Excavating Occaneechi Town
Archaeology in the Piedmont of North Carolina
Exercise 4
Archaeology Lab
ANTL 207
21 & 26 September 2011
To learn about this Contact Period site log on to http://www.ibiblio.org/rla/dig:
From the home page begin in the Contents section. Read the Archaeological Background. Next, read This Western World: The Evolution of the Piedmont, 1525-1725
Once you’ve read this second section, go back to Archaeological Background and read about the discovery and excavation of the Frederick’s site.
Next, read through Archaeology Primer to understand the methods UNC-Chapel Hill archaeologists used at the Frederick’s Site (Occaneechi Town). Take your time as you read through the above sections to enhance your learning about the archaeological research that took place at this important North Carolina site. It’s more important you learn about the methods and results of the work at the Frederick’s site than strictly just rushing through to answer the questions. You have two class periods (2 ½ hours) to complete this lab exercise.
1). How was the Frederick’s Site excavated? List several of the methods/techniques you noted. What kinds of features were explored during the first two seasons of work?
2). What’s seen in the aerial view of 1984 excavation (Figure 16)? Note what you observe in this image.
3). What activities are going on in “general view of excavation” (Figure 17)? Given what you’ve read, what does it look like people are doing?
4). Does the “cemetery” image look like a cemetery to you? (Figure 18) Why? Why not? What three observations can you make about the cemetery features you observed?
5). How do archaeologists think that Structure 1 and Feature 9 functioned? Go to: http://www.ibiblio.org/rla/dig/html/excavations/exc_cl.html and click on the images.
6). Under Field Methods. From Home go to Background. Then on the left side of the page click on Frederick’s Site Excavations then scroll down to Field Methods. Why was plowzone screened through ½” wire mesh when the other layers of soil were screened through ¼” or 1/16” wire mesh?
7). Return to the Home Page (at http://www.ibiblio.org/rla/dig/html/index.html). Click on Excavations and look at the site plan. For this part of the exercise pick any three features in one or two of the site quadrants and describe each very briefly. Feature descriptions should include a) what was found in the feature, b) the profile shape of the feature and c) the probable function(s) of the feature.
8). Go back to the home page and click on Interpretations. Read through several of the sections (on the left side of the page) and tell me what you learned about Excavating Occaneechi Town.
Why do the UNC-Chapel Hill archaeologists say “The archaeological record of the Occaneechi documents rapid culture change, but it also reveals a picture of remarkable stability?” What did archaeologists find at the Frederick’s site that would lead them to make this statement? You can answer this question by reading through the various sections on stone tools, ceramic artifacts, trade, subsistence practices, and other topics.
Plan of Occaneechi Town Reconstructed Occaneechi Town in Hillsborough Historic District
Exercise 4 is due no later than 5:00 pm on September 30, 2011. Please type your answers to these questions, making sure your name, date(s), class and exercise number are included with your answers.