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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
This newsletter marks the transition in editorship
from Philip Perazio to Renata Wolynec. I take this opportunity to
thank Philip for his hard work and attention to detail in compiling
and producing newsletters for the last five or so years (beginning
during the Kinsey administration). Renata will benefit from that
experience and I thank her for continuing the effort.
Let's review the year. I became president last spring
in a landslide election, after a short but arduous campaign. (Actually,
I ran unopposed.) Shortly thereafter, the newly elected Board and
I drafted a letter to send key politicians in Harrisburg regarding
Act 70. PAC members residing in Pennsylvania were sent copies of
the letter and were asked to send it, or a revised version of it,
to their state representatives. In addition, I contacted Chris Dore
(President of ACRA) and Lynne Sebastian (President of SAA) for institutional
support in our effort to repeal Act 70. ACRA and SAA sent letters
to the Governor, key representatives, and the PHMC on behalf of
PAC.
To date, the effort has had little effect as far as
I can tell. A few PAC members did receive more than form responses
from their representatives. The letter sent by Rick Geidel resulted
in a productive meeting with Representative Ron Miller. Representative
Jerry Nailor requested a response from the PHMC regarding PAC's
concerns about Act 70 and the inadequate funding for the Commonwealth
Archaeological Program (CAP). Representative Nailor received a letter
back from John Wesley (Interim Executive Director of the PHMC):
"It is incorrect that the Historical and Museum Commission is not
committing funds to this program. While we have had to set our priorities
on the number and complexity of excavations that we are able to
undertake annually, we have investigated several sites this year
that were determined particularly significant" (letter from Wesley
to Nailor dated January 24, 2003).
In any case, PAC formally requested from CAP progress
reports in their efforts to keep ahead of development. To date,
approximately 9,600 state permit requests were associated with about
344 archaeological sites listed in the Pennsylvania Archaeological
Site Survey (PASS) files. Of these sites, 263 were "resolved through
means other than site excavations," including: destroyed prior to
permit application, not located on property, located within a resource
protection area or green space. Out of the remaining 81 sites, 58
(71.6%) were addressed to the satisfaction of the CAP staff, with
reports completed, underway, or planned to be completed. One site
was partially addressed; due to time and resources constraints,
CAP personnel were unable to complete as much work as they would
have liked. Twenty-two (27.1%) significant sites are estimated to
have been lost without data recovery, owing to landowner access
denial (16) or lack of time (6). Despite John Wesley's implication
to the contrary, it's clear to me that a considerable number of
significant archaeological sites have not received adequate or any
attention due to lack of adequate resources.
In other news, public education has been continuing
under the lead of Valerie Perazio and Beverly Chiarulli. PAC sponsored
the archaeology essay contest again and issued awards for outstanding
essays. The awards ceremony was held in June 2003 at the State Museum.
A new batch of essays is currently under review for the 2003/2004
school year. Valerie Perazio attended the Pennsylvania Science Teachers
conference, which was held in Hershey this year. A number of requests
made by Pennsylvania schools for the PAC archaeology education trunks
were honored.
In celebration of Archaeology Month, PAC and PENNDOT
co-sponsored a table in the Capitol Rotunda on October 8, 2003.
At the Carnegie Museum, the position of Archaeology Collections
Manager has still not been reinstated. Their archaeological site
files may be accessed only through the Bureau for Historic Preservation
in Harrisburg. Researchers with an approved proposal will be allowed
access to the artifact collections.
Last May, I sent a letter to Governor Rendell recommending
that a professional archaeologist be appointed as a commissioner
to the PHMC. PAC's argument was that "it is crucial that at least
one of the Commissioners be a professional archaeologist who understands
the nature of impacts to significant archaeological resources …
in the face of federal undertakings and state-permitted development
activities." We proposed several candidates: Beverly Chiarulli,
Verna Cowin, Sarah Neusius, Dan Roberts, and Dean Snow. We received
a response from the Governor's office thanking us for our interest
and that our recommendations will be considered "at the appropriate
time."
As I complete my first year as president of PAC, I
would like to acknowledge a few people. Beverly Chiarulli, Dan Roberts,
and Sarah Neusius, in their unique ways, offered me advice on how
to get things accomplished without giving up my day job. The PAC
Board, for the most part, was responsive to numerous requests for
input on a range of issues important for Pennsylvania archaeology.
I thank Heather Wholey and Renata Wolynec for representing PAC as
a Consulting Party for highway projects.
Here's to another year of furthering the preservation
and stewardship of Pennsylvania's past.
Submitted by: Peter Siegel, PAC President
John Milner Associates, Inc. .
COOPERATION COLUMN
There were no submissions for this edition.
CURRENT RESEARCH
Obsidian Research
A colleague and I are embarking on a project to source
some of the obsidian artifacts found in New Jersey and adjacent states.
My co-author, Carolyn Dillian, was employed by the University of California,
Berkeley x-ray fluorescence lab for three years as a researcher and
is currently president of the International Association for Obsidian
Studies. Carolyn's Ph.D. dissertation centered on a unique source
of obsidian in northern California used as a sacred site.
Our aim is to not only categorize as many of the published
specimens from our area as possible but to also try to obtain obsidian
samples for study from archaeological sites in the Middle Atlantic
and Northeast that have not yet been reported. For a summary of research
to date in New Jersey see Bello and Cresson (1995, 1998).
Our project is open-ended and will grow as data comes
our way. So far, we plan to submit at least a half dozen specimens.
We feel that there are probably other samples of this unique lithic
material in collections, and their study is important. Anyone having
information on obsidian genuinely collected from prehistoric archaeological
contexts in the Middle Atlantic or the Northeast is invited to contact
us and participate. We will cover the costs of the analysis (see below).
The process is 100% non-destructive. We guarantee the
safety of all specimens entrusted to us. We promise a quick turn-around
time for research and analysis. Archaeological obsidian samples will
be analyzed in the x-ray fluorescence lab at the University of California,
Berkeley.
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is a non-destructive technique
that is used to determine the trace element composition of the obsidian.
