The Lawhorn Site

by John Moselage

Page [PREFACE
By Carl H. Chapman] iv [THE LAWHORN SITE
By John Moselage] 1 [FOREWORD] 2 [LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION] 2 [GEOLOGICAL SETTING] 4 [METHODOLOGY] 9 [Sunday, October 21, 1956] 9 [Saturday, October 27, 1956] 9 [November 25, 1956] 10 [38R5, Sunday, April 28, 1957] 11 [15R8, June 21, 1957] 12 [7R13, July 14, 1957] 13 [31R17, March 15, 1958] 13 [27R32, January 25, 1959] 15 [32R36, March 20, 1960] 16 [41R21, March 22, 1960] 16 [41R22, March 22, 1960] 18 [EXCAVATIONS] 18 [MATERIAL CULTURE] 20 [Pottery] 20 [Sand Tempered] 20 [Shell Tempered] 25 [Appendages] 25 [Effigies] 30 [Vessel Forms] 34 [Bowls] 34 [Jars] 36 [Water Bottles] 36 [DESCRIPTION AND COMPARISON] 38 [SUMMARY OF THE POTTERY] 42 [Pottery Disks] 44 [Projectile Points] 44 [Other Chipped Stone Artifacts] 51 [Mortars and Pestles] 51 [Stone Abraders and Whetstones] 54 [Pottery and Clay Abraders] 54 [Anvilstones] 57 [Hammerstones] 57 [Groundstone Celts] 57 [Pipes] 57 [Bone and Antler Artifacts] 58 [Brickette and Daub] 58 [Shell Artifacts] 63 [Vegetal Remains] 63 [FEATURES] 63 [Refuse Pits] 63 [Ash Pits] 65 [Firebasins] 65 [HOUSES] 69 [House 1] 69 [House 2] 69 [House 3] 73 [BURIALS] 80 [SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS] 87 [SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AREA CHRONOLOGY] 93 [APPENDIX A: IDENTIFICATION OF THE FAUNAL REMAINS FROM THE LAWHORN SITE
By Paul W. Parmalee] 95 [APPENDIX B: ANALYSIS OF VEGETAL REMAINS FROM LAWHORN SITE
By Leonard W. Blake] 97 [APPENDIX C: BURIALS AT THE LAWHORN SITE
By Charles H. Nash] 99 [REFERENCES CITED] 104

