The Missouri Archaeologist, Volume 34, No. 1 and 2, December 1972

by Various

A REPORT OF SALVAGE INVESTIGATIONS AT ST. CHARLES, MISSOURI

by J. M. Shippee

In the latter part of August 1956, Mr. Andrew H. McCulloch of St. Charles, Missouri addressed a letter to the Department of Anthropology, University of Missouri, in which he told of the discovery of buried remains which were thought to be of Indian origin. Road construction in a new housing area just north of St. Charles, Missouri had exposed an Indian camp site on high ground overlooking the Missouri-Mississippi River flood plain. Mr. McCulloch had been informed by the land owner, Mr. J. D. Wright, that a portion of a grave had been opened, exposing bones of humans and animals and broken pottery vessels.

The letter was delivered to Carl H. Chapman, then Director of American Archaeology at the university, who visited the site and decided that further investigations were advisable. Professor Chapman directed the writer to make limited investigations at the site. This work was done in 3 days beginning September 1, with the very capable assistance of Leonard Blake and Winton Meyer of St. Louis, and Robert Wright of St. Charles.

The new road cut which exposed the remains is located at the eastern edge of an old field, which has an elevation of 90 feet above the river flood plain. Erosion had removed much of the dark topsoil from above the light colored loess, which apparently is very deep. At five locations in the road cut, dark deposits of cultural debris were observed in clearly defined pits which had been cross-sectioned by the grading machines. These pits were grouped at the deeper excavations for the road which were approximately 500 feet apart. At several places, in loose earth along the road, Indian artifacts were found where the grading operations had deposited them; their exact provenience is therefore, doubtful.

Pits A and B were at the north end of the field and were exposed in the vertical bank at the east side of the new road. Both had been gouged by curious persons, and nothing is known of the material removed prior to the work described here.

Pit A could be clearly defined in outline beneath 28 inches of overburden. This overburden consisted of 4 inches of top soil and 24 inches of light colored soil. The pit outlined by the cultural fill measured 8 inches deep, and had been approximately 40 inches in diameter. Excavation later revealed that the deposit extended only 13 inches into the bank, the greater part of the deposit having been previously removed. The sterile overburden was examined as it was removed from above the pit. The pit fill was so compact that Blake had difficulty in examining it. The deposit contained 3 rimsherds ([Fig. 1]) and 31 bodysherds in the upper part, and considerable bone scrap of animals in the lower. A trace of burned clay and a few small lumps of fired limestone were scattered in the fill. Charred wood was collected for radiocarbon dating, and according to Dr. J. B. Griffin of the University of Michigan and Professor H. R. Crane, University of Michigan Memorial-Phoenix Radiocarbon Laboratory, it was found to be dated (M-619)—1240±200 years before present, which would give the date before 1950 as A.D. 710±200. Also found in the pit were a few flint flakes and one crude flint blank. The bones in pit A were thought to be from game animals and consisted of 5 mandibles and 2 long bones. A large mandible, from which all the teeth had been removed by pot-hunters, is thought to be that of a bison. Three mandibles were from deer.

Figure 1. Pit A pottery

a THE LIP HAS BEEN SMOOTHED. THE CORDMARKED EXTERIOR SURFACE IS BROWN, THE INTERIOR IS DARK GREY b c EXTERIOR COLOR OF b AND C IS DARK BROWN TO LIGHT BROWN. THE CORDMARKING IS TYPICAL OF THE SITE, INTERIORS ARE SMOOTH, COLOR IS A DULL BROWN. THE TEMPER IS CLAY c THIS SHERD IS PROBABLY NAPLES DENTATE STAMPED OF THE MIDDLE WOODLAND OR HOPEWELL COMPLEX. ITS OCCURRENCE IN THIS PIT IS PUZZLING.

The potsherds from pit A are from large vessels, and with one exception they have lightly re-smoothed cordmarked exteriors. All sherds have been smoothed inside. Of the three rimsherds recovered, two have rounded lips and one a rather flat lip which, in the process of smoothing, received considerable more burring over the outer edge than those with the rounded lip. All sherds are hard and clay tempered. The color of these sherds is a muddy-brown or brownish-grey. An exceptional sherd from pit A is tan in color, clay tempered except for a few particles of grit, has a smooth interior and is decorated on the outer surface with roulette or dentate stamping ([Fig. 1], d).

