Feature 7 (Burial 9)

Description

by H. Trawick Ward

Pit Morphology

Feature 7 (Burial 9) was located near the northwest end of the cemetery at 308.7R68.2. The fill of this burial was observed at the base of the plowzone as a rectangular stain whose long axis measured 5.1 ft. It was 3.5 ft wide, and extended to a depth of 2.3 ft. The sides of the pit were relatively straight, except the northeast side, which was undercut at the bottom to create a half-foot-wide side chamber. The upper fill of the pit was comprised primarily of a brown loamy soil (Zone 1). Along the northwest side of the pit, this soil contained pebbles, animal bones, and charcoal. Along the northeast side, it was ashy in texture and had fewer inclusions. Patches of mottled clay were also noted in the center of the pit and across the southeast ends. The upper layer of refuse was approximately 1.0 ft thick near the center of the pit. It rested upon a fairly homogeneous orange mottled clay (Zone 2), which represented the original fill. This zone extended to the floor of the pit.

Body Deposition

The poorly preserved skeleton was that of an adult female who was 30 +/- 5 years old at death. It was loosely flexed and lying on its right side. The skull was oriented to the southeast, and the hands were positioned on and in front of the face.

Grave Goods

Associated artifacts consisted of an iron hoe placed adjacent to and southwest of the skull (the blade end lay under the shoulder and occipital region of the skull) and a bone-handled iron knife placed under the right forearm. A possible violent death is indicated by a piece of lead shot that was flattened against the left fibula (i.e., lower leg). Another piece of lead shot was recovered just above the pelvic area. Because of poor bone preservation, it was not possible to identify the effect of the lead shot on the fibula.