Feature 29

Description

by H. Trawick Ward

This circular feature lay approximately 5 ft north of Feature 28 and 7 ft northeast of Structure 4. It was also located northwest of the cemetery burials and just outside the village palisade. It was centered at 324.7R40.7 and measured 3.0 ft by 2.8 ft in plan view and 3.4 ft in depth. The center portion of the pit was defined at the base of plowzone by a circular zone (Zone 1) of very dark grayish brown clay loam with animal bones and charcoal. Surrounding Zone 1 was a band of mottled orange brown clay, designated Zone 2. When this zone was excavated it created a shallow shelf surrounding the perimeter of the pit. Zone 2 probably represents a transitional soil band that extended beyond the original pit wall. Animal bone was concentrated in the center of Zone 1 and increased at the interface between Zone 1 and Zone 3, which was separated from Zone 1 by an ashy lens. Zone 1 averaged 1.3 ft in thickness. Zone 3 consisted of a reddish brown, ashy loam with animal bone and charcoal which averaged 0.8 ft in thickness. Zone 3 lay atop Zone 4, a relatively thin (0.3 ft) band of yellowish red-brown mottled clay loam containing charcoal and animal bones. Zone 4, in turn, rested on Zone 5, a band (0.6 ft thick) of soil similarly colored to Zone 4 except that it contained light ash at the northern edge of the pit. The final zone, Zone 6, was defined by a yellowish red mottled clay with brown loam. It was 0.4 ft thick. The final four zones were very similar in fill characteristics and probably could be considered together as a single depositional episode. The pit walls bowed out in the center, creating a barrel-shaped profile. The pit floor was flat. In general, the amount of animal bone increased with the depth of the pit. Bear and deer bones were noted, and an unusual number of deer scapulae appeared to be represented.