The late prehistoric occupation of this area is represented by the Haw River phase. Assignment of archaeological components to this as well as later phases is based largely upon pottery. Most Haw River sherds are classified into the Dan River series (Coe and Lewis 1952), and have net-impressed exteriors, scraped interiors, and crushed quartz or coarse sand temper.
Over 20 sites within the Haw, Eno, and Flat drainages have produced substantial collections of Dan River series pottery (see distribution map). Five of these sites have been excavated. Most represent small settlements comprised of widely dispersed households with associated storage pits, hearths, and burials. The low frequency of artifacts at these sites and the scarcity of pit features probably reflect both a low population density and a lack of extended site occupation. At the Guthrie site (RLA-Am145), for example, intensive, systematic auger testing (at 2.5-ft intervals) over a 0.55-acre area identified only seven pit features: one shallow basin, three pit hearths, one burial, and two possible burial pits. Extensive auger testing at several other sites also has identified only isolated or widely scattered pit features. Alternatively, some Haw River sites appear to represent small, compact communities made up of multiple households. The Holt site (RLA-Am163), situated atop an upland knoll near Alamance Creek, is an example of such a settlement. This site was defined by a dense surface scatter of artifacts over a 0.25-acre area, and excavations uncovered several trash-filled storage pits.
The Mitchum site (31Ch452), which appears to contain a late Haw River phase (c. 1500) component, suggests a somewhat different community plan. This site is situated on a large alluvial terrace of Haw River. The Haw River component is represented only by a thin midden and large numbers of artifacts within the overlying plowzone. Because of a substantial historic occupation at the site, the spatial limits and configuration of the Haw River component are unclear. However, the density of artifacts that can be attributed to this component and the presence of a midden suggest that this settlement may have been much larger and occupied longer than other Haw River sites presently known in this area.