It is one of the most commonly employed chemical characterization
methods utilized for obsidian artifacts. It is largely effective because
of the unique nature of obsidian's composition, in that trace element
proportions tend to vary between sources yet remain relatively homogenous
within single flow events. Trace elements are those elements present
in concentrations of less than 1%.
X-ray fluorescence provides the added benefit of accurate
chemical characterization assessments without requiring extensive
sample preparation. Objects can be placed whole inside the sample
chamber. They do not need to be cut, ground, powdered, or otherwise
damaged. Also, unlike Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA), artifacts
do not become radioactive. X-ray fluorescence is a completely non-destructive
technique, which is obviously ideal for archaeological specimens.
The XRF lab at Berkeley has successfully analyzed thousands
of artifacts, including pieces from museums, CRM projects, NAGPRA
collections, and private collections. In X-ray fluorescence, samples
are placed inside a sealed vacuum chamber and irradiated with a beam
of X-rays, similar to the kind used in dentist's and doctor's offices.
This irradiation displaces electrons from the inner orbitals, creating
vacant holes, which are filled by electrons from the outer orbitals.
When electrons from the outer orbitals move into the inner levels,
energy is emitted in the form of a secondary x-ray photon. The fluorescence
caused by the emitted photon is distinctive for each element, creating
an energy spectrum that reveals the elemental composition of the obsidian
sample.
For more information, please check out http://obsidian.pahma.berkeley.edu/anlysis.htm.
To learn more about obsidian and obsidian analyses, check out http://www.peak.org/obsidian.
Our first sample (from the Lower Delaware Valley) is
being submitted to the Berkeley lab next week. We will issue a brief
synopsis of the results via these list serves. Please spread the word
and start looking for shiny black /gray lithics with translucent edges
in your collections! Contact: Charles A. Bello, M.A., RPA, 19 Ledge
Lane, Pipersville, PA 18947, 610-294-8260, hop@epix.net.
References Cited
Bello, Charles A., and Jack Cresson
1994 A Fluted Point from Island Beach State Park. Bulletin of the
Archaeological Society of New Jersey 50:53-56.
1998 An Obsidian Biface from the Lower Delaware Valley.
Bulletin of the Archaeological Society of New Jersey 53:127-128.
Submitted by: Charles A. Bello CRCG
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PUBLIC EDUCATION
See Committee Reports.
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COMMITTEE REPORTS
Membership and Ethics Committee Report
In 2003, five applications were received for membership
in the Pennsylvania Archaeological Council (PAC). These ranged the
spectrum from prominent highly experienced applicants to those just
beginning their professional careers. Four of the five applicants
were approved for PAC membership. The denied applicant did not exhibit
the required background as stated in PAC's membership guidelines.
It was recommended that this applicant first become a member of
the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology (SPA) to gain more experience.
I want to thank the other members of the Membership
and Ethics Committee, Shaune Skinner and Lori Frye, as well as members
of the Executive Board for expediting the membership applications.
If you are a PAC member, please canvass your colleagues
and have them submit their applications to the organization. We
look forward to new members in the year ahead!
Inquiries regarding membership in PAC should be made
to:
Ben Resnick
Group Manager, Cultural Resources
GAI Consultants, Inc.
570 Beatty Road
Monroeville, PA 15146
(412) 856-9220, ext. 1391
FAX: (412) 372-2161
b.resnick@gaiconsultants.com
www.gaiconsultants.com
Submitted by: Ben Resnick, Vice President and Chair,
Membership and Ethics Committee
GAI Consultants, Inc.
***
Project Archaeology: Pennsylvania
In 2002, Local History Project Support grant ME #230361
from the PHMC was awarded to PAC for the development and production
of a Pennsylvania and national education standards based curriculum
for students and teachers focused on Pennsylvania archaeology. The
project was completed in October 2003 as Project Archaeology: Pennsylvania,
An Educational Standards Based Curriculum for Grades Four Through
Eight.
The curriculum materials include a student reader,
a separate lesson plan guide for teachers which is tied to specific
standards, and a CD with all of the materials. In keeping with the
educational goals of the time, these curriculum materials address
several needs.
First, they were designed to facilitate reading comprehension.
Second, they address powerful ideas, abilities, and issues that
are identified by the state and national education standards. The
curriculum addresses four themes in 16 lesson plans and 13 student
readings. Section one addresses basic concepts such as archaeological
methods, skills, and research. Section two addresses Pennsylvania
before the coming of Europeans (knowledge, attitudes, and values).
Section three compares similarities and differences among cultures.
The fourth theme, stewardship of the past, permeates all sections.
The production staff consisted of PAC archaeologists,
educators, and an illustrator. The project was directed by Renata
B. Wolynec. Daniel Shelley, a curriculum development specialist
from Robert Morris University, identified the education standards
to be addressed, suggested possible topics for the lessons, and
developed a format for the lesson plans. Members of the writing
team included Renata Wolynec, Ellen Bedell, Sarah Neusius, Joseph
Baker, and Beverly Chiarulli. Teachers William J. White and Christopher
A. Triola, of Parker Middle School in Edinboro, PA, reviewed the
materials. Illustrations and final assembly of the materials were
in the capable hands of photo and computer artist Bernard Werner.
The materials will be made available to teachers who
participate in a Project Archaeology Workshop. PAC is currently
the Pennsylvania sponsor for these workshops. As project director,
I would like to gratefully acknowledge everyone who contributed
to the creation of this teaching and learning tool. Thank you all
so very much!
Submitted by: Renata B. Wolynec, Project Archaeology
State Coordinator
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
***
New PAC Public Outreach Initiative
In partnership with the PHMC, Bureau for Historic
Preservation (BHP), PAC is starting a new initiative to present
information to local agencies, authorities, and interest groups
on the Commonwealth's archaeological heritage. These groups either
receive state or federal grants for activities that may affect archaeological
sites or are themselves land owning or land developing agencies.
The BHP has awarded PAC a $6,000 grant for 2004 to
identify and present programs or displays, or write newsletter articles
to at least six of these organizations. Our preliminary research
has found that many of the statewide planning or municipal organizations
hold annual statewide conferences which include presentations on
various environmental issues, exhibitor or vendor booths, or have
newsletters or magazines which disseminate information to the organization's
membership. PAC plans to use the PAC/SPA display to provide information
on the importance of archaeological resources in these venues, similar
to the outreach effort we have made with state teachers' organizations.
