwed into the inside surfaces of the boards at regular from two sticks of wood placed across the trench. Large intervals based on the metric scale. Ten centimeters gum erasers are handy not only for erasing mistakes but is a common interval used. String is then tied to the also for removing dust and dirt that constantly and con- eyelets to form a grid screen within the structure. The sistently get on the graph paper. A twelve-inch ruler with length and width of the grid screen should be chosen in the English and metric scales is a tool which also should a size best suited for the intended job. De included in the profiler's basic kit. Another important ool is a metal tape measure which is used to measure Once the grid screen is properly set up, it provides the dimensions of whatever is being recorded and its dis- a very accurate measuring device; however, the grid tance from a reference point. A trowel is used to plane screen is difficult to set up properly. The screen is hung he trench or pit wall for easier profiling. Freshly cut from sawhorses placed across the trench or pit. In the walls show features and strata more clearly than walls case of the trench, the trench surface is usually rough which have dried out in the sun or have been mottled by and uneven. The grid screen and the sawhorses have to rain. For heavier cutting, a small profiling shovel with be moved each time a grid profile is finished. Time- a straight, flat blade is best. Ice picks or small, pointed consuming adjustments have to be made again and again

Arkansas Academy of Science Proceedings, Vol. XXIV, 1970 http://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol24/iss1/816 16