MAY 20, 2006

From: Scott Beld
Sent: Sunday, May 21, 2006 10:50 PM
To: Oxbow Archaeologists
Subject: 20MD263 - May 20, 2006

Hi Oxbow Archaeologists,

We made it out to the site yesterday. The tarps kept the rain off the units and the dirt screened quiet well! In the morning Marianne and I excavated the 20-25 cm level of unit 0S-111W and the 0-20 cm level of unit 0S-112W. We found numerous flakes and bone fragments as well as some bodysherds and F.C.R. In the afternoon, I trowelled the 25-30 cm level in units 2S-111W and 2S-112W. I recovered another decorated bodysherd and a rimsherd from Vessel 2 in 2S-112W. This vessel looks like it could be late prehistoric (latter than the rest of the material we are getting) – I’ll be trying to get char from this pot ready to send off for dating this week! Late in the afternoon, Dennis C. showed up and helped me finish the 0-20 cm level of 3S-111W – there was less material in this unit, a few flakes and bone fragments.

I’ve attached pictures of coil breaks this week (see the photo below). This vessel was made by rolling cylindrical strips of clay and building these up, one on top of the other. Note the concave break (sherd 1) and convex break (sherd 2) in the profiles. These two sherds fit together and probably come from Vessel 1 (see the website for a couple of pictures of rimsherds from Vessel 1 - 20MD263 ARTIFACTS) . There are other examples of coil breaks in the assemblage but these are a couple of the best. This pot could well go with the late Middle Woodland points we are getting. There was some char on these sherds, but we’ll wait to date it and hope for a better sample from rimsherds.

This Wednesday, we’ll be at the RB. We’ll start washing 1/8”screen bags and processing flotation samples. Next Saturday, we’ll excavate at the site and if there is interest we may try to dig on Monday (Memorial Day).

Hope to see you at the site.

Scott

*************************************************************
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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