Beverly Chiarulli, Diane Landers, and Doug McDonald have so far
volunteered to spearhead this effort. If you are interested in participating,
contact Beverly at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (bevc@iup.edu).
Submitted by: Beverly Chiarulli
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
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CONSULTATION ACTIVITIES
Consulting Party Report Sumneytown Pike/PA 309
Connector Project
On December 2, 2003 Heather Wholey attended the Section 106 Consulting
Party Meeting for the S.R. 1058, Section HAT, Sumneytown Pike/PA 309
Connector Project at the Towamencin Township Building as PAC representative.
At this meeting Joe Capella, PENNDOT District 6 project manager, provided
a brief overview of the potential impacts of the proposed improvements.
Jennifer Holl, a preservation specialist with McCormick, Taylor and
Associates, Inc., outlined the eight historic properties considered
eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
The following is a list of those properties, the criteria for eligibility,
and the recommendations given and concurred upon by the PHMC:
Property: George Heckler/Patricia Linton House
Criteria C
Recommendations: no effect
Property: Mainland Inn
Criteria A & C
Recommendations: no adverse effect
Propert:y Abraham Stover House
Criteria C
Recommendations: no adverse effect
Property: Towamencin Mennonite Church
Criteria C
Recommendations: no adverse effect
Property: Samuel F. Kriebel House
Criteria A & C
Recommendations: no adverse effect
Property: Nelson Souder House
Criteria A & C
Recommendations: no adverse effect
Property: Jacob Reed Homestead
Criteria B & C
Recommendations: no effect
Property: North Pennsylvania Railroad
Criteria A & C
Recommendations: no adverse effect
Richard Baublitz, senior archaeologist for McCormick, Taylor and
Associates, Inc., discussed the four historic and five prehistoric
archaeological sites (locus one through nine) encountered during subsurface
testing. Brief descriptions and recommendations for these sites are
as follows:
Site: Locus 1
Description: non-diagnostic prehistoric
Recommendation: not eligible
PHMC Findings: concurrence
Site: Locus 2
Description: Middle Woodland
Recommendation: eligible
PHMC Findings: concurrence
Site: Locus 3
Description: non-diagnostic prehistoric
Recommendation: not eligible
PHMC Findings: concurrence
Site: Locus 4
Description: foundation - saddle shop
Recommendation: not eligible
PHMC Findings: concurrence (disturbed by PECO line)
Site: Locus 5
Description: non-diagnostic prehistoric
Recommendation: not eligible
PHMC Findings: further testing
Site: Locus 6
Description: 19th century foundation-outbuilding
Recommendation: not eligible
PHMC Findings: further research
Site: Locus 7
Description: non-diagnostic prehistoric
Recommendation: not eligible
PHMC Findings: concurrence
Site: Locus 8
Description: 19th century
Recommendation: not eligible
PHMC Findings: further documentation (ironstone, redware, whiteware,
and bottle glass)
Site: Locus 9
19th-20th century
Recommendation: not eligible
PHMC Findings: further documentation
The additional testing already undertaken at Locus 5 and the additional
documentation that will be provided for Loci 6, 8, and 9 are expected
to support the original recommendation that these sites are not eligible
for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. The FHWA
has found, and the PHMC concurs, that Locus 2 is eligible for listing
on the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion D, and
that since Locus 2 cannot be avoided during the course of improvements,
mitigation of the adverse effect through data recovery is necessary.
Submitted by: Heather Wholey
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
***
Consulting Party Report US 219 Meyersdale to I-68
On August 21, 2003, Renata B. Wolynec attended the Cultural Resource
Consulting Party meeting for the US 219 Meyersdale to I-68 project,
at the Salisbury Borough Building in Salisbury, PA. The purpose of
the meeting was to "introduce the consulting parties to the project
and explain their role in the process." Final meeting minutes (October
7, 2003) were prepared by Deborah H. Hoover, Project Coordinator for
McCormick, Taylor and Associates, Inc. The following is Renata Wolynec's
interpretation of these minutes and is not to be construed as a formal
project document.
In order to facilitate maximum attendance, two meeting times were
available (12:30 PM and 6:00 PM). Wolynec attended the 6:00 PM meeting
on behalf of PAC. Organizations represented at one or both meetings
included PAC; Western Maryland Chapter ASM; Maryland National Road
Association; Westsylvania Heritage Corporation; Salisbury Boro; SPA;
Historical and Genealogical Society of Somerset County; Garrett County
Commission; Elk-Lick Township; Garrett County Planning; PENNDOT; Heberling
Associates, Inc.; and McCormick, Taylor and Associates, Inc.
Attendees at both meetings were given a project overview by Deborah
Hoover, Project Coordinator for McCormick, Taylor and Associates,
Inc. To date, information collected from secondary sources and some
field verification has been mapped and project corridors located in
order to avoid cultural resources as much as possible. Alternatives
to these corridors will be developed as well.
An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is scheduled for completion
in the summer of 2004, with a formal public hearing to follow. Either
through the EIS or a Final EIS, PENNDOT will recommend an alternative
to FHWA. If agreement is reached, FHWA will issue a Record of Decision,
thereby allowing the final design to begin (mid-year 2005). Construction
would then begin as early as 2008.
Paul Raber, of Heberling Associates, Inc., provided background information
about the Section 106 process and work accomplished to date. As the
first step, cultural resources were identified by reviewing archaeological
and historic site files in Pennsylvania and Maryland. These are summarized
in a Preliminary Reconnaissance Report. Phase 1 archaeological survey
will be undertaken in spring, 2004, followed by a Historic Structures
Survey and Determination of Eligibility Report to be completed by
the end of October. Paul Raber explained that the project corridors
were designed to keep away from obvious large and complex prehistoric
sites along the Casselman River.
Paul Raber also reported that he and his team are in the process
of preparing a detailed Predictive Model based on GIS data. When asked
about the reliability of the data, he explained that every effort
was made to minimize biases and that subsurface testing will be conducted.
More intensive subsurface testing will be undertaken as the number
of alternatives is reduced.