Pit B, located 33 feet south of pit A in the same east bank was similar, but only a small remnant of it remained after the usual vandalism. This pit was beneath 24 inches of overburden; it had a concentration of cultural fill that measured 6 inches in depth and the diameter had been approximately 30 inches. Small lumps of fired limestone were scattered through the fill, which included two rimsherds ([Fig. 2], a and b) and 12 small body sherds. One rimsherd is evidently from a miniature pot. It is smooth inside and out, grey in color, very hard and without apparent tempering material. The other rimsherd is similar to those from pit A which have the rounded lips. The body sherds seem to be from rather large vessels which had cordmarked exterior surfaces and are clay tempered except for one which was tempered with grit. One flake of white chert showed usage.

Pit C was a small, poorly defined deposit of material foreign to the light colored soil about it. The top of the deposit was 15 inches below the present surface of the field. Three large cordmarked sherds and a number of small ones were excavated. There were also bits of burned clay and a few flint chips. Nearby, in the disturbed earth of the road, several large, grit tempered and cordmarked sherds were recovered.

Pit D was exposed partly in the west bank of the road at its southern end. In addition to the part of the pit exposed in the cutbank, the horizontal outline of the pit could be traced on the surface of the graded road. Approximately half the contents of the pit had been graded away. This pit, which excavation revealed to be 20 inches deep, as marked by the dark fill, was covered by 18 inches of light colored soil. The sides belled considerably and the flat, oval bottom measured 4 feet northwest to southeast by 5 feet northeast to southwest.

Figure 2. Pits B and D, Artifacts

PIT B POTTERY a INTERIOR IS DARK GREY b FRAGMENT OF A MINIATURE POT SURFACES ARE SMOOTH AND GREY NO TEMPERING VISIBLE. SECTION OF CLAY RING PERFORATED CANINE CORDMARKED DISC OF TAN COLORED POTTERY PROJECTILE POINTS ARE FROM FLAKES CHIPPED AROUND THE EDGES a AND d. ARE OF PINK CHALCEDONY FLINT FLAKE DRILL

Over 150 potsherds were recovered; 17 were rims of vessels, nine are sketched in [Figure 3]. With few exceptions, these rims were similar to those from pits A and B and are from large vessels. They were cordmarked, very hard, and are tempered with clay and some grit. Many sherds break squarely, others flake badly and even crumble. From these potsherds, one vessel has been restored sufficiently to give its characteristics ([Fig. 4]). The pot, of about 3 quarts capacity, is 8 inches high, 8 inches at its greatest diameter and is rather thin walled. It has dark grey paste, is clay tempered, very hard and has fine vertical cordmarks over the upper body with cordmarks at random below the shoulder. The smooth interior has small angular impressions or punctates inside the lip, which is slightly everted. This vessel, considerably different from the others at the site, is very similar to one from Arnold-Research Cave which is 70 miles west in Callaway County, Missouri (Shippee, 1966). The pot from the cave was shell tempered. In a personal communication of April 13, 1959, Dr. James B. Griffin states that in theory the pottery from this site can be compared to that from sites where Canteen grit tempered cordmarked and perhaps Korando clay tempered cordmarked material is recovered. Of the many sherds recovered from pit D, all are cordmarked or brushed. One sherd is from a vessel with a thick conical base.

A baked clay object from pit D seems to be a section of a small ring ([Fig. 2]). One unperforated disc of cordmarked pottery was found ([Fig. 2]). Three projectile points were found ([Fig. 2]). These points were made from flakes struck from cores. Two have only primary chipping around the perimeter; the third has secondary chipping on one edge. Two of the points were made from a pale pink chalcedony. Of the small number of flint flakes found, few show evidence of use, but one had been modified to form a drill ([Fig. 2]). The perforated canine of a dog or wolf was in the fill of this pit ([Fig. 2]). Two antler sections have been altered; one by a cut which removed the tine and the other by cutting or scraping to thin it. Bone scrap of fish and animals, mussel shells and burned limestone fragments occurred in pit D. Of the considerable charcoal recovered from pit D, a sample sent to Michigan was dated (M-620) at 930±100 years B.P. or A.D. 1020±100 before 1950. The wood was from a white ash group, a red oak group and hickory. Identification by R. Yarnell Nov. 21, 1962. Reported by letter from George J. Armelagos Jan. 28, 1963.

