A Middle Woodland household on the Etowah River : archaeological investigations of the Hardin Bridge Site, 9BR34, Bartow County, Georgia

A ~ i d d Iweoodland ~ouseholdI
on the ~ t o whaRiver

A ~iddIweoodland ~ousehold1. A
on the tomh River
Archaeological Investigations of the Hardin Bridge Site, 9BR34
&tow County, Georgia
Project Number BRlR15(17)
P1 Number 67 1225
Report Submitted To Greenhorne and O'Mara 2121 New Market ParkwaySuite 100 Marietta, GA 30067
Report Prepared For Georgia Department of Transportation Office of the Environmentllmtion 3993 Aviation Circle Atlanta, GA
30336-1 593
tleport Prepared By New South Associates 6150 East Ponce de Leon Avenue Stone Mountain,Gmrgia 30083
ChristopherT. Espenshade-Co-Prinapal lnvestlgator
- Shawn M. Patch bPrindpal lnvwtigator
mrt Edited Eiy R. m i n e Windham - Editor Christopher7; Espenshade - Editor
- Julie1. bco Editor
September 1,2008 FkialHew Swth Assodates Techniral Report 1572

fl THE tlAI#]lNBR1DCEAT 98R34

Acknowledgements For Hardin Bridge
The current project was sponsored by the Georgia Department of Trampmation (GDOT), tbtough a contract with Greenhame& O'Mara. New SourhAssociates, Inc. wishes tothank Jim Pornfret. G W T a~haeologisatnd comact person, for his friendly help, competent advice, and prompt supply of background infomation concerning the mitigation of the Hardin Bridge site.Tom Tkacs of Greenhome & O'Mmprovided valuable logistical support.
Land-ownw Mike Stevens is thanked for gmciously allowing us on his property and supplying information about envimnmental conditions at the site,
We hank the numemus individuals, locals and professionals alike. which have prwided infbrmation h u t regional sites and resources. Scot Keith, of Temcon, Inc. i s especially thanked for his time md input, Mad Williams from the Georgia
Archaeological Site Files, at the University of Georgia, Athens provided assistance during background research related to this and the forthcoming Woodand context study,
The success of r project involving extensive machine-assistedscraping and geomorp~ot~ctarelnch excavations requires a skilledbaclrhoe opwator. Billy Cox and Johnny Smith o fTam Contractingproved excellent.
The project included an archaeology day for the public. Jim Pornfret and Eric Duff of GDOT ar& ttranked for their organization ofthis event. Numerous individuals participated and providedadditional assistance including the following: Sara Gale, Pamela Johnson. and Heather Mustonem o f GDOT and Scab Marquez and JJustin Bymes of New South Associates, as well as Chris Espensbade for his pottery demonstration.Cad Etheridge is especially tbaaked forpresenting stone tool technologies. In addition, the Eastern Band of the Cherokee are thanked for an mazing interactive presentation of traditional game, dance, and cuIn*~.Cherokee participants included Christine Goins (figureweaving), George Goins (baskets), Freenran Owle (stone carver and storyteller), 30Taylor (dances), Bill Reed and the Warriors of AniKituhwa (stickball).Diamond Brown {Cherokee encampment), and Eddie Crowe (fry bread). The Town of Euhadee i s thanked for providing the location for archaeolcgy day.
In alphabetical order the following archaeologists are thanked for many hours assisting Jeannine Windham, d i d n g in the north Georgia mid: Carl Etheridge, Mike Hayden. Jay tngle, Dennis Lamon, and Madge Smith. Kevin Harrelson
of Tennessee Valley Archaeological Research is thanked for doing a greatjob on the GIs maps and database. Dr.Keith
S e m u r provided the geomorphologicalinterpretation o fthe site. Dr. Mary Theresa bnhage-Freund, Associate Professor Alma Coliege. Michigan, assisted with the archaeobotanical analysis. [3d Eleanom Reber of University of North Carolina, Wilmington performed residue analysis and interpretation of a ceramic specimen. At the New South office in Stone Mountain.a multitudeofpeopleassistedinthe completionofthisproject.Tom Quinnmasterfullycompletedthe i l I ~ t i o n s and layout, Amy Ironsand Josh Blackmon oversaw the massive labomtory effort from the washing and analysis o fartifacts through to curation and preparation ofa final catalog. Stefan Bmnnan and Jw Ivanowski headed the artifact analysis and were helped by Justin Arrington, Cathy Blanford,Justin Byrnes, Veronica Danids. David Hankerson, Michael McCaffery, Smh Mclntyre. Scott Morris.Lesley Nash, Sadttsna Singh, and Melissa Umberger. Joe Joseph andYulounda Ralls look care of administrative mmm. David Diener created the project web site. Sadhana Singh organized and formatted the plethora of tables within this document, Jennifer WiIson and JenniferAzmirIlo are thanked for theirprodurtion work.

