MAY 12, 2007

From: Scott Beld
Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2007 9:16 PM
To: Oxbow Archaeologists
Subject: Sias East - May 12, 2007

Hi Oxbow Archaeologists,

We made it out to the site yesterday. It was a bit cool with the wind but we had a good day excavating. Marianne, Nik, Dee Dee, Chris and I excavated and we had a visit from the Konkles (Photo 1 and Map).

In the morning Marianne, Nik, Dee Dee and I excavated the 35-40 cm level of units 1N-107W and 1N-108W. These two units were in the area disturbed by soil removal. They produced a few flakes and bone fragments.

In the afternoon Chris excavated unit 1S-107W, 30-35 cm. He recovered numerous flakes and bone fragments, two biface fragments (see Photo 2 for one of them), and a core fragment. Late in the afternoon, Chris began excavating 1S-108W, 30-35 cm.

I excavated the 55-60 cm level of unit 1S-111W containing Feature 5. As it turns out this feature is probably an area of rodent disturbance. I also excavated unit 1S-110W, 30-35 cm. It contained numerous flakes and bone fragments and a few GTP sherdlets and fire cracked rock. I recovered one projectile point (see Photo 3), fragments of a bear mandible with a molar, a bipolar core, and a uniface bit fragment.

Both Chris and I noted that the quantity of flakes and bone fragments began to drop off at a depth of about 32-33 cm.

This week we will be meeting at the Resource Building Wednesday evening – hopefully it will be nice and we can work outside washing 1/8” screen bags. Next Saturday, we’ll plan on excavating at Sias East.

Hope to see you at the site.

Scott

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Scott G. Beld, Ph.D.
Research Laboratory Specialist - Intermediate
The University of Michigan Museum of Paleontology
1109 Geddes Road
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1079
Phone: 734-764-0489 (UMMP Main Office)
734-763-9253 (My Office)
Fax: 734-936-1380
Email: sbeld@umich.edu
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