Final Report on Archaeological Explorations at the Mandeville Site, 9CY1, Clay County, Georgia

The final report on archeological exploration at the Mandeville site, 9 Cla 1, may be regarded as terminal or final only in the sense that a report was made to The National Park Service, Department of Interior, comprising those results of field work, survey, laboratory analysis of materials, and conclusions as drawn during the contract period of 1959 and 1960. Subsequently, since the Mandeville site was not inundated as anticipated by the rising pool waters of the Walter F. George reservoir, additional work has done on Mandeville by the University of Georgia, Laboratory of Archaeology, employing laboratory funds or volunteer labor, which has resulted in additional material and notes during 1960, 1961. The perceived scientific significance of the Mandeville site, in terms of the analyzed materials from Mounds A and B, make this site one of more than local or regional importance. It is apparent that Mandeville is one of the landmarks of North American archaeology and that a proper medium for publication of the expanded materials and notes must be found. This may require time and certainly will entail additional labor in the analysis of the newly accrued materials. Each of the authors of the interim report, A.R. Kelly, Edward V. McMichaeol, and James H. Kellar, will wish to revise tentative interpretations and conclusions based on more detailed study of materials and data deriving from the new accessions of material, and more precise examination of earlier material reviewed in the light of the later findings. Laboratory analysis, for instance, of each of the cremated burial remains at Mound A recovered under the supervision of James H. Kellar, requires more time and precise examination than was permitted under the original contract limits for analysis and reporting in 1960. New materials gleaned from the recently discovered "spring site" on Sandy Creek beneath the bluffs supporting Mound A, in the spring of 1960, with volunteer laborers, throw new light on the interpretation of hand molded clay human figurines. During 1961 visits to the site by the summer field session group of students of the University of Georgia netted some additional stratigraphic collections from layers 4, 3A, 3, 2A, and 2. Since McMichaeol's initial trial runs on his 1959 East-West trench produced minimal materials in contexts, the new accessions must be analyzed. In January, 1962, the discovery of erosional limestone fissures under the west dam dike necessitates the cement refill of these element~ and a delay in closing the dam. The reservoir pool will not rise for some additional months, and new opportunity may be given to salvage some portion of the 4/5 remaining portion of Mound A not yet plumbed · by archeological exploration. Any resources, volunteer or otherwise which may recover additional data and materials from Mandeville before it is submerged under 40 feet of water in the reservoir pool, will be employed. In the meantime other site explorations completed and those under way currently pose many prob1ems and the several archaeologists working under contextual arrangement in the inter-agency procedure may find this interim report useful. The report as rendered is not considered a publication, either of the Laboratory of Archeology or any other medium, at the University of Georgia, but is made available for students and investigators in the immediate southeastern archeological area, pending a complete and final reporting of the Mandeville site.