Specialt h d a is givenbothto the field technicians(picturedin the upper left) d a h those who analyzedthe artifacts back in tbe laboratory foraU oftheir hard work (pictured in the lower right).

Table of Contents
Abstract ............................................................................................................................................................................... I1
Acknowledgements For Hardin Bridge...............................................................................................................................III
Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................................................. V
List of Figures......................................................................................................................................................................X
...
List ofTables.....................................................................................................................................................................XV
Chapter 1.Introduction (Author: R.JeannineWindham) ..................................................................................................1
PreviousResearch................................................................................................................................................... 1 Methods ..................................................................................................................................................................3 Findings .................................................................................................................................................................. 4 Report Format.........................................................................................................................................................4
Chapter 2 .Environmental Setting (Author: R.Jeannine Windham and Leslie E.Raymer)................................................7
Physiography ........................................................................................................................................................7 Ridge and Valley ..............................................................................................................................7...... Piedmont........................................................................................................................................... 7 Blue Ridge .............................................................................................................................................8 Cumberland Plateau ...........................................................................................................................8......
Geology ..................................................................................................................................................................8 GreatValley District and the Rome Formation........................................................................................8
Soils...................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Hydrology.........................................................................................................................................................13 Climate ............................................................................................................................................................. 14 The Late Holocene Biotic Community.................................................................................................................14
Upland Ecozones....................................................................................................................................15 Bottomland Ecozone..............................................................................................................................17 CulturallyDisturbed Ecozone................................................................................................................19
Chapter 3 .Cultural Background(Author: R.Jeannine Windham)....................................................................................21 Prehistoric Context.............................................................................................................................................2 1 Pre-Clovis/Pre-PaleoindianPeriod (>11. 000 B.P. / >9050 B.C.) ...........................................................22 PaleoindianPeriod (11.000- 10.000 B.P. / 9050 B.C. - 8000 B.C.) .....................................................23 Archaic Period (10. 000-3.000 B.P. / 8000 B.C. - 1000B.C.) .............................................................25 EarlyArchaic (10,000.8,000 B.P. / 8000-6000 B.C.) ........................................................................27
THE HARDIN BRIDGE SITE 9BR34 v

