JUNE 22 & 25, 2005

From: Scott Beld
Sent: Monday, June 27, 2005 9:47 PM
To: Oxbow Archaeologists
Subject: Riverbank Testing - June 22 and 25, 2005

Hi Oxbow Archaeologists,

We made it out to the riverbank on Wednesday (June 22) and Saturday (June 25). Wednesday was a beautiful summer day and John, Nik, Marianne and I made it out. Saturday was hot and humid and John, Nik, Dave, and I made it out.

On Wednesday, we began another test unit south of those previously opened – 60W-South3. We excavated it to 60 cm finding several bone fragments and Upper Mercer flakes in the 1st A-horizon (0-50 cm).

On Saturday, we began excavating the 2nd A-horizon in 60W-South3. We were finding some F.C.R. when we found several “paw bones” coming from the southeast corner of the unit and were able to identify what I think is a dog burial (see the picture – I’ll let Terry decide if they’re dog or something else). I had noted a disturbed area (patch of brown silt) in the southeast corner at 20 cm directly above where we have in situ bones. This together with the relatively good condition of the bones leads me to believe that they are intrusive into the 2nd A-horizon and are relatively recent (modern - 20th century).

We spent the rest of the day taking units 60West, 60W-South, and 60W-South2 deeper – 70-90/100 cm. These levels were sterile. I got to the 3rd A-horizon in the afternoon and it doesn’t seem to contain any cultural material at this location.

In the early afternoon, John, Nik and I took some elevations to see how high the terrace is above the floodplain and river and how much dirt has been removed from the field adjacent to the site. The terrace is about 2.5 meters above the floodplain, 1.5 meters above the levee at the edge of the river, and about 4.5 meters above the bed of the river. About 1.1 meters of dirt was removed from the field adjacent to the site. Unfortunately this probably means that all of the A-horizons we have noted were either removed or disturbed by plowing in the field.

On Wednesday, we’ll work at the Resource Building. I’d like to start washing some of the material we’ve found on the riverbank and get the flotation tank running (there are a lot of Ponton samples to float). I probably won’t arrive before 5:00 P.M.

This weekend, we’ll dig on Saturday (July 2) and Monday (July 4).

Hope to see you at the site.

Scott

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Scott G. Beld, Ph.D.
Research Associate II
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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