Introduction
The Harroun Site (University of Texas Site No. 41UR10), in the extreme northeastern corner of Upshur County, Texas, is one of several sites excavated in the Ferrell’s Bridge Reservoir area as a part of the Inter-Agency Archeological Salvage Project. The site, which consisted of four small mounds on the south floodplain of Cypress Creek, was located and recorded by E. Mott Davis and Bernard Golden in October, 1957. It promised to produce valuable archeological data, and since it was scheduled to be completely submerged by Ferrell’s Bridge Reservoir in the summer of 1959, immediate steps were taken to provide for salvage excavations prior to its inundation.
In December, 1957, a National Park Service field party excavated the smallest of the four mounds, Mound A. A single extended burial containing two pottery vessels and an arrow point, was found in a shallow grave beneath the mound. It appeared that Mound A had been erected for the purpose of covering the burial. While Mound A was being excavated, the entire site was mapped, several trenches and test pits were dug in the floodplain of Cypress Creek near Mound A, and some of the trees and bushes were cleared from the other three mounds.
In September, 1958, under terms of a co-operative agreement between The University of Texas and the National Park Service, a crew of the Texas Archeological Salvage Project returned to Harroun to complete the investigation of the site. Because of time limitations it was apparent that all three of the remaining mounds (B, C, and D) could not be entirely excavated. Therefore, it was decided to concentrate on Mound C since it appeared superficially to be the least disturbed of the three. After excavation of Mound C was well under way, a portion of the crew was moved to Mound B and it was also opened. Both mounds were found to contain burned remains of house structures.
Fig. 1
HARROUN SITE
41 UR 10
PLAN OF SITE
solid lines mark measured locations
dashed lines mark approximate locations
LOW MARSHY AREA FENCE MOUND C BORROW PIT LAKE high water drainage channel MOUND B CYPRESS CREEK MOUND A MOUND D
Investigation of Mound D was begun late in September a few days before the termination of the dig. Time did not permit complete excavation of Mound D that season, but it was tested sufficiently to reveal that it—like Mounds B and C—contained the burned remains of at least one house.
During the 1958 season, in addition to the work at Mounds B, C, and D, several trenches and test pits were dug in the floodplain near the mounds in a fruitless search for additional occupational features.
A final trip was made to the site in February, 1959, by L. F. Duffield, W. A. Davis, and E. Mott Davis of the Texas Archeological Salvage Project. They spent three days exposing and recording the portion of the house at Mound D which had been left unexcavated the previous fall.
As a result of the investigations at the Harroun Site in 1957, 1958, and 1959, all four of the mounds were completely excavated except for certain marginal portions and several check blocks. In addition, the area surrounding the mounds was tested sufficiently to show that there was no general area of occupation near the mounds. The excavation of the Harroun Site was supervised by the senior author. The junior author served as an assistant archeologist during both the 1957 and 1958 seasons.
The artifacts recovered indicate affiliation with the Fulton Aspect of the Caddoan Area (Suhm et al., 1954: 151-161). The Fulton Aspect is the later of two aspects that have been recognized in the Caddoan Area as belonging to the agricultural, ceramic Mississippi culture pattern of the Southeastern United States.
To the Corps of Engineers, whose personnel at Ferrell’s Bridge extended many courtesies and co-operated with the archeological field parties in every possible way, we express our sincere gratitude. Special acknowledgment is due Dr. E. Mott Davis and Dr. J. F. Epstein, staff archeologists of The University of Texas, who visited the site while the dig was in progress, and who not only aided the progress of the excavations by flexing their muscles over shovels and wheelbarrows, but also offered much valuable advice toward solving the technical problems encountered in the field. Their prowess with their guitars contributed greatly to the conviviality of the field camp in the evenings.
A word of thanks and appreciation is due the shovel hands who worked at the Harroun Site in 1957, 1958, and 1959. All extended themselves beyond normal expectation in order to accomplish a maximum amount of work in the limited time available. They are John B. Johnson, Robert L. Brockman, Thomas V. Loveday, W. Brent Hempkins, Floyd W. Sharrock, Andrue Moore, A. C. Harvey, and W. C. Jones. We wish also to thank Mr. Sam Whiteside of Tyler, Texas, a frequent visitor to the site who spent many hours on the dig as a volunteer shovel hand.
Especially to be commended are the assistant archeologists, John Allen Graham, L. F. Duffield, W. A. Davis, and LeRoy Johnson, Jr., all of whom carried out their duties in exemplary fashion despite the continuous pressure under which they were working.