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US Route 301 Archaeology Update

Written on: August 31st, 2012 in Archaeology Updates US301

This week at the Cardon-Holton Site Hunter Research, Inc. was busy removing the plowzone revealing numerous features dating to the early 18th century and possibly the late 17th century.  Along the site’s southern border a large circular stain measuring 11 feet across was exposed.  An auger test placed in the center suggested it extended four feet below the bottom of the plowzone with fresh water currently at six feet below the base of the plowzone.  At first we thought it might be a shallow well but initial exploration revealed a void where wood once lined the upper two feet suggesting the shaft may have served as a cistern or an icehouse.  Further excavations should give us more clues as to the true function.  Artifacts from the initial excavation include a small eight-sided silver button with an inscribed flower, a few wrought nails and ceramics dating to the first half of the 18th century such as English made ceramics (Midlands mottled, buff-bodied Staffordshire ware, Jackfield ware, and black matt glazed red-bodied earthenware) and German Westerwald stoneware.   Mechanical stripping of the plowzone exposed several features originally identified in the initial testing.  Small bits of  North Devon sgraffito plates recovered from the plowzone lead to the discovery of the two large mending sherds pictured below recovered from the top of a probable refuse pit.  Larger sherds like these may help us identify the area in Devon from which they were made.