CJV H3 (18AN1085)
Site History
The CJV H3 site (18AN1085) is a mid-17th to mid-18th-century farmstead located along Flat Creek in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The preliminary archaeological data and archival research suggest that the property could have been settled as early as 1661 by Richard Cheney. It is documented that Cheney lived at his plantation at Cheneys Hill and that it was sold to John Gray who died at this residence early in the 18th century. Based on this information, it is clear that an early structure was located on the Cheneys Hill parcel. The numerous early land patents and the resurveying of tracts that took place in and around the property in the 17th century and throughout the 18th century make it more difficult to determine with certainty who occupied the site.
Archaeological Investigations
This site was originally recorded by Hettie Ballweber of ACS Consultants in 1998 during a county-required Phase I survey for a proposed 160-acre subdivision. The site was first identified during surface collection of several ceramic sherds and dark green bottle glass exposed along a trail. Despite 31 shovel test pits excavated at 15m intervals across the immediate area, no historic or prehistoric artifacts were recovered in any of the tests. A metal detector was used to identify additional metal artifacts to confirm the existence of an archaeological site and to ascertain its possible limits. The metal artifacts recovered during the Phase I survey were piece-plotted and based on the piece plot data, two separate loci contained concentrations of artifacts, suggesting the possibility that the site contained two structures or activity areas. The artifacts dated primarily to the late 17th and/or early 18th century.
There may be 2 components to this site. An unlabeled structure which may be associated with the Sarah Stackett residence is noted on the 1878 Atlas of Anne Arundel County. However, there is clearly an 18th-century component at this site which might not be represented on 19th-century maps; artifacts suggested an early domestic occupation and also the location of a possible 19th-century barn.
Later in the same year, ACS Consultants conducted additional testing. A total of 94 additional shovel test pits were excavated across the site area, and artifacts were recovered in only 17 of the pits. Of the 94 STPs, seven of the tests were close-interval shovel tests located west of a trail that bisected the site. These test pits were excavated in an area where architectural metal was retrieved during the metal detector survey. Unfortunately, no additional cultural material was recovered from any of the close-interval shovel test pits.
An attempt was made to differentiate possible activity areas and structure locations by separating the remains into general functional groups. However, the numbers of artifacts retrieved from the shovel test pits were too sparse to provide any meaningful data for producing computer generated contour density maps. The cultural material recovered from the shovel test pits consisted primarily of architectural material located west of the trail that bisected the site locus. Interestingly, the shovel test pits failed to yield additional information regarding concentrations.
Kitchen related artifacts, which included ceramics and glass vessel fragments, were concentrated in one section of the site locus, particularly north of the existing trail bisecting the site. Artifacts which were "piece plotted" during the Phase I survey were also used to determine where the test units would be excavated at this site. From the distribution figures, it was postulated that at least two functionally separate artifact clusters were located at the site which, along with the soils' data, denoted possible activity loci or former buildings. In total, 12 5 × 5' test units were excavated in areas of greatest artifact concentrations. Because most artifacts were found north of the trail, 10 of the test units were excavated in a contiguous block.
During the Phase II study, one possible posthole feature was identified within one of the test units excavated at the site. Based on the 8 inch diameter of the postmold, this feature may represent the remains of a possible fence post or a support post to a small structure. No other morphologically similar features were found during the Phase II testing and no diagnostic artifacts were recovered from the feature.
As a result of the excavations conducted at 18AN1085, which consisted of 94 shovel test pits and the excavation of 12 test units, a total of 1060 artifacts were recovered. This total also includes 145 artifacts that were piece plotted during the Phase I archaeological survey to determine the extent of the site. All of the artifacts represent a late 17th- to early 18th-century occupation. The artifact assemblage from the site was significantly dominated by household followed by structural remains.
References
1999 Phase I and II Archaeological Investigations at the CJV Joint Venture Property, Anne Arundel County, Maryland. (ACS Consultants) MHT # AN 667.