Bill Hunter, Heberling Associates, Inc., provided an overview of
the historic structures work. He and his team identified a number
of noteworthy resources in Maryland including Little Meadows and Tomlinson
Inn, traces of Braddock's Road, Maust Barn, and Mason/Dixon line markers.
In Pennsylvania, they identified individual farms, the Alverno Friary,
old log barns, and two intact farms.
Thoughout both meetings, attendees were given many opportunities
to ask questions and request clarifications. They requested basic
information about how the archaeology is to be done, how the structures
information was gathered, and how a reliable predictive model will
be developed and tested. Concerns were voiced about the lack of availability
of specific site information and reports to the consulting parties.
Paul Raber explained "there is a concern with the sensitive information
contained within those reports and how to monitor who is able to review
that information." He further explained that there is an effort underway
to create a report which will synthesize the information. Attendees
suggested that an interpreter/educator be part of the project team,
an overlook be constructed at the interchange near Little Meadows,
the bottomland at Little Meadows be avoided as much as possible, and
a Welcome Center be constructed in Pennsylvania.
For a complete copy of the Memorandum of Meeting, please contact
Renata Wolynec at wolynec@edinboro.edu.
References Cited
Hoover, Deborah H.
2003 Memorandum of Meeting: US 219 Meyersdale to I-68 Consulting Party
Meeting. Prepared by McCormick, Taylor and Associates, Inc.
Submitted by: Renata B. Wolynec
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
***
PENNDOT/FHWA Tribal Consultation Activities
PENNDOT and the Pennsylvania Division, FHWA are continuing to fulfill
their tribal consultation obligations as specified in the Section
106 and NEPA regulations. A total of fifteen (15) federally recognized
tribes have been identified as having historic ties to the state.
Each of the tribes has been contacted and initial guidance on the
process of tribal consultation has been prepared by PENNDOT for its
Qualified Professionals.
PENNDOT and Pennsylvania FHWA sponsored the first Pennsylvania Intertribal
Summit held in Harrisburg in September 2003. Over fifty transportation
and historic preservation staff, tribal members, and others attended
the successful event. The goal of the summit was to introduce people
on both sides of consultation to each other, and to begin the long
process of mutual education. Both transportation staff and tribal
members felt the summit was a great step toward effective and respectful
consultation; a second summit is being planned.
Future projects are underway at PENNDOT and Pennsylvania FHWA aimed
at furthering communication between transportation staff and tribal
cultural resource contacts, as well as education for all involved.
For more information on tribal consultation in Pennsylvania, including
a report on the 2003 Intertribal Summit, be sure to visit www.penndotcrm.org.
Submitted by: Ira Beckerman
PENNDOT
***
Please forward comments regarding the 2003 Intertribal Summit Report
to josebaker@state.pa.us
or Karyn.vandervoort@fhwa.dot.gov.
THE COMMONWEALTH'S ARCHAEOLOGY PROGRAM ACTIVITIES
The Bureau for Historic Preservation (BHP) would like to report highlights
of three of the more significant projects that have been conducted
over the past year by The Commonwealth's Archaeology Program (CAP).
SPA members will probably recognize the following as an updated version
of two summaries published sequentially in their last two newsletters.
The four projects featured here were undertaken from early May through
late November of 2003, using CAP and other BHP staff, interns, and
volunteers. During December through February, artifacts and ecofacts
from the projects were processed, with some preliminary analyses undertaken.
These sites and others were featured in an exhibit at the Pennsylvania
Farm Show in January of this year. The following summary focuses on
this year's Farm Show, the King's Quarry Site, highlights of the Union
County storm water management project, and ongoing progress at a Late
Woodland village in Lancaster County.
Annual PA Farm Show
Every year, the PHMC's Bureau for Historic Preservation (BHP) makes
a strong showing at the Farm Show, and captures the attention of thousands
of visitors who attend the largest indoor agricultural event in the
United States. This year, the BHP and the Bureau for Historic Sites
and Museums merged resources and put together a larger and more comprehensive
presentation.
The equivalent of ten booth spaces housed exhibits, demonstrations,
and PHMC literature and information brochures. The booth was tended
by PHMC staff with expertise in archaeology, history, historic preservation,
architecture, architectural history, planning, and historic preservation
grants. In addition, rotating demonstrations of traditional crafts,
both European and Native American, were featured every hour by staff
of the PHMC's Landis Valley Museum and by Mr. Robert Winters, whose
specialty is primitive technology.
Over the last several years, Robert Winters has contracted with BHP
to stage living history demonstrations and to bring his expertise
and craft to help out with public events and educational programs.
During this year's Farm Show demonstrations, Bob held forth on prehistoric
technology and constructed stone tools by hand. He never failed to
simultaneously entertain and educate the interested children and adults
who stopped by to watch him work in the booth. The PHMC would like
to take this opportunity to thank the Pennsylvania Archaeological
Council and the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology for very generously
providing support to bring Bob to this year's Farm Show.
The King's Quarry Site, 36LH2
Lehigh County
During the late spring of 2003, CAP conducted surface collections
and mechanical excavations of the King's Quarry Site in Lehigh County.
This site is a key contributing element of the Hardyston Jasper Prehistoric
District (Anthony and Roberts 1988) and is one of only six remaining
jasper quarries in the Reading Prong physiographic province of eastern
Pennsylvania. The site was reported in the fourth quarter of the 19th
century by Henry Mercer (1894) and was later recorded with the PHMC
by Richard Jordan of Bryn Mawr. Later, in the 1990s, the site was
mapped and sampled for artifacts by James Hatch, who presented his
findings from this and other Reading Prong jasper quarries in a document
submitted to PHMC (Hatch 1993). Unfortunately, there appears to be
no hope that the site will be completely avoided and preserved, and
it is slated to become part of a residential development in the very
near future.
The site is dated from diagnostic artifacts identified by both Hatch
and CAP. C-14 dates from the latter excavations are pending. The site
appears to have been used from Paleoindian through Late Woodland periods.
Although the site is a quarry, CAP's investigations recovered a small
number of flake tools suggesting hunting, butchering, and other processing
activities in addition to the expected quarrying and workshop-related
materials.
