Figure 30. Feature 18, a Firebasin of Unusual Shape
HOUSES
The evidence for dwellings at Lawhorn rests on two burned structures, house 1 and house 3, and a fire basin and associated floor area adjacent to house 3. In the main, the evidence is as conclusive as to shape, ground plan and superstructure as is most such archaeological evidence from Mississippian sites. That no postmold patterns were discernable during the entire four years of work at Lawhorn must be taken at face value, especially when the cross sectional data from house 3 is considered.
House 1
This house was built on top of subsoil and was rectangular in shape ([Fig. 31]). The area of charred remains was ten feet by fifteen feet so that the house itself must have been at least that large and probably somewhat larger. Final excavation showed that no posts had been placed in the ground to support the superstructure. The charred material found on the floor indicated a house built of light poles, cane and thatch.
There was no evidence of the use of daub on either walls or roof of the building. The main support poles were about .2 foot in diameter and poles half this size were interwoven to form a widely spread lattice work. Cane was fastened on this, apparently in layers, but there was no evidence as to whether this was woven or bound into mat form. There was no split cane in evidence, only whole cane poles ([Fig. 32]). Apparently the entire house was covered with thatch since evidence of it was found over the whole charred area and overlying the rest of the charred material. The house did not have a fired clay floor. The floor was highly compacted, however. There was a central firebasin made of puddled clay which was two feet in diameter, six inches deep with the lip level with the floor. It was filled with a white to reddish ash. To one side of the basin was a pile of ashes in which the skeleton of an infant was found. Outside the house was a refuse pit and another ash dump. Two mortars and six crude pestles were found on the floor close to the fire basin. Bone awls, pottery disks and bone beads were found on the floor. The list of specimens found in association with this house is as follows: four drilled pottery disks, three undrilled pottery disks, two projectile points, two bone awls, three bone beads and one pottery vessel.
House 2
This house had been built on top of subsoil and apparently, it partially underlay the northern portion of house 3 (Fig. [33] and [35]). No new information came to light here but the size and shape apparently agreed with that of house 1. Here, the central section of the floor was hard burned and had been puddled with a clay and grass mixture before firing. Central to this floor area was an irregular and poorly shaped fire basin which was filled with white wood ash. Partially buried in this ash was a small broken shell tempered pottery bowl ([Fig. 34]). A few pieces of charred logs were found lying just above the floor of this house, but, they were too small and too few to be diagnostic of superstructure. It is even possible that these few pieces were from the house three conflagration.
Figure 31. House Ground Plan Showing Charred Remains, Firebasin, Ash Dumps and Refuse Pit