ILLUSTRATIONS

Figures Page [FRONTISPIECE] iii [1. Map of Lawhorn Site in Relation to Archaeological Sites in the Central Mississippi Valley] 3 [2. Aerial View of the St. Francis River “Sunken Lands” and the Lawhorn Site] 5 [3. Aerial View of Drainage Ditch and Levee at the Lawhorn Site] 6 [4. Contour Map of the Lawhorn Site, with Levee, Drainage Ditch, Excavated Areas and Grid Control System] 7 [5. Cord Marked Sherds and Positive Impressions] 21 [6. Sand Tempered Textile Marked Sherds and Clay Impressions] 22 [7. Sand Tempered Textile Marked Sherds and Impressions] 23 [8. Pottery Handles and Lugs] 26 [9. Jar Forms] 28 [10. Pottery Handles] 29 [11. Human Effigy Head] 31 [12. Painted Pottery] 32 [13. Decorated Pottery Sherds] 33 [14. Bowls] 35 [15. Water Bottles] 37 [16. Pottery Vessels with Burial 24] 40 [17. Pottery Disks] 45 [18. Corner Notched and Stemmed Arrowheads] 47 [19. Ovoid and Trianguloid Arrowheads] 48 [20. Stemmed Projectile Points] 50 [21. Projectile Points] 52 [22. Chipped Stone Tools] 53 [23. Mortars and Pestles] 55 [24. Stone and Pottery Abraders and Stone Pipe] 56 [25. Bone Tools] 59 [26. Bone Beads and Burned Clay Daub] 60 [27. Brickettes or Fired Clay Artifacts] 62 [28. Shell Ornaments and Tools] 64 [29. Broken Pottery Jar] 66 [30. Firebasin of Unusual Shape] 68 [31. House Ground Plan with Charred Remains, Firebasin, Ash Dumps and Refuse Pit] 70 [32. Charred Cane Poles and Grass, Part of House 1] 71 [33. Houses 2 and 3] 72 [34. Pottery Vessel in House 2 Firebasin] 74 [35. Ground Plan of House 2 with Firebasin and Burned Floor Area, and House 3 with Details of the Burned Super-structure] 75 [36. Charred Wattle Work Wall or Roof Section of House 3] 76 [37. Basal Ends of Poles along West Wall of House 3] 77 [38. Cross Sectioned Log from Floor of House 3] 78 [39. Broken Pottery Vessel from House 3] 79 [40. Hypothetical Reconstruction of the House Type at Lawhorn] 81 [41. Burials 21 and 22] 82 [42. Burial 25 and Associated Pottery Bowl] 83 [43. Burial 36] 84 [44. Soil Profiles above and near Burial 36] 85 [45. Pottery Bowl Inverted over Shoulder of Burial 37] 86 [46. Cutting a Horizontal Profile in Square 27R32, Showing Use of Hand Tools] 88 [47. Vertical and Horizontal Profiles Showing Intrusion of Sand into Cracks in Soil, Judged to be caused by Earthquake Activity] 90 [48. Missouri Archaeological Society Achievement Award, 1961] 106 [49. Francis Stubbs, Achievement Award Recipient, 1960] 107 [50. Mr. and Mrs. Harry Collins, Achievement Award Recipient, 1961] 108 [51. Sam C. Irvine, Award Plaque Recipient 1961] 109 Tables Page [1. Summary of the Sand Tempered Pottery] 24 [2. Summary of Shell Tempered Plain and Decorated Pottery] 25 [3. Relative Occurrence of Pottery Lugs] 27 [4. Comparison of Domestic and Mortuary Vessel Forms] 34 [5. Summary of House Data] 80 [6. Comparative Analysis of Corn from Lawhorn and Four Area Sites] 98 [7. Comparative Dates from Lawhorn and Four Area Sites] 98 [8. Burial Data] 101-102 [9. Age and Sex Groups] 102 [10. Mortuary Vessels] 103 [11. Average Age of Fourteen Burials] 103

THE LAWHORN SITE

by
John Moselage

FOREWORD

The success of the Lawhorn endeavors is due to the encouragement and efforts of many people. However, without the guidance of Carl H. Chapman, this venture could not have been undertaken. From its beginning, he always found time in his busy schedule to help me with the many problems which arose during the course of the excavation and narration of the site.

Mr. Charles Nash, Tennessee State Parks Archaeologist, aided in preliminary analysis of the material remains, analyzed the burial complex and prepared that section for this report. Mr. Nash also edited the first draft of the report and prepared the first typescript. The time and effort expended by Mr. Nash is sincerely appreciated.

Prior to the final draft and editing, a conference was held at the University of Missouri for an analysis and interpretation of the site material. Those participating in the conference were Carl H. Chapman, Robert T. Bray, Richard A. Marshall, Edwin Sudderth, Richard Bradham, and the writer. Editing of the second and final draft was by Robert T. Bray and Carl H. Chapman. The job is one which too often goes without recognition of the many long hours which are necessary in producing the finished report. Especial thanks are due the property owners, Mr. W. O. Lawhorn, whose cooperation made this investigation possible. It is with deep and sincere appreciation that I recognize the aid and assistance given me by my family—my daughters, my son, and my wife, and any success is shared equally with them.

Though the day-by-day crew seldom exceeded four in number, many gave unselfishly of their time making possible the successful completion of the field work. The following is a list of those most helpful: