Archaeological Data Recovery in the Proposed Haig Mill Creek Reservoir, Whitfield County, Georgia

This report documents the Phase III data recovery investigations conducted at two sites, 9WD42 and 9WD45, along Haig Mill Creek in Whitfield County, Georgia between May 24 and June 17,1993. The data recovery investigations conducted on site 9WD42 consisted of the excavation of 24 square meters. These excavations revealed an intact subsurface deposit of aboriginal artifacts, one fire cracked rock cluster, and two hearth features. The excavations concentrated around Test Unit 2; which was excavated during Phase II investigations, and where a higher concentration of lithic and ceramic cultural remains was found than was observed over most of the site, and a small hearth feature was identified (Elliott, Baker, and Holland 1993). Data recovery investigations conducted on site 9WD45 consisted of the excavation of 67 square meters. These excavations revealed an intact subsurface deposit of aboriginal artifacts and seven hearth features and one postmold. The block excavation surrounded Test Units 4, 5, and 6, which were excavated during Phase II investigations where a buried artifact deposit and two hearth features were located. Investigations on these two sites resulted in the definition of two different kinds of low artifact density, short term habitation sites; a site type that often is dismissed as insignificant and not worthy of research by many cultural resource managers. This study serves to demonstrate the types of important information that can be extracted from this class of site through detailed study.