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Report on the Early Archaic Site Recently Discovered at the Marine Corps Supply Center, Albany, Georgia

Report Number
9449
Year of Publication
1975
County
Abstract

The University of Georgia Department of Anthropology as contacted when a crew bulldozing a road on the marine Corps Supply Center, Albany, Georgia, uncovered a prehistoric Indian site. Don and Betty Smith visited the site August 25-27, 1973.

The site is an early Archaic camp site located on a high point of land on the eastern end of the military base. It can be seen in profile in the road cuts on both sides of the road. It is a surface site covering an area of about 138 feet along the road an extending to a depth of about 8 inches, The dark gray midden is readily distinguishable from the orange clay beneath it. Active sinks occur just to the north of the site an there is a swampy area to the south.

With the permission of Mr. Sam Meltz of the Albany City Planning Office, one five-foot test square was put in on the right side of the road. The midden extended to a depth of 8 inches below the surface. Fragments of two drills, a scraper, and several very small chips were recovered. Judging from this and the results of turning up several spades full of earth in various portions of the area along the right side of the road, it seems apparent that the bulldozer found and excavated the heaviest concentration of material from the site. The material uncovered by the bulldozer includes scrapers, knives, points, and blades. Some were unifacial tools and a few bases appear to be fluted or thinned. Several cores and many large chips were also found.

The material recovered from the initial bulldozing operation will be put on display at the Marine Corps Supply Center.