Prehistoric Settlement In the Dog River Valley Archaeological Data Recovery At 9DO34, 9DO39, and 9DO45, Douglas County, Georgia

Archaeological data recovery was undertaken at three sites in the proposed Dog River Reservoir, in Douglas County, Georgia. The reservoir, located near the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Dog Rivers, is planned to provide drinking water for the people of Douglas County. Three archaeological sites within the reservoir were determined to possess intact cultural deposits that could contribute to the understanding of the prehistory of the region. The Douglasville-Douglas county Water and Sewer Authority authorized and funded the recovery of a sample of this information from these sites prior to their burial and probable destruction within the reservoir. The three sites included 90034, 90039, and 90045. These each possessed intact cultural deposits related to two or more prehistoric occupations. Excavations at 90034 encountered the poorly preserved remains of a Late Mississippian Lamar house (radiocarbon dated to A.D. 1614-1679), buried horizons associated a Late Archaic occupation, and more deeply buried deposits related to a Middle Archaic occupation (radiocarbon dated to 4394 B.c. ) • Lithic or ceramics remains recoverd from the intact deposits associated with each component were analyzed in an effort to characterize how the occupants utilized the Dog River Valley during their respective tenures. Excavations at 90039 encountered the remains of a remarkably well preserved late Mississippian Lamar house (radiocarbon dated to A.D. 1552-1645), buried deposits related to an Early Woodland occupation (radiocarbon dated to 613 B.C. to A.D. 501), and more deeply buried features related to a Middle Archaic occupation (radiocarbon dated to 3918 B.C.). Artifacts and features associated with each of these components were analyzed in an effort to describe utilization of the valley during each period, and compared to the interpretations from 90034 in an effort to examine in utilization of the valley through time. Pedological and intensive paleoethnobotanical analyses of remains from the site also were undertaken. Excavations at 90045 encountered the remains of two Late Mississippian houses (radiocarbon dated to A.D. 1587 and 1617), features associated with an earlier Mississippian occupation, and deeply buried horizons associated with a Late Archaic occupation (radiocarbon dated to 2351 B.C.). As with the other sites, remains associated with each component were analyzed in an effort to characterize how the prehistoric occupants used the Dog River Valley; comparisons between the interpretations from all sites were made to examine changes in these adaptations through time. After the completion of this report, looters excavating at 90039 uncovered the remains of a child, approximately four years of age at death. Desiring that these remains be dealt with properly, the looters informed the Water and Sewer Authority, Brockington and Associates, Inc., Dr. Lewis Larsen (Georgia state Archaeologist), and Dr. David Hally (University of Georgia). Brockington and Associates, Inc., immediately contacted the Georgia State Historic Preservation Office and the u.s. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District concerning the presence of possible human remains at the site. In consultation with the savannah District archaeologists, a limited data recovery program was designed and implemented to recover any further evidence of the reported burial, to determine whether additional burial were present, to delineate the extent of damage to the site from looters, and to recover a sample of remains associated with other features exposed in excavations immediately adjacent to the burial. These investigations resulted in the recovery of one additional human burial (the remains of a female approximately 35-40 years of age at death), and deposits associated with a hearth buried approximately one meter below the ground surface. A description of the results of these investigations is appended to the report, with pertinent information incorporated into the appropriate sections of the text.