Introduction
The Towne Neck, or Ralph Williams, site (18AN944)
is a mid-17th-century plantation located on a low terrace of Carr
Creek, a tributary of the Severn River within the U.S. Naval Academy
grounds on Greenbury Point, Anne Arundel County.
Archaeological Investigations
The Town Neck site was discovered during construction
of a sediment trap at the Naval Radio Transmitter Facility on Greenbury
Point. Salvage recordation of the site was performed by Anne Arundel
County archaeologists in 1993.
Phase II investigations by KCI Technologies, Inc.
and Anne Arundel County archaeologists defined the site boundaries.
Field testing included 38 shovel test pits 57 cm in diameter and
two 1x1 meter test units, and several cultural features were excavated.
These investigations documented an upper-middle class domestic site
dating to the 1660s-1670s. A broad scatter of 17th-century artifacts
was identified along with feature deposits, including a trash pit,
a cellar, and associated post molds. These remains represent the
buried remains of a 17th-century earthfast dwelling.
Archeobotancial Studies
Salvage recordation of the Town Neck site by Anne
Arundel County archaeologists in 1993 included hand-collection of
carbonized wheat seeds. These were identified by Jean French.
Data recovery efforts by KCI Technologies in 2000
included analysis of archeobotanical materials from three cultural
features (1: cellar, 2: trash pit, 3: post hole) associated with
plantation occupation during the 1670s. One 9-liter flotation sample
and four hand-collected samples were studied by analyst Justine
McKnight.
Flotation and hand-recovered plant remains from
the Towne Neck site offer a glimpse of economically important food
resources and building materials associated with upper-middle class
domestic life on the colonial frontier. Carbonized and non-carbonized
plant macro-remains from three contemporaneous but functionally
discrete cultural features lend insight into plant use during the
1670s.
A maize cob fragment, cherry pit, and pine and
American chestnut wood charcoal were recovered from Feature 1. The
presence of maize and cherry suggest that this cellar may have underlain
a structure related to food preparation or consumption, or that
following the abandonment of the superstructure the cellar hole
was used as a depository for kitchen refuse. Cherries and black
walnuts constituted important dietary elements during the colonial
period. Wild and cultivated cherries were consumed in season, or
processed for storage as preserves or brandy. Wood charcoal from
Feature 1 probably represents the remains of architectural elements.
Identification of the charcoal revealed the predominance of pine
and American chestnut timber: Both were readily available and common
building materials in the colonial Chesapeake.
Feature 2 was a trash pit associated with the cellar.
Plant remains recovered through flotation of Feature 2 fill include
deciduous wood charcoal, amorphous carbon, and non-carbonized buffalobur
seeds (a common weed in disturbed or agricultural settings). Comestible
plant remains were absent. Wood taxa identified within the Feature
2 flotation assemblage are inconclusive regarding the origin of
the feature fill. Hickory, ash, and oak species were identified;
each of these has value as fuel. The sample matrix was composed
of crushed brick and oyster shell, and included fragments of bone.
Archeobotanical remains from post hole Feature
3 consisted of a single black walnut shell fragment. This native
nut was historically important for its oil (both for cooking and
as an ingredient in paint), and the nutmeats were consumed when
ripe, stored, or pickled. A potent dye can be obtained from the
husks.
References
Beauregard, Alan D., Al Luckenbach, Anthony Lindauer,
and James Kodlick |
1994 |
Phase II Archaeological Evaluation: The Town
Neck Site (18AN944) Athletic Facilities Project, Naval KCI Technologies. |
|
French, Jean |
1994 |
Letter to Al Luchenbach dated April 11. On file
with Lost Towns Project, Annapolis, Maryland. |
|
Luckenbach, Al and C. Jane Cox |
2003 |
17th Century Lead Cloth Seals from Anne Arundel
County, Maryland. Maryland Archeology 39(1,2):17-
26. |
|
Luckenbach, Al and James G. Gibb |
1994 |
Dated Window Leads from Colonial Sties in Anne
Arundel County, Maryland. Maryland Archeology 30(2):23-28). |
|
Luchenbach, Al |
n.d. |
Unearthing Our Colonial Past: Selected
Articles on the Archaeology of Early Anne Arundel County,
Maryland (Lost Towns Project). Articles from Maryland Archaeology reprinted
in bound form. MHT #AN515. |
|
McKnight, Justine |
2000 |
Flotation-recovered and Hand-recovered Botanical
Remains from the Towne Neck Site (18AN944), Anne
Arundel
County, Maryland. Report submitted to KCI Technologies, Inc. |
|