A Few Visits in Prehistory: Data Recovery Excavation at 9RH18, Randolph County, Georgia

Data recovery investigations were conducted at the multicomponent prehistoric site, 9Rh18, Randolph County, Georgia. The May 1992 excavations were conducted by Brockington and Associates, Inc., for the Georgia Department of Transportation in anticipation of site impact through construction of the Cuthbert bypass. The investigations included: full site coverage through 50 by 50 em units excavated on a 10m interval; the computer assisted plotting of the 50 by 50 em unit results; the excavation of ten 2 by 2m units; the machine-assisted removal of the plow zone overburden from a portion of the site; and a detailed analysis of the recovered lithic artifacts and pottery. The results indicate that the site was utilized sporadically and repeatedly for over 9,000 years from the Early Archaic Period through the Late Woodland Period. The most intensive use of the site was during the Early Archaic, Gulf Formational, and Late Woodland Periods. Although the severe postdepositional mixing of components prevented detailed analysis of the debitage associated with each component, it is evident that the site was repeatedly utilized as a short-term, near-quarry locus where lithic manufacture occurred. The presence at 9Rh18 of Stallings Island fiber tempered pottery, and the lack of Norwood semi-fiber tempered pottery, may be related to settlement shift in the Gulf Formational span. Stallings Island components are rare and Norwood components are frequent in the floodplains of the Chattahoochee River. The Late Woodland component at the site falls into either the Kolomoki or Quartermaster phase. The presence of this component at 9Rh18, and the lack of earlier Woodland or subsequent Mississippian components fits Schnell's model of a shift to the inter-riverine uplands during the Kolomoki phase. The data recovery investigations have been completed in accordance with the Scope of Work and Data Recovery Plan. The present research bas achieved the research potential of this site, and no further work is warranted. It is recommended that no adverse effect will be realized to this site by the proposed highway construction.