Bush, Leslie L. (Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, Indiana University,
Bloomington)
BOTANICAL REMAINS FROM THE MORELL-SHEETS SITE, 12 MY 87, AN ALBEE PHASE OCCUPATION IN WEST-CENTRAL INDIANA
Ball State University's excavations at the Morell-Sheets site recovered 36 flotation
samples from 19 features which have now been processed and analyzed. Summary results
of the botanical data are presented in Table 1.
While fire-cracked rock pits tended to contain fewer botanical remains and middens
more, there was little variability among features on the site in terms of their
botanical remains. Such strong homogeneity indicated that similar plant-related
activities were preformed on all excavated areas of the site over the entire time
period it was occupied by Albee peoples.
Several lines of evidence point toward a spring through summer occupation of the
Morell-Sheets site. Little barley, by far the most abundant taxon on the site,
matures in late spring to early summer. Fall-maturing plants common in Indiana
such as sumac and persimmon are rare at Morell-Sheets. Nutshell densities are
low and consist primarily of the relatively early hazelnut.
In short, the botanical remains from Morell-Sheets suggest that its inhabitants
were horticulturists who also collected wild plant foods to supplement the grains
harvested from their fields. The ubiquity of both maize and little barley indicates
that the agricultural system was not entirely focused on any single crop. While
the staple crops provided a starchy base, wild fruits, nuts, greens, and possibly
squash added essential oils and nutrients.
Table 1: Summary of Botanical Remains from 12 My 87.
% of
identifiable
count specimens
Introduced cultigens
Zea mays, corn
kernels 117 5.64
cupules 233 11.24
Cucurbitaceae, rind frags 2? 0.10
Native starchy seeds
Hordeum pusillum,
little barley 1354 + 6? 65.60
Phalaris caroliniana, maygrass 3 0.14
Polygonum sp., knotweed 2 + 1? 0.14
Nutshell fragments
Carya sp., hickory 57 2.75
Corylus sp., hazelnut 49 2.36
Juglans nigra, walnut 25 1.21
Wild plants
Fruits
Rubus sp., rasberry/blackberry 115 5.55
Vaccinium sp., blueberry 18 0.87
Sambucus canadensis, elderberry 3 0.14
Vitis sp., grape 1 0.05
Diospyros virginiana, persimmon 1? 0.05
Greens and other
Verbena sp., verbena 26 1.25
Poaceae, grass family 20 0.96
Galium sp., bedstraw 4 0.19
Euphorbia sp., spurge 3 0.14
Fabaceae, bean family 4 0.19
Rhus sp., sumac 2 + 1? 0.14
Lamiaceae, mint family 1? 0.05
Cyperaceae, sedge family 1? 0.05
Other
Bark 7 0.34
Bud 2 0.10
Pod 1 0.05
Spore 1 0.05
Gall 1 0.05
Unidentified seeds 13 0.63
Total identifiable 2074
Unidentifiable 437
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