The structure of the site appears to be that of a focused open-pit
quarrying location encircled by workshop areas. As many as 22 quarry
pits, previously mapped by Hatch, are present in the wooded core of
the site, and a much larger pit was identified in an adjoining open
field during the present project. CAP concentrated on controlled surface
collections of the field, backhoe trenching through a series of overlapping
quarry pits in the wooded area, and mechanically excavating a much
larger step-trench in the massive back-filled crater in the adjoining
open field.
Within the field next to the wooded quarry-pit area, and adjacent
to the larger unforested crater, was a small topographic rise that
measured 50 by 80 feet. This area, which was extremely dense in lithic
materials, produced an unfinished though nearly completed Clovis point,
a unifacial endscraper, and a sidescraper made on a large blade-like
flake. The scrapers show an unmistakable Paleoindian signature, and
several other trimmed flakes found nearby may or may not be part of
this component.
After the open field was re-plowed and rain-washed, the area where
these particular surface finds had been recovered was then gridded
into 10-foot squares and collected entirely. Although another potentially
early endscraper was found during these efforts, the deposit also
proved to contain Late Archaic to Transitional artifacts and could
not be seen as a pure context. Re-opening of small backhoe trenches,
which had been dug by project engineers during soil tests, indicated
that this particular part of the site contained a shallow plow zone
over sterile subsoil. This is a remarkable circumstance, since this
area lies immediately adjacent to a massive back-filled quarry pit.
Following this initial collection, the remainder of the newly plowed
field was divided into 10-foot squares within micro-topographic zones,
and a stratified 5 % random sample of the remainder of the plowed
area was obtained. Field observations at that time indicated what
appeared to be spatial differences in types of debitage, and differences
in the quality and coloration of materials across the greater plowed
area.
After these collections were completed, a step trench was dug with
a track hoe. The excavated area was dug though residuum, revealing
that prehistoric quarrying operations had extended as far as 23 feet
into the ground in order to quarry the loose jasper nodules and boulders.
Such evidence, of excessively deep quarrying, echoes Henry Mercer's
finds at nearby Macungie where test excavations revealed over 18 feet
of soil that was presumably disturbed through open-pit prehistoric
quarrying.
In some areas of the King's Quarry step trench, layers of primary
production debris capped old backdirt that would have been piled along
the edges of, or even inside, the quarry pits. In addition, junctions
of pit edges and the natural residual soils typically contained debitage.
In a few areas, charcoal was found associated with debitage and/or
burned jasper chunks. When these deposits were identified, carbon
samples were retained from them. Several samples from this set were
selected for C-14 dating and submitted to the radiocarbon labs at
the University of Arizona. We are still waiting for the lab to present
us with their results.
Besides the extent of the prehistoric quarrying, another eye-opening
aspect of the study is the variety of jasper present at King's Quarry.
Indeed, the natural lithic variation at this quarry appears to far
surpass that of other related sources such as those found at nearby
Macungie and Vera Cruz. Although King's Quarry contains a notable
amount of the typical opaque brown to yellow jasper, there are other
vivid colors (e.g., black, gray, blue, green, or variously banded
or otherwise variegated) as well as varying textures and lusters.
Some of the translucent material is typical chalcedony, and some
of the dark opaque materials would usually be classified as various
chert or flints. Indeed, there are relatively common examples where
a single specimen of rock contains a thick solid mass of black chert/flint
on one face and a mass of typical yellowish brown jasper on the opposing
side.
Certainly, the variety found at this site has implications for sourcing
studies and identifications of "exotic" materials in local assemblages.
In addition, the extreme range of variation from this one source further
frustrates attempts to confidently define materials through casual
visual examination only. The black chert could be mistaken for materials
from Ridge and Valley carbonate formations, while the green could
be mistaken for a number of other non-local sources.
Due to the quality of the material, and because of the striking variety
and beauty of the stone colors at this source, the archaeological
site has long been collected from by mineral collectors and amateur
lapidary workers, as well as by artifact collectors seeking points
and tools. Consequently, not only have diagnostic artifacts been removed,
but non-artifactual raw material specimens, as well as many workshop
pieces such as cores, chunks, large flakes and the like, have also
been removed over the years. However, the CAP collection from the
site is massive and includes thousands of specimens. In addition,
a gem collector, who has visited the site for many years, has very
generously allowed CAP archaeologists to borrow and examine his collection.
The excavations at this site, along with reviews of previous research,
have demonstrated that the Reading Prong quarries are more complex
than they initially appear. Hatch (1993) proposed a three-stage process
for the evolution of the Reading Prong quarries, and these three stages
were represented by three corresponding classes of quarries.
Class I quarries consist of working only the surface material. Primary
and final flakes would be found all over the site. Essentially, the
miners would completely work nodules wherever they were found and,
as a result, all types of debitage would be found across the site.
Class II quarries would involve digging shallow pits. This category
would begin to develop distinctive activity areas that separated the
early stage quarry material from the later stage workshop areas. Based
on his surface sampling of King's quarry, Hatch believed that this
site was a Class II quarry.
Class III quarries involved the digging of very deep pits through
previous backdirt which created filled, nested, and intersecting craters.
His example of a class III quarry was the Vera Cruz site where he
documented pits that were over 10 feet deep. Based on the waste material
from these quarries, it appeared that a considerable amount of time
was spent examining and testing, and throwing away the inferior material.
Obviously, each class of quarry would involve an increasing amount
of work.
The results of our testing indicate that King's Quarry fits with
the Class III type rather than Class II. Moreover, we would also suggest
that we are seeing what could be classified as a fourth stage involving
the re-mining of the backfill areas to salvage pieces that the earlier
miners considered too inferior and/or too small for their purposes.
We are assuming that Paleoindian peoples created Class I quarries
and essentially mined jasper from near-surface deposits at King's
Quarry. Although their mining activity was obliterated by subsequent
Archaic mining, a small group of artifacts from the earliest activity
on the site was remarkably preserved, having barely missed being dug
through and redeposited by later quarrying operations.
