This is the final report on the excavations at the Punk Rock Shelter, 9PM211, in Putnam County, Georgia. This small site, now located under the waters of Lake Oconee, was excavated by the University of Georgia under the direction of the author in 1978. Large collections of broken pottery vessels dating to the period A.D. 1250-1650 were recovered from the floor of this tiny shelter. No plant or animal remains were found. Almost 200 pounds of red pebbles, colored by direct contact with hot coals, were present. The vessels recovered were analyzed by their vertical and horizontal distributions in the site and in time within the Mississippian period. The possible functions of the shelter are explored and compared against what is known of other Mississippian period cultures of the Oconee Valley area and beyond. It is suggested that the best explanation for the shelter is that of a sweat bath that was used on repeated occasions for almost 400 years. The special nature of this shelter should provide a detailed comparison for other such sites found in the future.
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