Hilgeman, Sherri L. (Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, Indiana University)
THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE MIDDLE MISSISSIPPIAN OCCUPATION OF
THE ANGEL SITE
A three-phase pottery chronology has been established for the Angel site and phase.
The chronology was created by ordering a total of 56 contexts (including twelve
features and 44 levels and level combinations), and 22 pottery types, morphologies
or attributes using the Bonn seriation program for presence-absence data. The
general validity of the seriated order as a chronological order is corroborated
by the applicable stratigraphy, absolute radiocarbon dates, and relative fluoride
order.
The Stephan-Steinkamp phase is not represented in the seriated order and is poorly,
if at all, represented within the excavated contexts at Angel. It is included
in this phase chronology primarily as a place holder. It is known from work at
the Stephan-Steinkamp site (12 PP 33) and seems to be the period of the earliest
Middle Mississippian occupations in the Angel vicinity. The initial late prehistoric
occupation of the Angel site might well date to this time period, but if so the
occupation was probably limited in size and evidence of the occupation has been
destroyed in the excavated areas by later, more extensive and intensive Mississippian
use of the site area. Some of the thinly scattered loop handles in the Angel site
assemblage might attest to this early pioneering effort at the mouth of the Green
River.
The initial recognizable late prehistoric occupation of the Angel site area began
during the Angel 2 phase (AD 1200 to 1325). The temporally diagnostic pottery
characteristics of the Angel 2 phase include Ramey Incised, variety Green River
as well as incised (O'Byam Incised, variety Adams), negative painted (Angel Negative
Painted, varieties Angel and Nurrenbern), and scalloped triangular designs on
flaring rim bowls, plates, some loop handles, and narrow and wide intermediate
handles.
Archaeological contexts assignable to the AD 1200-1325 period at Angel are limited
(Figure 5). The stratigraphic levels
from the village area assigned to this phase generally represent the basal levels
of the midden deposit. This indicates that a number of the house remains and features
in this area were probably constructed and used during this period. The basal
levels of Mound I, a small conical mound at the southwest corner of Mound A, date
to the second half of this phase. Thus, the ceremonial precinct, consisting of
Mound A, the plaza, and Mound F, were probably established during the early AD
1200's. The diagnostic pottery assemblage from the the test units on the top of
Mound A suggests that this mound was no longer in active use after the late Angel
2 period. Very little else may be said concerning the probable appearance or size
of Angel during this time period except to suggest that, given the extent of deposits
in the village area and in Mound I, at least one-half of the ultimate site area
was probably in use.
Based on all the available evidence, it appears that the most extensive or intensive
habitation and use of the Angel site area occurred during the Angel 3 period.
The temporally diagnostic pottery characteristics of the Angel 3 phase include
wide intermediate and strap handles, Old Town Red and Angel Negative Painted deep
rim plates, notched flaring rim bowls, Parkin Punctate jars, notched applique
strips and beaded rims on bowls, and collanders.
Deposits dating to the Angel 3 phase occur at the northern, eastern, and western
margins of the site as well as throughout the interior
(Figure 5). In fact, most of the excavated areas of the site were occupied
or used during the final phase of the site's life. This indicates that the maximal
site area was in use until late in Angel's history. In the village area, where
midden depths average 2.0 ft, the upper 1.2-1.6 ft of deposits are generally Angel
3 deposits, and in places the deposits appear to be Angel 3 from ground surface
to subsoil. Mound F was enlarged during this period. The palisade trench contains
material characteristic of both Angel 2 and Angel 3, the secondary trench contains
diagnostic pottery suggesting an Angel 3 placement, and the heavy trench contains
no diagnostic materials. The lack of diagnostic material in the heavy trench may
imply that this stockade was built very early (early Angel 2) in the site's history,
or at least early in the history of this part of the site, before there was a
large quantity of habitation debris present. The destruction of the palisade and
secondary structures during the Angel 3 time period may mark the termination of
use of this area for housing. Certainly neither the palisade nor the secondary
walls were standing when the area was used as a cemetery. It is not known whether
or not the town was enclosed by a stockade at this very late stage in the site's
life, or whether the cemetery was located outside an interior, as yet unknown,
palisade.