Data Recovery Investigations at 9MF155, McDuffie County, Georgia

This report presents the results of a Phase III archaeological data recovery at 9MF155 that TRC conducted in June and July 2003. The site is located within the proposed Thomson Bypass corridor in McDuffie County, Georgia, north of Thomson (Figure 1). The work was carried out under contract for the Georgia Department of Transportation, to assist them with compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Since road construction will adversely affect the site, data recovery excavations were conducted within the right-of-way in order to mitigate that adverse effect. The site was discovered in 1992 during a Phase I archaeological survey conducted by Brockington and Associates, Inc. (Gardner et al. 1992). According to their shovel test results, the site encompassed an area that is approximately 80 x 60 m (Figure 2). During the course of TRC's data recovery investigations, we observed artifacts on the surface and extended the site boundaries both north and west so that the new site limits are 130 x 70 m. During Brockington and Associates' Phase I investigation, three 50 x 50-cm test units were excavated after the shovel testing phase was completed in order to obtain additional artifacts, and determine if the cultural deposits were stratigraphically intact. A soil anomaly in Test Unit 2 was interpreted to be part of a bell-shaped pit feature of unknown function. No diagnostic artifacts are associated with the feature, as the assemblage is limited to 71 pieces of debitage. Diagnostic artifacts were also lacking from the overall site assemblage, although the presence of 20 sand-tempered ceramic sherds indicated a post-Archaic occupation. After field investigations were completed, Gardner et al. (1992) concluded that relatively undisturbed artifact-bearing strata were present at 9MF155. Citing its potential to provide important archaeological information related to prehistoric settlement and subsistence practices along the Fall Line, 9MF155 was recommended as potentially eligible for the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion D. Data recovery excavations commenced on June 30 and were completed on July 11, 2003. TRC's excavation team varied in size from five to nine people during the nine-day project. We excavated a total of 75 1 x 1-m test units, recovered a total of 449 ceramic sherds, 2,900 pieces of debitage, 28 biface fragments, 42 projectile points, and 9 historic artifacts. Diagnostic artifacts dating from the Early Archaic through Middle Woodland indicate a long history of site use, but the most intensive occupation was during the Mississippian period. Unfortunately, there was no horizontal or stratigraphic separation between archaeological components. Only one feature was documented, a small round stain in Block 3A, which is probably a modem fence post. This report continues with a discussion of the environmental background for the site area in Chapter II. Chapter III provides an overview recent research and the culture history of the area. Methods are discussed in Chapter IV. Chapter V provides an overview of the earlier investigations at the site. Chapter VI documents the current findings, and research questions are addressed in Chapter VII. Chapter VIII includes a summary of our findings and the report conclusion.