Throughout the Archaic period, prehistoric miners began to create
Stage II quarries by digging ever-deeper quarry pits. We assume, from
previous research and from some evidence at the site, that the Transitional
period and the production of broadspears was the most intensive use
of jasper, and that the deepest quarry pits date to this period. After
Transitional times, the pits were backfilled by both natural and cultural
processes.
The set of depressions and pits in the wooded area's surface probably
represents Woodland re-mining of soils disturbed by earlier quarrying.
The material in this backfill area is generally small (fist-sized)
but more than sufficient for Late Woodland expedient tool technologies.
This sequence will be confirmed or adjusted once the C-14 dates have
been received.
Unfortunately, time and budget constraints prevented CAP from looking
at a section of the site that sits next to a swampy stream that lies
north of the actual quarry. Due to proximity to that stream, it is
proposed that there are probably larger numbers of camping episodes
showing non-quarry activities there than elsewhere on the site.
36UN10
Union County
The Union County Industrial Development Corporation
(IDC) is proposing to create large wetlands at the back (west) edge
of a floodplain on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River near Allenwood.
The purpose of this wetland is to filter storm water from an Industrial
Park that is being built in the adjacent uplands. An area adjacent
to previously recorded Site 36UN10 is slated for wetlands creation
for the storm water management facility, and this site was the primary
focus of investigation by CAP. At this site, CAP conducted controlled
surface collections, backhoe trenching, assessment by geomorphologist
Frank Vento, and limited excavation to examine artifacts, stratigraphy,
and features incidentally revealed by one of the stratigraphic test
trenches.
Another controlled surface collection was made on nearby
site 36UN36, dating from Middle Archaic through Late Woodland periods.
This latter site is located shortly downstream from 36UN10, but is
situated on a higher and older landform. At the time that the work
was undertaken, plans for any construction near this site were not
pressing. However, more recently, the area adjacent to the site has
been slated to be used as an accompanying element of the same storm
water management facility of which 36UN10 is a part.
Site 36UN10 is located on the natural levee of a high
floodplain that correlates with Vento's "Valley Heads Terrace" level
(Vento et al. 1989). Excavation of one of the trenches opened for
geomorphological investigation at the extreme north end of the site
revealed a surprisingly rich stratified subsurface deposit that appeared
to extend from Late Archaic through Transitional periods into the
Early Woodland period. Upon making these findings in this one trench,
the locations of the remaining strata cuts were moved away from this
location and continued elsewhere with no similar finds made in them.
Notable findings in the aborted strata cut include a
concentration of wood charcoal in association with a small cache of
chalcedony blades, a rhyolite side-notched projectile point, a two-hole
gorget of slate-like material, and an unusual faceted sphere of graphite.
A soapstone sherd may or may not have been an intentional part of
the cache. Carbon collected for analysis should enable adequate C-14
dating by conventional means, and we hope to have the results of this
analysis in the very near future. Recently,
Dr. Robert Smith, of the Pennsylvania Geologic and Topographic
Survey Division of DCNR, examined artifacts from 36UN10 and concluded
that these objects were likely derived from a number of disparate
sources. The chalcedony may have been obtained from the Hardyston
Formation which is located in the Reading Prong, many miles east of
the site area. The rhyolite is probably not from the Caledonia area
quarries of Adams County. Its source is undetermined. The slatey material
is probably local. The soapstone is likely from areas of known quarries
in southern Pennsylvania. The graphite is probably not from Pennsylvania,
and would require testing to attempt to narrow it down to either an
area of Maryland or, alternatively, eastern Canada.
In addition to these findings, a large shallow basin
was present at a slightly lower stratigraphic position. This too proved
unusual and unanticipated. Excavation of this feature revealed a thin
discontinuous sheet of charred wood lying across the bottom and extending
up the sides of the feature. Upon excavation of the overlying fill,
it eventually became obvious that this mat of carbon was more than
likely a lining in the pit. A large portion of this sheet was taken
out in block and will be examined further in the lab. The remainder
was recovered for flotation, wood identification, and C-14 dating.
Contents of the pit included two typical Lamoka projectile points
of chert and a less distinctive stemmed point of argillite or siltstone.
(Earlier excavations at 36UN82, about a mile downstream were undertaken
by Louis Berger and Associates (Wall 2000). Here, in sealed context,
was a pure Lamoka component that contained various hearths, including
pit features.)
The removal of a portion of the 36UN10 pit lining en
masse allowed us to experiment with a relatively new chemical used
in conservation of archaeological specimens. Cyclododecan, a solid
until heated, is applied in liquid form to the object. It hardens
rapidly and, under ideal conditions, the artifact becomes rigid enough
to be removed without being damaged. After the chemically treated
artifact sits for several weeks, the chemical substance begins to
"sublimate": that is, it gradually breaks down. Eventually, the material
has disappeared entirely, leaving the artifact in the same condition
as it was before the treatment. Possibly, the object is a strip of
charred wood cambium used to insulate the pit.
A plan was devised to ensure that the archaeological
resources of sites 36UN10 and 36UN36 would not be adversely affected.
To this end, IDC's surveyors mapped the site boundaries of both 36UN10
and 36UN36 in order to leave the sites in place and to avoid them
during wetlands creation.
Wetlands will be created in areas of floodchute and
old terrace that was archaeologically surveyed adjacent to the site
area. Eventually, however, at least one outfall pipe will have to
be run from the 36UN10 wetlands across the levee in order to drain
off the filtered storm water. The current proposal runs this pipe
along the alignment of a series of filled backhoe test trenches used
to assess stratigraphy from the levee to the back of the floodplain
on the opposite (south) end of the site from the trench where the
artifact and feature concentration was found.
36LA1100
Lancaster County
In the summer of 2002, CAP began investigations at the
Stabler Tract, the location of a proposed residential development
in Lancaster County near Millersville. The project, as currently planned,
will impact the Quaker Hills Quarry Site (36LA1100), a Shenks Ferry
village which may date to the mid 1400's, although it may be younger.
Secluded in an upland saddle above Conestoga Creek, the village is
contained within an area of approximately four acres. An arrangement
was made with the owners/developers to extend the time limits past
those imposed by the State History Code.
