Phase I Archaeological Survey for the Proposed SR 245 Bridge Replacement over Piscola Creek, Brooks County, Georgia

Edwards-Pitman, Inc. (EP), under contract with NV5 Calyx, conducted a Phase I archaeological survey for the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) project to replace the State Route (SR) 245 bridge over Pisco la Creek in Brooks County, Georgia (GDOT P.I. No. 0015603). The goal of this survey was to locate and evaluate archaeological resources within the Environmental Survey Boundary (ESB) established for the proposed undertaking so that potential effects to identified cultural resources could be evaluated in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). The GDOT report summary table (Table 0.1) appears below.

The survey resulted in the discovery and documentation of two previously unrecorded archaeological sites, 9BO94 and 9BO95. Site 9BO94 represents a late nineteenth/early twentieth century home site with a sparse precontact component. The historic assemblage at 98094 was limited and non-diverse, which provided little data regarding specific site use beyond that of a domestic occupation dating to the late nineteenth/early twentieth century. Furthermore, this historic material was recovered from disturbed, plow zone context, which prevented the identification of spatial distribution patterns that would be necessary to contribute significant new data regarding the layout of the house or the social and economic status of the occupants. Based on this, the portion of 9BO94 identified within the survey area lacks the data potential to be considered eligible for the NRHP under Criterion D. The eastern boundary of the site could not be fully delineated due to the limits of the current survey. Based on this, the overall eligibility status of 9BO94 must remain unknown. The unknown portion of 9BO94 should be established as an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) and marked as such on all plans and in the field by orange barrier fencing to be placed along the length of the site on the as yet to be defined APE to prevent any inadvertent impacts from construction efforts.

Site 9BO95 is a small precontact lithic scatter that likely dates to the Archaic period based on the presence of an unclassified stemmed projectile point/knife (PP/K). The small assemblage at 9BO95 is almost entirely made up of lithic debitage, which provides little data on site function beyond that of its use for basic lithic reduction. Furthermore, much of the assemblage was recovered from plow zone context, which obscured any potential spatial patterns that could have been used to address research questions regarding Archaic Period lithic scatters in the Coastal Plain of Georgia. Based on this, 9BO95 lacks the data potential and is recommended ineligible for the NRHP under Criterion D. No further work is recommended for this resource.