Cochran, Donald R. and Beth Cree (Archaeological Resources Management Service,
Ball State University)
NEW EVIDENCE FROM ANDERSON MOUNDS
In 1987 a long-term archaeological project was initiated at Anderson Mounds to
determine the chronology of construction of earthworks at the site, prepare accurate
maps of the enclosures, test prior interpretations, and investigate the relationships
between Anderson Mounds and other earthwork sites in the region. Two field school
excavations, a limited excavation in the summer of 1991, and continued research
has produced new information on the site that have not been reported. The new
information includes data on analysis of ceramics, reinterpretation of the "ash"
layers from the Great Mound, identification of burned clay and faunal remains
from Fiddleback Mound, two new radiocarbon dates, and a reinterpretation on the
stratigraphy of construction of the Great Mound.
Ceramics recovered from Fiddleback Mound in 1988 included both New Castle Incised
and plain sherds. The ceramics were compared with other ceramics from the site,
sherds from the New Castle site and published type descriptions. All of the sherds
were tempered with grit and minor amounts of limestone were present as inclusions
in the clay. Typical New Castle Incised sherds from Anderson were zoned however,
none of the typical New Castle Incised sherds from the New Castle site were zoned.
At both sites the majority of the New Castle Incised sherds have been found in
panduriform enclosures; only three New Castle Incised sherds were recovered from
mound fill during the complete excavation of the Great Mound. While the plain
sherds from New Castle have been referred to as Adena Plain, our comparison of
plain sherds from both sites with published type descriptions revealed that they
are more similar to McGraw Plain than to Adena Plain.
During the 1968 and 1969 excavations of the Great Mound, three "ash" deposits
separating layers of burned clay were identified in the Great Mound. The "ash"
was assumed to represent wood ash from fires burned on the clay layers. Limited
analysis of the "ash" demonstrated that it was not wood ash. Similar material
from the Mount Vernon Mound has recently been identified as calcite. Additional
analysis of this material is planned.
A large quantity of chunks of burned clay were recovered from the 1988 test unit
at Fiddleback Mound. Examination of the burned clay revealed that it is daub and
does not represent scrapings of the burned clay floors from the Great Mound as
previously suggested. The presence of the daub suggests that a wattle and daub
structure was present on the site.
Faunal remains recovered during the 1988 test excavation on Fiddleback Mound were
identified by Ron Richards of the Indiana State Museum. Turkey, squirrel, cottontail,
black bear, white tailed deer, and mole were identified. The mole was probably
intrusive into the deposits, but the other species have been previously reported
from the site. Richards noted that the black bear bones were possibly from a single
left paw.
Two radiocarbon dates were obtained from Post 2 and the lower burned clay layer
of the Great Mound during the summer of 1991. The date from Post 2 was 2,200 B.P.+/-
70 (Beta-45955) or 250 B.C. (uncorrected). The date from the lower burned clay
layer was obtained from a bulk soil sample and the amount of carbon was small.
The date was 1,550 B.P.+/- 120 (Beta-46686) or A.D. 400 (uncorrected). The date
from Post 2 dates construction of the post structure in the center of the Great
Mound, but the date from the lower burned clay layer is stratigraphically incorrect.
Reinterpretation of the sequence of construction of the Great Mound has shown
that the large posts in the center of the enclosure were erected prior to the
construction of the embankment. Both radiocarbon dates and post alignments to
embankment features support this interpretation.
New information and interpretations of data from Anderson Mounds continues to
support the interpretation of the site as a sequentially constructed ceremonial
site that was initially constructed as a ceremonial calendar and ultimately became
a Hopewell mortuary site. Use of the site was continuous throughout this shift
and demonstrates the transition from Adena to Hopewell in the region. [return to 1991 abstracts menu][continue to next]