Archaeological Investigations at Three Prehistoric Sites (9DW64, 9DW77, and 9CK713) Cherokee and Dawson Counties, Georgia Cherokee County Raw Water Supply Reservoir

During the period of January 3 through November 20, 1995, R.S. Webb & Associates conducted archeological data recovery excavations at two prehistoric rock shelters (Sites 9DW64, 9DW77) and one lithic workshop/camp (Site 9CK713). These sites are located within the proposed Cherokee County Raw Water Supply Reservoir impoundment in Cherokee and Dawson Counties, Georgia. The Yellow Creek reservoir impoundment is approximately 14.5 kilometers west of Dawsonville and 25.7 kilometers northeast of Canton. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Georgia State Historic Preservation Office agreed that Sites 9CK713, 9DW64 and 9DW77 are eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Because construction of the reservoir will cause unavoidable adverse effects to these sites, a data recovery program was designed and implemented by R.S. Webb & Associates on behalf of the Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority. The objective of the data recovery project was to recover and document information related to settlement and use of the Yellow Creek basin by prehistoric groups. Previous archeological investigations within the study area (Webb 1993) indicate that prehistoric occupation of the Yellow Creek basin was fairly transient (hunting/gathering), based on the small size of the sites and limited assemblages detected at most sites. Complementary to these sites were intensively used quarrying locations and lithic workshops. The study area was most intensively used during the Middle to Late Archaic periods. Minor Woodland and Mississippian occupations were also detected. While the area was well suited for hunting and lithic procurement, most of the study area exhibits significant slope and was poorly suited for permanent occupation. Data recovery investigations included the mapping, photo-documentation and extensive excavation at each site. A large percent (75 to 90 percent) of each rock shelter site was excavated in continuous blocks (Site 9DW64 - 36.0 square meters; Site 9DW77 - 32.0 square meters). Approximately 8.0 percent of the workshop/camp site was documented (Site 9CK713 - 75 square meters) in eight unit/block excavations. Prehistoric occupation at Site 9DW64 spanned 9,000 years, from the Early Archaic to the Early Mississippian period. The most intensive occupation was during the Middle Archaic period. Rock clusters, pit features and localized midden deposits were recorded. A Middle Archaic midden was radiocarbon dated to 6,250 + 130 BP (uncorrected Beta Analytical-90345). This rock shelter underwent several catastrophic events include rock slides and severe undercutting by Yellow Creek. The artifact assemblage is Site 9DW77 is dominated by lithics from a short but intensive Late Archaic occupation. A minor Early Woodland occupation was also present. The rock shelter contained a 10 to 15-centimeter thick midden, a large cooking pit, a small rock cluster/shallow pit and a lithic cache, all detected under a thick mantle of recent alluvial and colluvial deposits. The cooking pit at the base of the midden yielded a radiocarbon date of 4,990 ± 120 BP (uncorrected Beta Analytical-90346). The overlying midden was dated at 4,020 + 90 BP (uncorrected Beta Analytical-112305) and a steatite bowl sherd from just above the midden was assayed at 3,610 + BP (uncorrected Beta Analytical-92523). Site 9CK713, an open-air site, has never been subjected to historic agriculture. The site contains a pristine lithic workshop and quarry location, situated among three spring heads. This environment attracted prehistoric groups from the Paleoindian through Late Mississippian periods. The most significant occupations date to the Middle and Late Archaic periods. Five rock clusters and two pit features were detected including one pit with a radiocarbon date of 3,620 + 80 BP (uncorrected Beta Analytical-90344).