Deep Run Quarry (18HO52)

The Deep Run Quarry Site (18HO52) is a prehistoric site located in Howard County, Maryland. It is one in a series of small prehistoric sites occupying separate ridges and knolls overlooking Deep Run.

The general area around the stream has been known to local collectors since the late 19th century, but it wasn’t until 1971 that Deep Run Quarry was identified as a discrete site. It was defined during an archaeological survey that was part of an anthropology class at the University of Maryland, College Park. The site was investigated again in 1992 during a Phase IB survey by the Maryland State Highway Administration for the proposed extension of MD 100 from US 29 to I-95. At that time, 59 shovel test pits (STPs) were excavated in the vicinity of Deep Run Quarry. Forty of these contained 267 prehistoric lithic artifacts. The only diagnostic artifact was a fragmentary side-notched projectile point dating to the Late Archaic period. Data from the Phase IB shovel tests, once scaled and contoured, defined three concentrations of lithic artifacts across the site.

Phase II testing was carried out in 1993. Field methods consisted of shovel tests placed on a 10 m grid within the area of highest artifact concentration, as defined by the Phase IB testing, and within the project alignments. A total of 238 shovel tests were placed in this area; 64 additional shovel tests were excavated outside the area of potential effect. A total of twenty-two 1 X 1 m, three 0.5 X 1 m, three 0.5 X 2 m, and one 0.5 X 1.5 m test units were excavated.

Only one feature was encountered during the Phase II testing; a historic burn feature. It was found within two 1 X 1 meter test units and contained historic artifacts. Thirteen test units and 58 auger tests were placed in the vicinity of this feature. The burn feature and associated artifacts suggest that a structure stood on the site during the late 18th to mid-19th century. The presence of domestic debris suggests that it may have served a domestic function, perhaps as a tenant residence. Archival research did not reveal documentary evidence of a structure on this land; however, it was common practice during the 19th century to record only residences of landowners on maps and documents.

A total of 221 historic artifacts were recovered during Phase II testing of the site including; 7 activity items, 114 architectural remains, 1 personal item, 43 kitchen-related objects, 4 tobacco-related artifacts, 2 arms-related items, and 50 miscellaneous objects.

The three prehistoric artifact concentrations that were identified during Phase IB and tested during Phase II were found to lack vertical integrity, were not horizontally discrete, and lacked sufficient functional differences to characterize the concentrations as distinct activity areas. A fourth prehistoric concentration was also identified and exhibited these same characteristics.

A total of 6,125 prehistoric artifacts, including 13 points/knives, 49 bifaces, 55 cores, 173 utilized/retouched flakes, 7 scrapers, 5,408 unmodified flakes, 27 hammerstones, 6 abrading/grinding stones, 2 groundstone tool fragments, and 1 piece of cut steatite, and 62 fire-cracked rock fragments were excavated. The projectile point assemblage includes a LeCroy, a MacCorkle point, four Bare Island or possible Bare Island points, a Selby-Bay like point, a point very similar to the Jack’s Reef corner-notched type but stemmed, and two Late Woodland triangular points.

(Edited from the Maryland Historical Trust Synthesis Project)