TRC MQ-8 (18PR1079)

This site, a prehistoric short-term camp with two loci representing lithic procurement and production activity areas, was identified by TRC Environmental in 2014 during a Phase I survey of the Millville Quarry property. Site 18PR1079 consists of a high-density prehistoric artifact concentration in an agricultural field. The site, situated in a primary relatively flat terrace of Burch Branch, measures approximately 180-x-90 m.

A typical soil profile consists of a dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/3) sandy loam to an average depth of 40 cmbgs overlying a subsoil horizon of yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) sandy loam. Artifacts were recovered from both surface (plowzone) deposits and subsurface deposits, including artifacts recovered from subsoil. The site was recorded through a systematic STP survey at 20-m intervals; 35 positive STPs yielded 307 artifacts. The site represents an Early Archaic to Early Woodland occupation and is at least partially intact based on preliminary findings from the Phase I survey. Based on the Phase I testing, further study was recommended.

The Phase II investigation was conducted by TRC in 2017, and consisted of excavation of 30 additional STPs and 10 1-x-1-m test units. Artifact analysis indicated the site represents Early Archaic through Early Woodland lithic procurement and processing areas. The predominance of Archaic-period diagnostic artifacts in the site sample suggests it was used primarily throughout the Archaic, with limited use continuing into the Early Woodland. Raw materials show a strong preference for locally available quartz and quartzite cobbles. Exotic raw materials are also present, but in much smaller quantities and not concentrated in any activity areas. The majority of the lithics was produced from locally-available material occurring in pebble forms resulting in smaller biface reduction debitage and small finished tools.

Although prehistoric artifacts were recovered from the sub-plowzone, the majority were found within the upper 20 cm of subsoil horizons. No subsurface features or deeply buried cultural deposits were recorded. Stratigraphic analysis suggests that the sub-plowzone artifact distribution is a result of weak soil development and bioturbation.

Although some floral remains were recovered from flotation samples, the sample was recovered from non-feature deposits and cannot be definitively attributed to specific cultural activity, thereby limiting the ability to pursue research on food procurement strategies, food processing and storage, and dietary behavior. Although the analysis of the recovered lithic debitage and tools provides some insight on lithic technology and locally available cobble reduction technology, interpretations are limited due to the small amount of diagnostic tools recovered. The absence of datable features also limits research into environmental adaptation over time. A comparative analysis to other Archaic period sites found in the Piscataway and Potomac River drainages (i.e. 18CH358 and 18AN489) found that the artifact assemblage present at site 18PR1079 is consistent with the findings of other sites in the vicinity during this period, specifically with regard to the preference for locally-sourced quartz and quartzite.

In the Phase I testing, a total of four bifaces were recovered. Three were made from quartz and one from quartzite. Of the 4 bifaces, two are projectile points and two are biface fragments. One of the points is a serrated stemmed form resembling the Early Archaic Kirk type. The other point is a distal end, is also serrated and very likely an Early Archaic point as well. By raw material, debitage includes 292 items: 230 quartz, 41 quartzite, 10 chert, two sandstone, seven jasper, one siltstone, and one rhyolite. By flake types these include primarily flake fragments (n=111), biface reduction flakes (n=638), shatter including cobble shatter (n=108), early reduction flakes (n=29), and biface thinning fragments (n=6). The predominance of shatter emphasizes the cobble reduction activities prevalent on the site. Also included were three cores; two tested pebbles, one quartz and one quartzite, and one quartz cobble core. Eight pieces of FCR were also found on the site; five sandstone, two quartzite, and one chert. A consistent presence of prehistoric cultural material in subplowzone contexts indicates that much of the site appears to be intact with minimal disturbance. Even the larger pieces of debitage were found in deep contexts, a clear indication that the deeper artifact finds were not a result of translocation from upper strata.

In total, 2,523 artifacts were recovered during Phase II investigation. Prehistoric artifacts (debitage, tools, and FCR) comprise 92 percent of the total sample while organic artifacts, both faunal and floral, account for approximately seven percent. A small number of historic artifacts and modern items were also recovered from near-surface deposits. The lithic sample includes debitage (n=1,892), FCR (n=404), and tools (n=23). Raw materials show a strong preference for quartz (81 percent) and quartzite (11.2 percent); however, more exotic raw material types such as rhyolite, chert, jasper, siltstone, sandstone, basalt, chalcedony, and argillite are present in descending order of percentages. The majority of the lithic debitage represents early stage cobble reduction debris, including shatter, flake fragments, and early reduction flakes. Much of the debitage contains cortex, indicating cobble reduction technology at the site.

Stone tools include projectile points (n=9), late-stage bifaces (n=2), middle-stage bifaces (n=6), early stage bifaces (n=2), core fragments (n=2), a hammerstone (n=1), and a retouched cobble (n=1). The majority of the projectile points are either broken or are weathered and possibly re-touched, leaving few diagnostic elements. Two projectile points can be identified as a Kirk or Kirk variant type that would date to the Early to Middle Archaic, and one has been tentatively identified as Otter Creek-like that dates to the Middle to Late Archaic periods. One small fishtail point was also recovered that may date to the Late Archaic/Early Woodland transitional period.Flotation samples taken from both plowzone and sub-plowzone contexts yielded 60 artifacts from the heavy fraction, the majority of which are identified as flake fragments or shatter. The flake fragments recovered from the float sample may represent late-stage pressure flakes. The light fraction recovered 129 pieces of charcoal and 41 seeds or seed fragments.

Stratigraphic analysis demonstrates the majority of artifacts were recovered from plowzone contexts; however, a lower frequency of artifacts was recovered from sub-plowzone contexts as well. In total, 1,632 artifacts recovered from the A horizon (64.7 percent), 880 artifacts from Stratum II B horizon (34.8 percent), and 11 artifacts from Stratum III (0.01 percent). Of the 1,632 artifacts from the A horizon, 1,483 are prehistoric (91 percent), 125 are organic (7.6 percent), 15 are historic (1 percent), and nine are modern (<1 percent). Of the 880 artifacts recovered from the B horizon, 51 are organic (5.8 percent) while the remaining 829 are prehistoric (94.2 percent). All of the 11 artifacts from Stratum III are prehistoric.

(Edited from archeological site survey form, Maryland Historical Trust)