AUGUST 23, 2008

From: Scott Beld
Sent: Sunday, August 24, 2008 3:21 PM
To: Oxbow Archaeologists
Subject: Sias East - August 23, 2008

Hi Oxbow Archaeologists,

Kevin, Nik, Becky, Brian, and I made it out to Sias East yesterday (see Map and Photo 1).

We began the morning by opening a new unit, 2S-104W, located south of last years trench. This unit produced several flakes and bone fragments as well as a little historic material in the 0-20 cm level.

Late in the morning, I excavated the 40-45 cm level of unit 1N-99W. The usual flakes and bone fragments were recovered. There was also a small pottery cluster in the SE ¼ of the NW ¼ of the unit consisting of about 15 sherds, including three small rimsherds. There was not any char on these and they are more “scrappy” than last weeks pottery. The surface treatment is smoothed/plain and there is no decoration. At least three of the sherds exhibit coil breaks and I suspect they go with the Middle Woodland occupation (no photographs because several need to be glued back together and they are drying in the lab right now).

In the afternoon, I excavated the west half of Feature 8 in unit 1N-100W. This feature is a dark gray basin shaped feature about 1 meter in diameter and 15 cm deep. A few flakes and bone fragments were recovered from the fill.

This week we will meet Wednesday evening at the Resource Building – hopefully we will be able to wash Sias East 1/8” screen bags. Next Saturday, we will be 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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