2018-01-03_PERMIT FILE - C1981010 (8)

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The results of investigations at TP 1 and TP2 showed that, although small amounts of randomly distributed charcoal fragments and oxidized rock was present in densities similar to that within Shovel Test 2, no ashy soil or other evidence of a thermal feature was noted. As became evident in subsequent excavations at this locus and elsewhere, comparable amounts of reddened sandstone, intermingled with unoxidized rock, were present at all levels and virtually throughout a majority of the site — either as a result of cultural activities or natural wildfires or both. What little stratigraphic variation was present in the walls of the pits was extremely subtle. The upper 17-21 cm was characterized by dark grayish brown (1 OYR 4/2) silty clay. Only occasional small fragments of sandstone; some of which are oxidized, were present in the upper 8-12cm. At that level, a layer of densely concentrated, angular and tabular, pebble to cobble -sized sandstone clasts was contacted. Many of the clasts were were oxidized red to dark reddish -orange. It was originally designated as "Feature 1 ." Because of these finds, the decision was made to begin differentiating between oxidized and heavily oxidized rock. The dense sandstone layer disappeared at 17-21cm where the soil became somewhat lighter and yellower — classified as brown (10YR 5/3). Another layer of lighter and more yellowish sandstone clasts was contacted at 24-27cm below pgs. Flakes, charcoal, and oxidized rock were recovered from the fill from the present ground surface to the 27cm depth. Rocks from this layer were removed to a total depth of 30cm where it was determined to be decomposing bedrock and excavation was terminated. Initially, within TPI only, the upper 2cm of loose surface fill was screened as a separate provenience to determine whether artifacts were concentrated near the surface — which proved not to be the case. Below that, fill was removed in arbitrary IOcm levels (2-1Ocm, 10-20cm, etc.) to a total depth of 30cm, which was sifted through 1/8" mesh hardware cloth with substantial results. Within Test Pit 1 (lm x 50cm) one flake was found on the surface (FS 12), 13 at 0-2cm (FS 14), 81 at 2-1Ocm (FS 17), and 138 at 10-20cm (FSs 21, 24, 25, and 28). Most notably, two diagnostic projectile point fragments were recovered from the west half of Test Pit 1: a small, unnotched with a convex base (FS 15) in the 0-2cm level and a medium-sized corner -notched (FS23) from the 10-20cm level. Additionally, in TPI, a mano fragment was found resting at 7cm below pgs; a cobble chopper at 17cm; .22 shells at 0-2cm and, surprisingly, at 10-20cm; small charcoal fragments at all levels; and bone fragments at 0-2cm and 2-1Ocm. 21