LATE HOLOCENE SETTLEMENT IN THE TAYLOR BAYOU DRAINAGE BASIN: TEST EXCAVATIONS AT THE GAULDING SITE (41JF27), JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS by Lawrence E. Aten and Charles N. Bollich with contributions by Kenneth M. Brown and Richard W: Fullington Taylor Bayou Studies in Archeology 40 Texas Archeological Research Laboratory The University of Texas at Austin Special Publication No. 4 Texas Archeological Society 2002 LATE HOLOCENE SETTLEMENT IN THE TAYLOR BAYOU DRAINAGE BASIN: TEST EXCAVATIONS AT THE GAULDING SITE (41JF27), JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS Lawrence E. Aten and Charles N. Bollich with contributions by Kenneth M. Brown and Richard W. Fullington Studies in Archeology 40 Texas Archeological Research Laboratory The University of Texas at Austin Special Publication No. 4 Texas Archeological Society 2002 The University of Texas at Austin Texas Archeological Research Laboratory J.J. Pickle Research Campus 5 Austin, Texas 78712-1100 Printed 2002, on acid-free, 60-pound paper. ISBN 1-887072-40-3 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................................................................ vii LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................................................................. viii ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................................................................... ix ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ..................................................................................................................................................... x CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... t The Sabine Lake area landscape ................................................................................................................................... 3 Previous archeological work ......................................................................................................................................... 5 Research objectives ....................................................................................................................................................... 5 Area overview ........................................................................................................................................................ 5 Chronology ...................................................................................................................................................... 5 Site types/regional settlement pattern ............................................................................................................. 6 Geoarcheology/site formation ......................................................................................................................... 6 Paleoecology ................................................................................................................................................... 6 Subsistence and seasonal movements ................................................... : ......................................................... 7 Territoriality .................................................................................................................................................... 7 Technology ...................................................................................................................................................... 7 Mortuary practices .......................................................................................................................................... 7 The Gaulding site ............................................................................................................................................................ 7 Excavation procedures .................................................................................................................................................... 8 1965 Excavation ....................................................................................................................................................... 8 1974 Excavation ..................................................................................................................................................... 10 1995-96 Fieldwork .................................................................................................................................................. 10 CHAPTER 2: SITE FORMATION ................................................................................................................................. 13 Prehistoric geomorphic setting ................................................................. 13 Site Structure ............................................................................................................................................................... 17 Stratigraphy .......................................................................................................................................................... 18 Radiocarbon dates ................................................................................................................................................ 18 Stratigraphic analysis units ................................................................................................................................... 23 Thickness and depocenters ................................................................................................................................... 23 Archeological sediments ............................................................................................................................................. 25 Grain size analysis ................................................................................................................................................ 25 Composition ......................................................................................................................................................... 29 Formation processes .................................................................................................................................................... 35 Environmental processes ...................................................................................................................................... 36 Archeological processes ....................................................................................................................................... 37 CHAPTER 3: TECHNOLOGY ....................................................................................................................................... 39 Ceramics ...................................................................................................................................................................... 39 Typology ............................................................................................................................................................... 39 Paste and firing criteria ........................................................................................................................................ 39 Paste composition ......................................................................................................................................... 39 Paste texture .................................................................................................................................................. 40 Iron concretions ............................................................................................................................................ 40 Munsell color ................................................................................................................................................ 40 Oxidation pattern .......................................................................................................................................... 40 Surface treatment (interior/exterior) ..................................................................................................................... 40 Vessel form characteristics ................................................................................................................................... 40 Rim/lip form .................................................................................................................................................. 40 Body .............................................................................................................................................................. 40 Base form ...................................................................................................................................................... 41 iii Vessel repair ........................................................................................................................................................... 41 Design .............. ¯ ..... 41 Pottery descriptions ..................................................................................................................................................... 41 Tchefuncte Plain, vat: 7k’h@mcte .........................................................................................................................