AUGUST 26 and 27, 2006

From: Scott Beld
Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2006 8:10 PM
To: Oxbow Archaeologists
Subject: Sias East - August 26 and 27, 2006

Hi Oxbow Archaeologists,

We met on both Saturday and Sunday this week. We didn’t make it into the field on Saturday because of rain, but did have a full day of excavating on Sunday. John O. was here for a visit and on Saturday John, Marianne, Nik, Kevin, Greg, Lia, and I did lab work – sorting 1/8” screen bags and analysis.

On Sunday, Dave, Nik, Marianne, John, and I excavated at Sias East (see Photo 1). We excavated the drain on the south side of the excavation to 35 cm and the 30-35 cm level of 3S-110W (see Map). We encountered Feature 2 in 3S-110W. We had encountered this feature last year. It consists of two parts – a small hearth (white ash with burned reddish-brown silt beneath) and a “pit” (dark grayish brown silt) – see Photo 2). In the afternoon, John and I began excavating the feature. The hearth/white ash is relatively thin (about 10 cm thick) with reddish-brown burned silt (ca. 5 cm thick) below it. We recovered several calcined fish vertebra and a bodysherd, probably from what we’ve been calling Vessel 1 (see Photo 3). The “pit” is deeper (a core last year indicated about 35 cm). We excavated about 25 cm of one half yesterday and found a few mammal bones and flakes.

I’ve also attached a picture of the point that Greg and I found a few weeks ago in the disturbed area of unit 1N-111W (see Photo 4).

This week – on Wednesday we’ll meet at the Resource Building and do lab work. I imagine we’ll be outside washing 1/8” screen bags and processing flotation samples. On Saturday, we’ll plan on excavating at Sias East. If anyone wants to dig on Monday (Labor Day), let me know and we’ll make a decision latter in the week.

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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