Data Recovery Investigations at Site 9Gw145 a Prehistoric Quartz Quarry Site in Gwinnett County, Georgia

During the period from October 1990 through February 1992 Law Environmental, Inc., Kennesaw, Georgia conducted data recovery investigations on Site 9GW145, a multicomponent quartz quarry/camp site located outside the city limits of Snellville, Georgia in Gwinnett County. These investigations were accomplished by mapping of natural and cultural elements within the site area, close-grid shovel testing and block excavation. Block excavation included the investigation of Feature 1, a quarry pit detected during the testing phase conducted by Garrow and Associates in 1988. Two distinct activity areas were identified based on the shovel test results. The highest artifact density occurs in the central part of the site which also included quartz outcroppings and the quarry pit detected during testing. Artifacts from these areas were primarily early stage debitage indicative of prehistoric quarrying activity. Shovel tests along the eastern edge of the site contained a lower density of shatter and early stage debitage and a higher density of non-debitage artifacts (fire-cracked rock, ceramics) implying the presence of a camp area. Unit excavations at Site 9GW145 resulted in the recovery of approximately 1,678 kilograms of artifacts, more than 98.0 percent of which is quartz quarry-related debitage. The highest frequency of artifacts was recovered from the quarry feature fill and the area immediately surrounding the feature. In addition to quartz debitage, quarry area excavations yielded lithic processing tools, bifaces, and projectile points. Lithic artifacts diagnostic of Early Archaic, Middle Archaic, Middle/Late Archaic, Early Woodland, Early/Middle Woodland and Late Woodland/Mississippian periods are included in the quarry area artifact inventory. The camp area and a transitional zone between the camp and quarry areas produced a lower volume, but greater diversity artifact types. Debitage, bifaces, expedient tools, projectile points, a food processing slab, plain sand-tempered sherds, and fire-cracked rock comprise the camp area artifact assemblage. Material types represented in the lithic inventory include quartz, diabase, Ridge and Valley chert, Coastal Plain chert, and Piedmont chert. Units within the camp area yielded diagnostic lithic artifacts characteristic of the Middle Archaic, Late Archaic, Early/Middle Woodland and Late Woodland/Mississippian periods. The plain sand-tempered sherds were generally assigned to the Woodland/Mississippian periods. Based on the artifact assemblages, both areas of the site were used extensively during the Middle Archaic and Late Woodland/Mississippian periods. Early Archaic and Early/Middle Woodland diagnostics are were found primarily in the quarry area implying that aboriginal groups during these periods were encountering and using the quarry, perhaps in anticipation of some biotic procurement activity, and moving to another location.