ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT THREE SITES NEAR ARLINGTON, STATE ROUTE 385 (PAUL BARRETT PARKWAY), SHELBY COUNTY, TENNESSEE Archaeological Testing at 40SY525 and 40SY526 and Archaeological Testing and Data Recovery at 40SY527 compiled by Guy G. Weaver authored by Guy G. Weaver C. Andrew Buchner Mitchell R. Childress Mary E. Starr with contributions by Andrea Shea ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING OFFICE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PUBLICATIONS IN ARCHAEOLOGY NO. 4 FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 1999 ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT THREE SITES NEAR ARLINGTON, STATE ROUTE 385 (PAUL BARRETT PARKWAY), SHELBY COUNTY, TENNESSEE Archaeological Testing at 40SY525 and 40SY526 and Archaeological Testing and Data Recovery at 40SY527 PREPARED FOR The Tennessee Department of Transportation J.K. Polk Building, Suite 900 Nashville, TN 37243 615/741-5257 IN COORDINATION WITH The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration UNDER TDOT Project Number 93-42-04-1230 Tennessee State Archaeological Permit Number 000132R BY GARROW & ASSOCIATES, INC. Memphis, TN 38103 SUBMITTED APRIL 1996 PUBLISHED MARCH 1999 Edited by: Guy G. Weaver Contributions by: Guy G. Weaver C. Andrew Buchner Mitchell R. Childress Mary E. Starr Andrea Shea TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING OFFICE PUBLICATIONS IN ARCHAEOLOGY NO. 4 STATE OF TENNESSEE POLICY OF NON-DISCRIMINATION Pursuant to the State of Tennessee’s policy of non-discrimination, the Tennessee Department of Transportation does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age or disability in employment nor in access to or participation in any of its activities, programs, or services. Civil rights inquires or complaints should be directed to the Tennessee Department of Transportation, Affirmative Action Director, Civil Rights Division, Suite 400, James K. Polk Building, Nashville, TN 37243-0327. Telephone: (615) 741-5996. Toll Free: 1 (800) 370-3647. Hearing impaired callers may use the Tennessee Relay Service: 1 (800) 848-0298. PROJECT FUNDING AND ADMINISTRATION Funding for this project and the publication of this report was provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. The TDOT administered the project contracts. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many individuals contributed to the successful completion of this project. We gratefully acknowledge the technical and logistical support of Mr. Gerald Kline and Ms. Caroline Albright, archaeologists with the Tennessee Department of Transportation, Environmental Planning Office, in Nashville. Mr. Ed Cain and other staff members at Parsons De Leuw were instrumental in seeing that a cooperative effort between all parties was a successful one. We also wish to thank the landowners, Dr. Harris, Ms. Hayes, and Mr. Fulmer, for their permission to examine their property in the proposed highway corridor. Evan Peacock, Zone Archaeologist for the Tombigbee Ranger District, Holly Springs National Forest, is thanked for providing literature concerning Tchula period sites in his area and for taking the time to visit the Fulmer site during the excavations. Robert Mainfort, Tennessee Division of Archaeology, deserves special thanks for providing unpublished technical manuscripts and advice on Early Woodland ceramics in west Tennessee. Gerald Smith and Charles McNutt, University of Memphis, are also appreciated for their help and support throughout the project. In addition, Sarge’s Backhoe and Equipment Company furnished heavy equipment and a skilled operator, Kevin Acklin. Andrea Shea tabulated the carbonized remains from the Fulmer site (Appendix B). Many Garrow & Associates personnel contributed to this report. Guy Weaver was Principal Investigator. Besides compiling and reviewing the report, Mr. Weaver is responsible for the reporting of the Fulmer site (40SY527) and contributions to the discussion section. Barbara Garrow was Project Manager. Mitch Childress contributed sections of the discussion, prepared many of the graphics, “ran the numbers,” and assisted for several days during Phase III fieldwork at 40SY527. Drew Buchner was Field Director and is primarily responsible for the reporting of 40SY525 and 40SY526. Mary E. Starr contributed to the ceramic analysis and discussion sections. Archaeological Field Technicians included Melissa Buchner, Michael Childress, Brian Collins, Angela Dobecka, Mike Horton, Charles H. McNutt Jr., Lee Mosley, José Oliver, Stella Parker, Mary E. Starr, and Charles Woods. Christopher Keoppel was Senior Field Technician. Laboratory processing and analysis were performed by Michael Childress, Brian Collins, Christopher Keoppel, Rodriguez McClay, Charles H. McNutt Jr., Stella Parker, and Louella Whitson Weaver. Flotation samples were processed by Michael Childress. The photographic plates were prepared by Candice Spearman; the final graphics were prepared by Vince Macek. Nancy Liebe helped in production of the draft report. The report was copyedited, formatted, and produced by Dan Dolensky. In 1998, Caroline Albright, under contract with Parsons Engineering Science, Inc., completed the final editing of the report for TDOT in its preparation for publication. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS..........................................................................................................................................iii LIST OF FIGURES...................................................................................................................................................vii LIST OF TABLES.......................................................................................................................................................x I. INTRODUCTION (BUCHNER, WEAVER, CHILDRESS).............................................................................................1 PROJECT LOCATION.................................................................................................................................................1 OUTLINE OF THE REPORT .......................................................................................................................................1 II. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING (CHILDRESS, BUCHNER, WEAVER) ....................................................................4 PHYSIOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY...........................................................................................................................4 SOILS............................................................................................................................................................................7 CLIMATE ...................................................................................................................................................................10 PALEOENVIRONMENT...........................................................................................................................................13 FLORA AND FAUNA................................................................................................................................................13 III. CULTURAL OVERVIEW (CHILDRESS, BUCHNER) ........................................................................................15 PALEOINDIAN PERIOD (CA. 11,500–9,900 B.P.) ...................................................................................................15 Fluted Point Occupations (ca. 11,500–10,500 B.P.) ...............................................................................................15 Dalton Period (ca. 10,500–9,900 B.P.) ...................................................................................................................16 ARCHAIC PERIOD (CA. 9,900–3,000 B.P.)..............................................................................................................17 Early Archaic (ca. 9,900–7,000 B.P.)......................................................................................................................18 Middle Archaic (ca. 7,000–5,000 B.P.)....................................................................................................................18 Late Archaic (ca. 5,000–3,000 B.P.)........................................................................................................................20 WOODLAND PERIOD (CA. 3,000–1,000 B.P.).........................................................................................................21 Early Woodland (ca. 3,000–2,000 B.P.) ..................................................................................................................21 Middle Woodland (ca. 2,000–1,500 B.P.)................................................................................................................21 Late Woodland (ca. 1,500–1,000 B.P.)....................................................................................................................22 MISSISSIPPIAN PERIOD (CA. A.D. 900–1600)........................................................................................................22 Early Mississippian (ca. A.D. 900–1200) ................................................................................................................23 Late Mississippian (ca. A.D. 1200–1600)................................................................................................................24 HISTORIC OCCUPATION ........................................................................................................................................24