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Middle Archaic (6.000 .4.500 B.P. I 6000-2800 B.C.) .......................................................................29 Late Archaic (5.400 .3.000 B.P. 1 3500- 1000B.C.) ............................................................................ 30 Woodland Period (3.000- 1.000 B.P. I 1000B.C. -A.D. 1000)............................................................ 32 Early Woodland (circa 3.000 - 1.500 B.P. 11000- 300 B.C.) ............................................................... 33 Shared Early and Middle Woodland Cultural Traits ......................................................................... 34 Early Woodland Sites............................................................................................................................ 3 6 Selected Early to Middle Woodland Transitional Sites .......................................................................... 38 Middle Woodland (2.500to 1.500 B.P. 1A.D. 200 .500)...................................................................... 40 Late Woodland (1.500- 1.000 B.P. IA.D. 500 .1000).......................................................................... 43 MississippianPeriod (1.000 -400 B.P. I A.D. 1000.1540).................................................................. 45 Historic Indian Period ........................................................................................................................... 47 Effects of HistoricActivities............................................................................................................... 47 PreviousWork at the Hardin Bridge Site............................................................................................. 49
Chapter4 .Research Goals (Author: R.Jeannine Windham) ............................................................................................ 51 Woodland............................................................................................................................................................. 51 Lithic Reduction .................................................................................................................................................. 53
Chapter 5 .Field and Laboratory Methods (Author: R.JeannineWindham)................................................................. 55 Field Methods ..................................................................................................................................................... 55 Block 1:Woodland Occupational Activity Area .................................................................................... 55 GPR AnomaliesA and B........................................................................................................................ 56 GPR Anomaly D ................................................................................................................................... 5 6 Block 2: Exploratory Excavations of FloodplainDeposits of Terrace 1................................................ 59 Block 3: Lithic Workshop Activity Area ............................................................................................... 59 GeomorphologyInvestigations............................................................................................................. 60 LaboratoryMethods............................................................................................................................................ 6 1 LithicAnalyses.................................................................................................................................... 6 1 Morphological Flake Analysis ............................................................................................................. 64 BiologicaYCharcoaUOther..................................................................................................................... 79 Historic Artifacts ................................................................................................................................... 79
Chapter 6 .Geomorphological Investigations(Author: Keith C.Seramur)....................................................................... 83 Methods ............................................................................................................................................................... 83 Geologic Setting .................................................................................................................................................. 83 Stratigraphyand SedimentologyDescriptions ..................................................................................................... 87 TrenchT-1.............................................................................................................................................. 8 7 TrenchT-2 and T-3............................................................................................................................. 8 7 Interpretations ...................................................................................................................................................... 89 Discussion............................................................................................................................................................ 9 1
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Chapter 7 .Results Of Investigation (Author: R.JeannineWindhamand Leslie E.Raymer)...........................................93 Block 1 ................................................................................................................................................................. 93 Woodland OccupationalActivity Area ..........................................................................................................9 3 Small Pits and Postholes ........................................................................................................................99 Small Basins......................................................................................................................................... 136 Large Basins......................................................................................................................................... 148 Large Pits ............................................................................................................................................174 Vessel Base Segment............................................................................................................................ 192 Historic Features................................................................................................................................................. 194 HistoricWall......................................................................................................................................... 194 Historic Posthole .................................................................................................................................. 194 Looted Features.................................................................................................................................... 197 Noncultural Soil Anomalies ............................................................................................................................... 199 T r e e k t.............................................................................................................................................. 200 Soil Disturbance................................................................................................................................. 200 GPR Anomalies A and B .................................................................................................................................... 200 GeomorphologyTrenchT-1 ............................................................................................................ 2 0 4 Block 2: Exploratory Excavationsof TI Floodplain.......................................................................................... 204 Block 3: Lithic Workshop Activity Area ............................................................................................................ 207 Block 3 Stratigraphy......................................................................................................................... 207 Block 3 Units........................................................................................................................................ 213 Block 3 Features ................................................................................................................................................. 235 GPR Anomaly D ................................................................................................................................................ 247
Chapter 8 .Ceramic Analysis (Author: Josh D.Blackmon and ChristopherT.Espenshade)......................................... 249 Methods ............................................................................................................................................................. 249 Preliminary Analysis...................................................................................................................... 2 4 9 SampleVessel Analysis....................................................................................................................... 249 Vessel Description ............................................................................................................................. 252 VesselAttribute Comparison................................................................................................................ 269 Summary............................................................................................................................................ 276 Vessel Distribution Patterns ................................................................................................................. 277 Implicationsof Refuse Patterns ........................................................................................................... 278 Modeling Use Span............................................................................................................................ 286 Vertical Distributionsin Block 3.......................................................................................................... 288 Ceramic Mix and Chronology........................................................................................................... 290 Regional Comparisons........................................................................................................................................ 293