First, the site was re-plowed and disked, and over 1,500
three-meter squares were surface-collected. Artifacts included "Funk
Phase"-Shenks Ferry sherds, small triangular projectile points, and
quartz cores and debitage. Following the collection, plowed topsoil
was mechanically stripped in narrow trenches, and the village outlines
began to emerge. The plan of what has been revealed to date shows
that the site is surrounded by a circular or oval palisade, with features
and signs of domestic structures lying on what appear to be orderly
placements inside of the palisade's walls.
Excavations on the site were re-opened in September
of 2003. They continued until inclement weather began in earnest during
November. During this time, additional hearths, pits, and post molds
were defined, and additional sections of the palisade were revealed.
This palisade appears to have been plowed away in more eroded areas,
but has a very strong presence on the west side of the site where,
in some places, the post mold pattern is double-rowed. At this point,
we have not yet been able to determine whether or not this discontinuous
double post mold line is a result of rebuilding, repair, or the like.
In addition to several more strip trenches that were
cleared this season, a moderate-sized block excavation was opened
on the western side of the site where preservation of features appeared
greatest. Here, the entire area was carefully cleaned and mapped.
Several features were either tested or excavated completely.
Feature 3, a large refuse-filled pit measuring 2.5 meters
by 1.5 meters in plan and 40 centimeters in depth, was the most productive
of the excavated features. This pit was located just outside of the
western edge of the palisade, and may have begun as a borrow pit or
some other facility before it became a receptacle for hearth sweepings
and other village refuse. Since the pit was strewn with pottery and
fragile organic remains, excavation proceeded slowly, using bamboo
tools as well as trowels and brushes.
Contents included lithic debitage; triangular arrow
points; deer, bird, and other animal bone refuse; shellfish remains;
and potsherds representing a minimum of nine Funk Incised vessels.
Of special note, though not unexpected, were the charred remains of
both corn and beans. In addition, a good sample of charcoal was obtained
for radiocarbon dating and wood identification. The vast majority
of the excavated soil was floated rather than dry-screened. This method
allowed for the recovery of small pottery fragments, chunks of prepared
pottery temper, microdebitage, shell beads, floral remains, and delicate
faunal remains such as fish bones.
Organic preservation is very good in pits, and even
in midden-filled natural disturbances on the site. In addition to
abundant food refuse bone, some of which shows clear butchering marks,
there are objects such as antler tine projectile points and pieces
of other implements made from animal bone. At present, however, we
are still processing and examining our inventory of recovered materials,
and our accounting of the types and quantities of the different artifact
classes is preliminary.
The harsh wet weather that characterized much of late
2003 was a major hindrance to progress on the site, and conditions
eventually necessitated shutting down the site for the winter and
weatherproofing it. As soon as the weather stabilizes, we will return
to this site, remove the protective covering, and resume excavations
using SPA volunteers, limited numbers of office staff, and two interns
(during the summer months).
References Cited
Anthony, David W., and Daniel G. Roberts
1988 Stone Quarries and Human Occupations in the Hardyston Jasper
Prehistoric District of Eastern Pennsylvania. Submitted to U.S. Department
of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, and Pennsylvania
Department of Transportation Engineering District 5-0.
Hatch, James W.
1993 Research into the Prehistoric Quarries of Bucks, Lehigh and Berks
Counties, Pennsylvania. Submitted to the Pennsylvania Historical and
Museum Commission, Harrisburg.
Mercer, Henry C.
1894 Indian Jasper Mines in the Lehigh Hills. American Anthropologist
24(1): 20-21.
Vento, Frank, Harold B. Rollins, R. Michael Stewart, Paul Raber,
and William Johnson
1989 Genetic Stratigraphy, Paleosol Development and the Burial of
Archaeological Sites. In The Susquehanna, Delaware, and Upper Ohio
Drainage Basins, Pennsylvania. Submitted to Pennsylvania Historical
and Museum Commission, Harrisburg.
Wall, Robert
2000 A Buried Lamoka Occupation in Stratified Contexts, West Branch
Valley of the Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Archaeologist
70(1): 1-44.
Submitted by: Doug McLearen
Bureau for Historic Preservation, PHMC
REMEMBERING
OUR COLLEAGUES
Ronald A. Thomas
Ronald A. Thomas, age 63 of Wilmington, DE died peacefully at Christiana
Hospital on January 19, 2004.
Ron was the founder and president of MAAR Associates, Inc., Newark,
DE (an archaeological consulting firm) for over 25 years. Before starting
his own business in 1976, he was with the Delaware Division of Historical
and Cultural Affairs. He served as the first State Archaeologist from
1965-1976. While in this position, he established a state wide research
program, developed an archaeological compliance process for the State
of Delaware, and designed and operated the Island Field Archaeological
Museum and Research Center, which was built around a Native American
burial ground.
Previously, he was an instructor at the University of Pittsburgh
and was an assistant adjunct professor at the University of Delaware,
Department of Anthropology.
Ron was very active in the Archaeological Society of Delaware and
served as its newsletter editor for many years. As a member of the
Delaware State Review Board for the National Register of Historic
Places and the Historic Preservation Grants Selection Committee for
the State of Delaware until 1994, he participated directly in national
and state preservation efforts. His efforts included not only archaeological
resources but also standing historic structures and historical districts.
As a member of the Grants Selection Committee, he dealt with grant
proposals for funding by the National Historic Preservation Program
by numerous governmental and private survey and development organizations.
He was a charter member of the Middle Atlantic Archaeological Conference,
past president of the Delaware Academy of Science, and was currently
chair of the Unmarked Human Burials Committee for the State of Delaware.
Ron was widely published on the prehistoric and historic archaeology
of the Middle Atlantic area and acquired a national reputation for
his contributions in the field.
He received his undergraduate degree from Penn State University and
his Master's degree from the University of Arkansas. He also took
graduate courses at the University of Pittsburgh and Temple University.
He was an avid supporter of public involvement in archaeology. Throughout
his career, he sought to foster understanding and cooperation between
the professional community and the many groups interested in preservation
and archaeology.
