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| 2001 Excavations | 2001
UW-Colleges Archaeology Field Crew |
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| 2001 Excavations | 2001
UW-Colleges Archaeology Field Crew |
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More Photos (Click on the thumbnail to see the original photo.) |
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| Pottery | Rim Sherds | Vessel Base | Projectile Points |
Scrapers | Gravers | Pipe Fragment |
The University of Wisconsin Colleges offered its bi-annual summer field school in archaeology (ANT 370) from 21 May through 8 June 2001. Hosted by the UW-Marinette, the course was held at the Chautauqua Grounds Site (47-Mt-71), located on the northwestern shore of Green Bay. Situated along a protected shoreline between the Menominee and Peshtigo rivers, the site has produced a wide range of cultural debris, some dating as early as 2700 BC. This was the field school's third season at the site, continuing research conducted there during 1994 and 1999. Directed by Dr. Thomas C. Pleger, Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Associate Campus Dean at UW-Fox Valley, and Nathan S. Lowrey, a graduate student at American University, twelve undergraduates from around the state were introduced to the techniques used during the survey, testing, and excavation of archaeological sites. Besides acquiring the skills needed to serve as future field technicians, the students also recovered a variety of artifacts that have enhanced our understanding of the life-ways of local hunter-gatherers during the Late Woodland stage.
The 2001 field school again focused its efforts on Runnoe Park, where a short-term campsite was discovered in 1994. The park, which constitutes the middle portion of the Chautauqua Grounds Site, is situated along an old shoreline overlooking Green Bay. Thus far, field crews have excavated approximately 140 square meters of the area next to University Creek and recovered over 5,000 prehistoric artifacts from several horizontally distinct clusters. Eleven organic samples were submitted to Beta Analytic, Inc. and the NSF - Arizona AMS facility for radiocarbon dating. Although problematic dates from burned bone fragments and ambiguous pieces of charcoal tended to vary, those from carbonized food residues adhering to the interiors of four pot sherds fell between AD 800 and 1100 (uncalibrated). The latter dates are corroborated by the presence of at least fifteen triangular projectile points, which are also indicative of a Late Woodland stage occupation.
At a minimum, portions of one miniature and four globular shaped vessels have been recovered. All of the pottery reflects coil construction and is tempered with a coarse grained grit. The rims are fairly straight, with lips that vary from flat to round. Both the interior and exterior surfaces of many sherds appear to have been scraped with a comb-like tool. Although this type of pottery has not been reported in Wisconsin, tentative comparisons to non-local wares suggest that it is similar to Point Peninsula pottery (R. Mason and C. I. Mason, personal communication 1999-01) found in the eastern Great Lakes region at that time. Four sherds were sent to Dr. Linda Cummings at the PaleoResearch Institute for phytolith analysis. While tentative, results from one sample indicate the presence of microscopic particles from a tall grass, which are not unlike those expected from wild rice or maize.
The lithic remains include scrapers, gravers, perforators, drills, projectiles, and retouched cutting flakes. Initial inspection suggests that many of the scrapers and gravers were produced at the site, using bipolar techniques to reduce chert cobbles that had been obtained locally from glacial sources. In an effort to determine how the tools may have been used, eighty-nine specimens were submitted to Dr. Roger Grace at the University of Norway. After examining edge wear and polish on the tools he suggested that the drills and perforators were used mostly on wood, while the scrapers were used on both hide and wood. Ten other samples submitted to Archaeological Investigations Northwest, Inc. suggested the presence of wildcat blood on a flake tool and knife, as well as duck and squirrel blood on two perforators. The significance of these findings continues to be considered.
Approximately 1000 burned bone fragments have been recovered from four hearths, indicated by the presence of charcoal and burned soil. An initial sorting of the remains, conducted with the assistance of April Beisaw of Zooarchaeology and Taphanomy Consulting, indicated that the assemblage was primarily composed of medium and large mammal remains. Approximately 10% of the specimens were then sent to Dr. James Theler and Mr. John Baker at UW-La Crosse for further identification. They determined that the specimens mostly reflected deer and beaver remains, although some fish (sturgeon), bird, and turtle bone was also present. This is interpreted to represent opportunistic hunting.
Archaeological research conducted at Runnoe Park represents one of the few systematic excavations of an undisturbed Late Woodland site in the region and contributed significantly to the Chautauqua Grounds Site’s addition to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. Cultural remains from the site, recovered by the UW College’s field school students, suggest a small group of hunter-gatherers occupied this site on a short-term basis during the late spring or early fall. As these remains undergo continued analysis, part of Mr. Lowrey’s dissertation project at American University, we hope to refine our understanding of those activities conducted by the site’s inhabitants and their significance during late prehistoric period of northeastern Wisconsin. Once completed, the results of the inquiry will be disseminated as public lectures, professional conference papers, and journal articles.
Pleger, Thomas C.
1992 A Temporal Analysis of Copper Implements from the Chautauqua Grounds Site (47-Mt 71), A Multicomponent Site near the Mouth of the Menominee River. The Wisconsin Archaeologist 73 (34):160-176.
1999 UW Colleges Archaeology Field School-1999. University Wisconsin Colleges’ Anthropology/ Sociology Newsletter, 2 (1): 17-18.
Pleger, Thomas C., and Nathan S. Lowrey
1995 A Preliminary Report of the 1994 Field Research at the Chautauqua Grounds Site (47-MT-71), Located Along the Shore of Green Bay, Marinette County, Wisconsin. Paper presented at the 40th annual Midwest Archaeological Conference, Beloit, WI.
1999 A Phase I Archaeological Investigation for proposed Improvements at the UW Marinette Campus, Marinette County, Wisconsin, Reports of Investigation No. 345 of the Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center at the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse, La Crosse, WI.
Stark, Peter A., Thomas C. Pleger, and Ronald J. Strojny
1999 Speculations on the Uses of Specularite. Fox Valley Archaeology 28:10-31