SEPTEMBER 4, 2004

From: Beld, Scott
Sent: Sunday, September 05, 2004
To: Oxbow Archaeologists
Subject: Ponton Site - September 4, 2004

Hi Oxbow Archaeologists,

We made it out to the site yesterday and had a good day excavating, though it was a little hot and humid (see Map September 4, 2004 in the photo gallery below). John O., Marianne and I made it out.

When we got to the site and uncovered the part of Feature 5 we’ve been working on we found some water damage (see Photo 1). Apparently the 2 inch rain we got that kept us out of the field last week breached the tarps and flooded the excavation. There was some erosion of the profiles but nothing too severe. I worked on finishing Feature 5 Unit 515R498. The feature extended to about 110 cm below the surface and there was nothing in the bottom in this unit. Just below the bottom of the feature I encountered a rock (see Photo 2 – right side of photograph) that had dark gray silt around the edges. Initially this looked like it might be a rock place in a hole dug into the bottom of the feature – for a pillar or corner support. However, as the unit was excavated deeper the rock expanded and the dark gray silt followed the edges of the rock as it expanded and it was clear that it was not in a pit (see Photo 3) and other rocks were appearing as a gravel layer was encountered. The unit was take to 125 cm and it was clear that the rock originates from a gravel layer that is on top of an “olive” colored clay. In the afternoon, I drew the profiles of this unit.

520R496. John and Marianne excavated this plow zone unit located north of Feature 5. They recovered several artifacts (see Photo 4) including Old Blue, Brown and Red Transfer and Blue Edge earthenware, pipe fragments, as well as some bottle fragments.

Tomorrow (Labor Day), we’ll be going into the field again. I should be at the site around 9 A.M. John should be coming out in the late morning or afternoon.

Hope to see you at the site.

Scott

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