Feature 46

Description

by H. Trawick Ward

Feature 46 was located northwest of Structure 13 at 211.5R34.5. Prior to excavation, this pit appeared as an oval-shaped stain of dark brown loam with charcoal flecks and mottled orange clay. The outer perimeter of the stain consisted of a thin zone of lighter mottled soil that represented smear from the main body of the feature. The soil (labeled Zone 1) that appeared at the base of the plowzone continued to the bottom of the pit. It was homogeneous except for an occasional lump or small pocket of orange clay. Cultural material consisted primarily of animal bone. Relatively few artifacts were recovered other than a few European and aboriginal clay pipe fragments, lead shot, potsherds, glass beads, a hammerstone, and a possible grinding stone.

The feature was slightly barrel shaped, had a flat bottom, and measured 2.6 ft by 2.4 ft. It reached a depth below the subsoil of 2.0 ft. The fill was deposited in the pit over a short period of time soon after it was abandoned as a storage facility. The character of the fill is suggestive of general village midden.