Patuxent II Site (18CV17)
The Patuxent II Site (18CV17), also known as the Stearns Site, is
a multi-component shell midden site and possible village locale at
the Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum (JPPM) near St. Leonard in
Calvert County. The site is situated in an agricultural field on a
terrace adjacent to the Patuxent River. Occupation at the site dates
to the Early and Late Archaic and Early, Middle, and Late Woodland
periods.
This site was recorded by the Maryland Geological Survey in 1969 based
on the notes of Richard Stearns, an avocational archaeologist who
collected the site in the 1930s and 1940s. A catalog of Stearns
collection reported Accokeek cordmarked sherds, Mockley cord-marked
sherds, Rappahannock fabric-impressed sherds, Rappahannock Incised
sherd, and a groundstone pipe fragment. In 1981, Laurie Steponaitis,
a researcher from the State University of New York at Binghamton
collected 18CV17 as part of a large scale survey of the Patuxent
River drainage for thesis. At least two eroding storage/refuse
pits were observed along the bank of the river.
Also in 1981, a preliminary survey was undertaken of the 512 acre
Patterson-family property by MHT personnel of what would become
the Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum. The site was re-identified
and active erosion of the shoreline was observed. A large (almost 4
meter wide) prehistoric shell-filled feature was observed eroding
from the 2 meter high bank. At that time it was thought that much
of the feature already had been lost. In 1984, the remaining portion
of the pit was salvaged. During the intervening period, the condition
of the feature was monitored and artifacts on the beach in the
vicinity recovered and saved separately.
In October, 1984, state archaeological personnel assisted by volunteers
with the Archeological Society of Maryland excavated the shell pit
feature. Upon removal of the plowzone, 6 cultural strata were identified
in the surface of the irregularly-shaped (but probably originally
circular) pit, intruding into natural clay subsoil. No additional
features were observed. A total of 12 cultural strata within the
feature were excavated. An oyster shell sample was retained from
those strata containing shell. Flotation samples were taken (20%)
from two selected strata that gave evidence of containing microscopic
organic material.
The 12 strata can be broadly segregated into two major types: shell
bearing strata and strata containing little or no shell. It appeared
that the five shell-bearing strata represented primary refuse dumps
that were interspersed with the other seven strata which resulted
from the natural filling processes caused by erosion of the exposed
pit walls. This evidence suggests that the pit remained open and
was filled over an extended period. Artifact analysis generally
supports this as the majority of ceramic sherds were recovered
from the primary refuse layers. Forty-seven of the sixty-two
total ceramic sherds recovered from the pit (75.8%) were retrieved
from 3 of the 5 shell-bearing strata. One wash stratum did, however,
yield a significant number of sherds (13 or 20.9% of the
assemblage).
Without any additional structural evidence from either the pit
itself or observed in the area adjacent to it, little could be
determined about the pit’s function. Interpretation was made
even more difficult by the fact that much of the pit (believed
to be well over 50% of it) was lost before excavation due to
erosion.
The documented assemblage from the 1984 excavations and collections
made on the beach below the eroding feature included a stemmed
biface, 1 Madison point, 2 primary flakes, 5 pieces of fire-cracked
rock, and 167 ceramic sherds. The ceramic assemblage included
2 Yeocomico Plain, 73 Rappahannock Fabric-impressed, 14 Rappahannock
Plain, 9 Rappahannock Incised (1 rim), 1 Rappahannock Corded, 62
other Rappahannock sherds, and 6 Mockley sherds.
The ceramic evidence clearly indicates that the pit feature began
to be filled toward the end of the Sullivan Cove phase (roughly
AD 1250-1600) of the Late Woodland period. Carbon samples
collected from the pit feature were sent to two different
labs for radiocarbon dating. It is uncertain whether these
samples were collected in 1981 or 1984, but they were collected
from the pit feature. One sample produced an uncalibrated date
of 650 ± 60 radiocarbon years before present, while the other
produced a date of 491 ± 125 radiocarbon years before present.
These dates correspond to calendrical date ranges (with 2
sigma accuracy) of AD 1267-1411 and AD 1266-1663. Both dates
fit well with a Sullivan Cove occupation. Unfortunately, the
circumstances of the recovery of the carbon and the dates
themselves are poorly documented and no further information
is available.
Additional work was carried out at 18CV17 in 1986 and 1988. At
least thirty-one 2 X 2 meter units were dug. A faunal assemblage
of over 12,000 artifacts was collected during the state-sponsored
excavations from 1981-1988, most of it consisting of deer bones
and oyster shell. Bluefish and blue crabs, two migratory species
which are present in the Patuxent River during the summer and
autumn, were found at 18CV17, indicating at least a summer and
fall residence at that site. Twenty pieces of bone at the site
were worked into tools or ornaments.
Based on the findings to-date, 18CV17 appears to be a multi-component
shell midden with a significant Late Woodland Sullivan Cove occupation
on a high bank overlooking the Patuxent River. Intact features and
diagnostic artifacts have been documented at the site.
(Edited from
the Maryland
Historical Trust Synthesis Project)
References
-
Pogue, Dennis
-
1987.
Stearns Site (18CV17S) Excavation Summary.
Manuscript on file.
-
Pogue, Dennis, and Wayne Clark
-
1985.
Salvage Excavation of a Late Woodland Prehistoric Pit (18CV17S) Calvert County, Maryland: Preliminary Analysis.
Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum File Report No. 4.
-
Pogue, Dennis, and Wayne Clark
-
1985.
Salvage Excavation of a Late Woodland Prehistoric Pit (18CV17S), Calvert County, Maryland: Preliminary Analysis.
Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum File Report Number 4.