HARPER CREEK
18ST659

Introduction

The Harpers Creek site (18ST659) describes a Native site of long occupation (Early, Middle and Late Archaic and Early, Middle and Late Woodland period occupations are indicated).  In addition, late eighteenth through nineteenth-century refuse scatter documents historic use of the site.

Archaeological Investigations

The Harper Creek site was initially identified by a collector in 1994 (he claimed to have returned all his artifacts when he was informed it was illegal to collect off Federal property). The site was then visited by archeologists from the Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum and from the NASPAX. A large numbers of points, tools (especially Bare Island projectile points), debitage, prehistoric ceramics (Accokeek and Pope’s Creek), botanical remains, and oyster shell have been recovered from the site.

The Phase II site investigations produced a substantial number of artifacts representative predominantly of the Late Archaic period. A smaller Early Woodland component was also indicated based on the recovery of ceramic sherds. As a result of the Phase II findings, the prehistoric component of the site was determined eligible for listing on the National Register and was recommended for Phase III data recovery prior to construction of the new helicopter facility. Phase III fieldwork was conducted between April and May 2005. As planned, the new construction of the VXX Presidential Helicopter Facility would result in the removal of approximately 80% of the site area; the northern, wooded portion of the site would be protected from future development.

Based on the archeological investigations, prehistoric occupation of the Harper Creek site (18ST659) was found to have spanned several thousand years. Artifacts dating from the Early Archaic period through the Late Woodland period have been recovered from the site. However, the primary focus of the settlement appears to have been during the late Middle Archaic to early Late Archaic period. The primary lithic activity represented at the site is staged biface reduction and tool manufacture. Evidence of other activities such as fishing and nut mast processing are also represented.

Archeobotanical Studies

During the Phase III investigations, a series of 2-liter soil samples were recovered from selected features and deposits for flotation. Half of each feature was screened on site and half was recovered as a flotation sample.  Lee Ann Newsom conducted the analysis of plant artifacts from the Harper Creek site.  A site total of 32 liters of feature fill was processed and analyzed. A total of 191 botanical remains were recovered from prehistoric flotation samples (141 carbonized hickory nutshell fragments, 1 walnut shell, 3 oak shells, 5 pieces of nutmeat or maize kernel fragments, 8 possible maize fragments, 17 seeds (sumac was identified), and 16 miscellaneous plant remains). Carbonized hickory nutshells were found in direct association with large stone grinding implements.

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