In addition to his family, he leaves behind hundreds of colleagues
and coworkers whose lives he touched during his 40-year career.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary-Joan Thomas who died in
1997. He is survived by his daughter, Jessica L. Billy and her husband,
Stephan; and his son, Christopher B. Thomas and his wife, Beth. He
has 6 grandchildren: Joshua, Dylan, and Christina Billy; and Teagan,
Megan, and Kira Thomas. He is also survived by his parents, Abraham
G. and Mary S. Thomas of Wilmington, DE, formerly of Uniontown, PA;
and his brothers, Phillip Thomas and his wife, Susan of Uniontown,
PA and William Thomas and his wife, Debbie of Herndon, VA; as well
as many uncles; aunts; cousins; nieces; and nephews. He also leaves
behind his special friend, Eileen Best of Melbourne, FL.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Archaeological
Society of Delaware, PO Box 12483, Wilmington, DE 19850; or to the
American Cancer Society, 92 Read's Way, Ste. 205, New Castle, DE 19720.
Modified from www.delawareonline.com
[published 01/21/2004].
Submitted by: Mark McConaughy
Bureau for Historic Preservation, PHMC
***
Ann Mabe Brown
Phil Neusius reminds us that although Ann Mabe Brown was not a PAC
member, she was known and admired by many for her active participation
in the SSHE annual Undergraduate Anthropology Conference and her hard
work in developing the Mansfield Anthropology program.
Ann Mabe Brown, age 55, died Friday, February 20, 2004 at Soldiers
and Sailors Memorial Hospital in Wellsboro, PA. Ann was the wife of
Charles Anderton "Andy" Brown. She was born on February 28, 1948 in
Williamson, WV, the daughter of William and Lillian (Wimmer) Mabe.
Ann received her BSW from the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
in Richmond, VA; an MS in Sociology at VCU; and MA from the University
of VA. In 1979, she received her Ph.D. from the University of VA.
She was employed by Mansfield University for 24 years as a Professor
of Anthropology. Ann was a member of the American Anthropological
Association and the Society for American Archaeology.
Excerpted from "Reflections of Life" bulletin distributed on February
24, 2004 by the Jacquelyn A. Buckheit Funeral Chapel in Mansfield
PA.
Submitted by: Phil Neusius
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
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PAC COMPUTER USER'S
COLUMN
There is no article in this issue.
.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Byways to the Past Conference
May 19-20
The Fifth Annual Byways to the Past Conference is
scheduled for May 19 and 20 at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
The conference is sponsored by PENNDOT, the Bureau for Historic
Preservation, the Federal Highway Administration, Preservation Pennsylvania,
the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, and IUP Archaeological Services.
This conference offers the Commonwealth's most comprehensive opportunity
to learn about the goals, achievements, and challenges of building
and maintaining the transportation network of the future while retaining
the fabric of the past.
This year, there will be a pre-conference workshop
on Public Outreach and Education. Conference sessions start on Wednesday
morning with a plenary session "Transportation and the Future of
the Past." This session will focus on how the transportation community's
role, as stewards of the Commonwealth's past, will be profoundly
affected by recent events: the pending reauthorization of the Federal
Transportation Bill, the appointment of a new Executive Director
at the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, and continuing
federal and state efforts to streamline the Section 106 process.
This important session will feature the senior resource
mangers at PENNDOT, FHWA Pennsylvania Division, PHMC, and the Advisory
Council on Historic Preservation in a moderated discussion of the
future of historic preservation and transportation in Pennsylvania.
Participants will include Barbara Franco, Executive Director PHMC
and State Historic Preservation Officer; Susan McDonald, Environmental
Quality Assurance Division, PENNDOT Bureau of Design; Karyn Vandervoort,
Environmental Team Leader, FHWA Pennsylvania Division; and Dr. Laura
Henley Dean, Office of SHPO Services, The Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation. Susan Shearer, Executive Director of Preservation
Pennsylvania, will moderate the session.
Other sessions will include: Revising the Pennsylvania
State Guidelines for Archaeological Investigations: An Opportunity
for Questions, Suggestions and Comments, moderated by Dr. Kurt Carr
and the Staff of the Bureau for Historic Preservation; Transportation
Enhancements and Historic Preservation in Pennsylvania; Field and
Lab: Best Practices and New Ideas in Archaeological Field and Analytical
Methods; and Crossing the Bridge: The Preservation and Management
of Pennsylvania's Historic Bridges. During the Thursday luncheon
session, FHWA will present the Third Annual Preservation Awards.
Registration information is available on the conference
website at http://www.pennbyways.org/
or you can contact Joe Baker at the PENNDOT Central Office in Harrisburg
josebaker@state.pa.us.
Submitted by: Beverly Chiarulli
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
.
MEETING AND EVENTS CALENDAR
** Please send notices of upcoming events to the editor.
.
SAA NOTE
Pennsylvania is underrepresented in the SAA Press Information Referral
Network. Please consider volunteering. For more information, please
read the SAA Archaeological Record, March 2004 issue.
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SPA NOTE
PAC encourages its members to join the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology.
It is important to foster communication between professional and avocational
archaeologists. Moreover, membership in SPA supports Pennsylvania
Archaeologist in which PAC members often publish. SPA annual dues
are $20.00 for individuals, $18 for students, and $25.00 for families,
which should be sent to: Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology, P.O.
Box 10287, Pittsburgh, PA 15232-0287
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HOUSEKEEPING
Please make sure PAC has your current e-mail address (or FAX number)
so that we may distribute urgent information as quickly as possible.
Send updates to mmcconaugh@state.pa.us.
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EDITOR'S NOTE
I am grateful to all contributors for their efforts to provide thoughtful
and timely submissions to the newsletter. I am especially grateful
to Mark McConaughy and Philip Perazio for their immediate assistance
whenever I needed it. To all of you, please accept my heartfelt thank
you!
Materials for the PAC Newsletter should be sent to:
Renata B. Wolynec, Ph. D.
Department of History and Anthropology Edinboro
University of PA Edinboro, PA 16444
Phone: 814-732-2570; FAX: 814-732-2118
e-mail: wolynec@edinboro.edu
Please send contributions by e-mail attachment or on disk (Word
preferred).
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A heartfelt thank you to Philip Perazio for your many years as
editor of this newsletter. Your efforts on PAC's behalf are appreciated
more than words can adequately convey!
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