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter9 .Lithic Analysis (Author: ShawnM.Patch and StefanI? Brannan)................................................................ 295
Lithic Quarries andWorkshops.......................................................................................................................2 9 6 Quarries................................................................................................................................................ 297 Workshops......................................................................................................................................... 2 9 7
DebitageAnalysis............................................................................................................................................. 2 9 8 MassAnalysis of Block 3............................................................ ....................................................... 299 Individual Flake Analysis of Block 3................................................................................................... 314 Debitage Raw Material........................................................................................................................ 324 Debitage Statistics................................................................................................................................ 327 Micro-debitage ................................................................................................................................... 332
Flaked StoneTools........................................................................................................................................ 333 BifaceAnalysis.................................................................................................................................. 334 Biface Stage Perspective ...................................................................................................................... 336 Discussion of MetricAttributes ........................................................................................................... 351 Raw Material Perspective ................................................................................................................... 351 Hafted Bifaces..................................................................................................................................... 359
Hafted Biface Block Distribution...................................................................................................................... 380 Cores.................................................................................................................................................. 3 8 2 ExpedientTools................................................................................................................................. 386 Other Tools ......................................................................................................................................... 387
Discussion........................................................................................................................................................... 388 Evidence for Biface Production........................................................................................................... 388 Processes of Lithic Procurement...................................................................................................... 390 Hafted Biface Types............................................................................................................................ 391. Settlement/Subsistence....................................................................................................................... 392 Specializationand Exchange............................................................................................................. 392 Evidence for Control of Chert Source.................................................................................................. 393
. . Chapter 10.Subsistence Studies Interpretations (Author: Leslie E Rayrner and R Jeannine Windham with a contribution
fromMary Theresa Bonhage-Freund)............................................................................................................................ 3 9 5 Methods................................................................................................................................................ 397 CompositionAnd Interpretation Of MacroplantAssemblage............................................................ 3 9 8 Cultivated Plants .................................................................................................................................. 399 Fruits.................................................................................................................................................. 4 0 2 Herbaceous Plants ................................................................................................................................ 404 Nut Crops ........................................................................................................................................... 405 Nutshell Density................................................................................................................................... 406
Nutshell Ubiquity ............................................................................................................................................... 410 Nutshell Ratios..................................................................................................................................... 410 Evidence For AnthropogenicHabitat Modification........................................................................ 4 1 2
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Wood Charcoal Analysis ...................................................................................................................... 413 Brief Review of the Natural Setting....................................................................................................414 Block 1 Wood Charcoal................................................................................................................................... 415 Ceramic Residue Analysis....................................................................................................................417 ZooarchaeologicalAnalysis .................................................................................................................417 Conclusions....................................................................................................................................... 417
. . Chapter 1 1 .Site Summary And Interpretation (Author: R Jeannine Windham, ChristopherT.Espenshade. and ShawnM
Patch) ........................................................................................................................................................................... 419 Possible StructureMousePatterns...................................................................................................................... 420 Subsistence......................................................................................................................................... 425 Lithic Workshop ................................................................................................................................... 426 Length of Occupation........................................................................................................................... 427
. Chapter 12 .Summary And Regional Implications (Author: R Jeannine Windham, Shawn M.Patch and Christopher T.
Espenshade) ................................................................................................................................................................ 429 Summaryof Research......................................................................................................................................... 429 Results ............................................................................................................................................................ 429 Future Research Considerations......................................................................................................................... 431 Compliance with the Data Recovery Plan and MOA ......................................................................................... 433
References.......................................................................................................................................................................435
. Appendix A Artifact Catalog
Appendix B.Lithic Tool Catalog
. Appendix C Coordinates
Appendix D.Radiocarbon Dating Results Appendix E.Detailed ResultsTables Appendix F. Floatation Results From GDOT's Phase I1 Investigationsof Feature I1
. Appendix G Detailed SubsistenceTables . Appendix H Report on the Absorbed Residue from a TetrapodVessel from the Hardin Bridge Site
Appendix I. 9BR34Site Form Appendix J. Principal Investigators' Resumes
ME HARDIN BRIDGE SITE 9BR34