Bone Bank Archaeological Research

Block 2: Initial excavation in 10 cm arbitrary levels in Level 2 removed the deepest portion of the recent alluvium that overlies the Mississippian midden deposits.  (Thanks to Indiana State University [ISU] Anthropology Laboratory for loaning us the shade canopies!!!)

Block 2: In our first week with a full crew (11 people on the field research team), rain slowed our progress considerably,  and we lost part of three days of work. Pumps used to bring water to the research area for water-screening were reversed to drain water from the flooded excavation area.  (Thanks ISU for this other use of your pumps.)

Block 1: On the terrace, rain made shovel scraping easier in some places on the crest of the terrace remnant but impossible on the lower slopes.  Shovel scraping is being used to remove the lower portion of the historic plowzone and expose the intact subsoil and any cultural features that intrude the subsoil.  Hundreds of small to large stumps and an abundance of roots in the plowzone have created very irregular walls in the excavation blocks, but this does not affect feature  definition at the base of plowzone.