JUNE 24, 2006

From: Scott Beld
Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2006 10:15 PM
To: Oxbow Archaeologists
Subject: Sias East - June 24, 2006

Hi Oxbow Archaeologists,

I made it out to the site on Saturday and excavated in a couple units. Everybody else was on vacation or busy.

I began excavating the 107 West row of units in the 110 West Block (see MAP). I excavated unit 1S-107W to 30 cm and 2S-107W to 20 cm. These units contained numerous flakes and bone fragments – there were a few fish vertebra but mainly mammal bones (deer size). The only unusual item was a large Bayport chert flake, over 10 cm long (see PHOTO 1). This is the type of flake that would have been made into a tool and caches of these are occasionally found. This one was in the plow zone just below the surface (5 cm).

Also this week, we got the elevations from Rowe Inc. for the benchmarks and I calculated the elevations for the site and units. The site is a little over 607’ above sea level (asl) or 185 m asl. I’ve attached a drawing of the profile of the 85 West Trench showing the elevations asl (left side of profile) with an indication of the approximate level (184 m asl) of Lakes Algonquin and Nipissing (see PROFILE). Of course, the actual shores of these lakes would have been located 10-15 miles east and southeast of CNC (in the vicinity of Auburn or Shields). The terrace that the Ponton site is located on has an elevation of about 612’ asl or 186.5 m asl. Site 20MD534 and Cater are at about the same elevation as Sias East.

This week we’ll meet at the Resource Building on Wednesday for lab work. On Saturday we’ll plan on excavating at the site – we’ll continue the 107 west row of units.

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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