Pit E contained one rimsherd similar to those numerous on the site, and 14 body sherds, one of which was from a large vessel having a conoidal base. Three sherds were from a miniature pot. Pit E was 24 feet south of pit D and on the same west road bank. It could be defined below 19 inches of light colored overburden and had a depth of 8 inches. A radiocarbon date for charcoal from pit E is (M-621)—1180±100 B.P. or A.D. 770±100 before 1950. The charcoal was from red oak and white oak groups, as identified by Richard Yarnell at the University of Michigan.

Figure 3. Pit D pottery

INTERIOR IMPRESSIONS INSIDE LIP ARE BY A CORD WRAPPED ROD INTERIOR EXTERIOR OF THE LARGE RIMS HAVE VERTICAL CORDMARKS, LIP TO SHOULDER AND AT RANDOM BELOW. SLIGHT RESMOOTHING IS EVIDENT, COLOR IS BROWN TO BLACK. ALL PIT D RIMS HAVE CORDMARKED EXTERIORS LIP AND INTERIOR ARE PREDOMINATELY SMOOTHED SHERD INTERIOR IS ON RIGHT

Figure 4.

RESTORED FROM PIT D SMALL DENTATE IMPRESSIONS ARE ON THE INSIDE OF THE LIP. EXTERIOR BRUSHED EXTERIOR INTERIOR SURFACE OF ROAD

From the surface of the road there was collected three rimsherds, 20 body sherds, bone scrap, and a hammerstone which had a pit in two of its flat faces. Artifacts are reported to have been found on the surface of the field surrounding this hilltop site, but we found scant evidence of occupation in the plowed soil. This lack of surface material may be further evidence of considerable deposition over the pits that were exposed in the roadway across the site.

Leonard Blake sent a copy of the original manuscript of this excavation to Patrick J. Munson of the Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois, and Mr. Munson kindly submitted comparisons and comments on the 23SC50 and Late Woodland ceramics in the American Bottoms. The following is from his letter of June 15, 1966.

“The pottery shows similarities to both Korondo Cordmarked and what I call “Early Bluff” (which includes part of what Griffin calls Canteen Cordmarked and which conforms to part of Titterington’s Jersey Bluff focus). Korondo and Early Bluff are definitely related in some way (probably regional variants of what is basically the same cultural pattern) and your material therefore represents still another variant of this same pattern.

The comparisons and contrasts can best be illuminated in the following table:

	Korondo	Early Bluff	St. Charles
Vessel Shape	x	x	x
Mostly Cordmarked	x	x	x
Mostly Sherd Tempered	x		x
Mostly Grit Tempered		x
Squared Lip	x
Rounded, “sloppy” lip		x	x
Interior Lip Cord Wrapped Stick stamp	x	x	x
Interior Lip plain stamp	x	x
Exterior Lip plain stamp		x
Vertical Lip plain stamp		x
Undecorated Lip	x	x	x

As such, your material seems about as similar to one as the other, every attribute being shared with either Korondo or Early Bluff, or with both.

Also your radiocarbon dates, or at least the two earliest ones, conform quite well. Dr. Robert Hall, now of the University of Chicago, has two dates for a Korondo site in the southern part of the American Bottoms (Stolle Quarry) AD-700 and 900, and by a process of elimination, Early Bluff in the northern portion of the Bottoms must date pre-850. (Korondo is found in the southern part of the Bottoms and south; Early Bluff is in the northern portion and north.) Your one dentate stamped sherd ([Fig. 1]) is probably Naples Dentate Stamped, and as such is surely an accidental inclusion—I doubt if this Middle Woodland type was made later than A.D. 400 at the latest. Also the largest projectile point from pit D looks like a sloppy Snyders Point, again a Middle Woodland type and probably an accident (or a specimen collected by the Late Woodland peoples). The smallest point from the pit is probably a Late Woodland Koster Point (cf. Perino, 1963, Central States Arch. Jour., Vol. 10, No. 3, pp. 95-100).

An attribute you might include in your pottery description is the direction of twist of cords used in making the cordmarkings; “S” twist (right hand) and “Z” twist (left hand)—but remember, the impressions on the pottery are negative, so the cord was the opposite of the impressions that you see. I found the percentage of this attribute quite significant in separating Early Bluff from Late Bluff.”