The primary objective of the current research was to collect archaeological information related to the subsistence and settlement diversity found in the Late Prehistoric period in central Indiana. More specifically, the project focused on Late Prehistoric components located in Hamilton, Hancock, Johnson, Marion, and Morgan counties through collector interviews, intensive site surveys, and test excavations at selected sites. The intensive site surveys were conducted in order to determine the spatial patterning of the Late Prehistoric components and to collect temporally diagnostic cultural materials. Also, the intensive surveys were used to guide the placement of excavation units at sites selected for testing. It was hoped that information derived from these sources would: 1) augment the inventory of sites in the till plain region from the headwaters of both the west and east forks of the White River; 2) generate subsistence data from selected Late Prehistoric components in central Indiana to compare with Late Prehistoric components recovered from the East Fork of the White River in southern Indiana; 3) test the hypothesis that Late Prehistoric sites in central Indiana have a greater time depth than those in the East Fork; and 4) aid in conducting limited test excavations at a Late Prehistoric non-Oliver Phase component to help determine temporal placement and possible interrelationships among the known Late Prehistoric groups. Finally, the information derived from this study will assist in the development of a broader historical context (McCullough n.d.c) for the Late Prehistoric, horticultural occupations of this region and will facilitate the conservation of Late Prehistoric cultural resources. Given the intensity of urban expansion around Indianapolis and the prevalence of sand and gravel quarries in this area, the remaining evidence of this highly significant set of occupations is disappearing at a rapid rate.

The grant-funded portion of this project was conducted between July 1, 1995, and June 30, 1996. Nongrant-funded research in this report includes results of the fieldwork conducted at the Bundy-Voyles site (12 Mg 1) and portions of the investigations at the Crouch site (12 Jo 5). Funding sources for each of these sites will be discussed in the section detailing the investigations for each site. During the course of the project, 154 previously recorded archaeological sites were identified, three archaeological sites were intensively surveyed, and limited test excavations were conducted on three sites with Late Prehistoric components. The work was conducted by the authors, graduate and undergraduate students from Indiana University, members of the Archaeological Society of Indianapolis, and the general public. Approximately 960 hours of volunteer labor were contributed to this project.

The following report is divided into six sections. Section 1 presents the project background, methodology, and general environmental setting of the project area. Section 2 summarizes the results of the collector interviews and the survey portion of the investigation. The next three sections describe the results and interpretations of the limited archaeological testing of the three sites excavated: Section 3, Bundy-Voyles (12 Mg 1); Section 4, Sugar Creek (12 Jo 289); and Section 5, Crouch (12 Jo 5). Section 6 contains the recommendations for each site investigated. Tables summarizing the cultural materials recovered during the course of this investigation are in Appendix 1. Specialized analysis of the subsistence data is presented in appendixes 2 (botanical) and 3 (faunal). Appendix 4 briefly discusses the radiocarbon determinations pertinent to the Late Prehistoric period in central Indiana.