Sites 2/8 (18DO394)

Sites 2/8 (18DO394) is a multi-component Late Archaic and Early Woodland prehistoric site, possibly a base camp and procurement site, with a diffuse scatter of late 19th/early 20th century historic debris. The site is located along the Choptank River on the property of the Eastern Shore Hospital Center in Dorchester County.

Site 18DO394 was first identified in 1988 during a survey of the Eastern Shore Hospital Center property by the Maryland State Highway Administration (MSHA). Work at that time consisted of uncontrolled surface collection. A second Phase I survey of the Eastern Shore Hospital Center property took place in 1997. At that time, pedestrian surveys were conducted and shovel test pits (STPs) were excavated at 20m intervals into subsoil. The 27 prehistoric and 18 historic artifacts recovered during Phase I are included in the total counts for the site below.

Phase II testing commenced in 1998. The goals were to delineate the boundaries of the prehistoric component, to differentiate between the Late Archaic and Woodland periods, and to determine the temporal and functional characterization of the site. The site was re-identified and horizontally delineated by an intensive pedestrian survey. Then, the plowed portion of the area was subdivided into 6 m X 6 m surface collection blocks. A total of 17 STPs were also excavated in order to test an unplowed portion of the site. Seventeen 1 m X 1 m test units were placed near artifact concentrations and the find-spots of diagnostic tools.

The artifact distribution at 18DO394 identified an artifact cluster near the center of the site. Two possible cultural features were identified in test units within this cluster. The first was a collection of fire-cracked rock, possibly the remnant of a prehistoric hearth. The second feature was a cluster of prehistoric sherds that likely represents an apparent Wolfe Neck vessel pot break.

Testing recovered 950 prehistoric artifacts from 18DO394. Diagnostic artifacts included 1 Bradley Spike (dated to the Late Archaic/Early Woodland), 1 Normanskill point (late Middle Archaic), 1 possible Calvert point (Early Woodland), and 1 possible Brewerton eared-notched point (Late Archaic). Ceramic sherds recovered included 101 Wolfe Neck sherds, 58 Dames Quarter ware sherds, 15 Coulbourn ware sherds (Early Woodland), 1 Hell Island ware sherd (Middle Woodland), and 3 Killens ware sherds (dated to the terminal Late Woodland period).

A total of 252 historic artifacts were recovered during the Phase I and II investigations.

Although there are a number of diagnostic artifacts from site 18DO394, the chronological components have become conflated with one another through post-depositional processes. Therefore, the horizontal separation of these components is not possible within the main artifact cluster and thus diminishes the potential for answering questions dealing with occupation and activity at the site and more generally on the Delmarva Peninsula. No further work is recommended at the site.

(Edited from the Maryland Historical Trust Synthesis Project)