2011-06-15_PERMIT FILE - C1981038 ‎(2)‎

• Permit No: C1981038
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 6/15/2011
• Section_Exhibit Name: Volume 9B Archaeology Appendix Table of Contents Part 1
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

1
• SF7CTI~T N
MEPHODOIlJGTFS
The evaluation program at SDT271 was initiated in keeping with the
1 recam~endation of the original survey team oar~bined with additional
J ideas generated by BLt4 District Archaeologist Max Wit]cind and the
project director. Four steps were originally proposed and these were:
1) clear the ground of duff and oak, 2) conduct controlled surface
mapping of artifacts, 3) collect the surface artifacts, and 4) crny~lete
a test excavation program. It was agreed that the intensity of
J excavation would be limited to 3 to 5 percent of the site and that heavy
equipment might be used if appropriate in support of traditional hand
excavation methods.
l The project was oam~~eed on August 5, 1586. At that time,
J surveyors established a baseline on the site and tied it into the master
topographic map of the area. A crew of 4 to 8 persons cca~posed of
J Centuries and Colorado Westmoreland personnel used chain saws to clear
the brush from the site. Brush clearing took three full days and
stratigraphic test excavations were begun on August 7. Arbitrarily
J placed test units were also begun in order to fornelly determine the
site boundaries and the area from which to draw a random sale of units
for excavation. A test unit was also initiated on a lower terrace to
the south of the main site area to test for oolluvial deposition of
l cultural materials (Figures 9, 5 and 6). At this point, it was decided
J • that surface artifacts appeared to be quite few and that raking of the
surface would be nearly impossible due to the amount of stumps and roots
J which were present at ground surface. To implement a formal surface
mapping and crollection strategy would probably have yielded very little
information Sll1Ge frost of the site appeared to be buried. This step was
l therefore eliminated.
J The initial excavations indicated that the area of original
recording had a mantle of topsoil overlying a clayey loam colluvial
J subsoil and that cultural materials were confused to the top 25-30 an
above the subsoil which was apparently the original occupation surface.
It also showed that the site was confined to the road and area to the
west and that there were one and possibly two foci of occupation. Both
seemed to be right along the west edge of the road. The master grid
coordinates were established over the site and a three percent sample
was drawn. Dccavations were begun but the full random saag~le was never
crn~leted because all the site foci were found first and feature areas
and site boundaries were determined without them.
' The test on the laser terrace (Figures 4, 5 and 6) revealed the
presence of additional archaeological ca~Qonents and nearly doubled the
size of the site. On the lower terrace, arbitrarily placed excavation
' units began to reveal at least two more oatponents and these were
excavated by metric excavation units.
F7ccavations were by hand methods. All soil was screened through
inch mesh. bccavation proceeded mostly by natural stratigraphic levels,
although some arbitrary levels were used. The site was appropriately
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