Feature 18

Description

by H. Trawick Ward

Feature 18, a circular pit, was located just outside Structure 9 at 236.5R70. It measured 3.3 ft in diameter and was 0.9 ft deep. The walls curved inward to a flat bottom. The fill at the base of the plowzone was noticeably different from that of neighboring features (i.e., Feature 17, Feature 19, and Feature 20). The latter were defined by a homogeneous, dark brownish black loam at the top of the subsoil, whereas Feature 18 was defined by a heterogeneous brown loam (Zone 1) with flecks of orange clay, charcoal, and bits of ash. At the bottom of Zone 1 was a layer of large potsherds, representing three vessels (first, second). These lay on top of a thin lens of dark charcoal. Interspersed among the potsherds were numerous fragments of a large grinding or polishing stone. Postholes were noted at the bottom of the pit along with a small depression (0.3 ft in diameter) filled with charcoal.