Article Title

Results of Significance Testing at 41DW269 Dewitt County, Texas

Authors

Sterling H. Hays
James T. Abbott, Texas Department of TransportationFollow

Agency

TxDOT

DOI

https://doi.org/10.21112/ita.1998.1.23

Abstract

Site 41DW269 was tested by Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) archeologists in July of 1997. The investigations were conducted in the right-of-way of a proposed bridge replacement project on DeWitt County Road 122 at its crossing of Clear Creek. The investigations at Site 41DW269 consisted of mechanical trenching for archeological prospection and stratigraphic evaluation of the site, and the manual excavation of two 1 x 1 m test units and two shovel tests.

Site 41DW269 is a multi-component terrace site with cultural deposits ranging in age from the Early Archaic through the Late Archaic. Two discrete alluvial fills, both containing cultural material, underlie the terrace. Unit 1 forms the core of the terrace and consists of a dark brown, sandy to silty loam to clay loam containing abundant secondary calcium carbonate. Unit 2 consists of a very dark grayish brown to black loam that represents a veneer of more recent overbank deposits that is approximately 1.0 to 1.2 m thick. In addition, two younger alluvial fills (Units 3 and 4) are present across the stream and at the base of the cutbank forming the northern site boundary. Testing of the site revealed two clearly distinct prehistoric cultural strata within deep alluvial deposits, and a single pit-like feature. The first cultural deposit is associated with Unit 1, and consists of a sparse assemblage of mineralized bone and lithic material extending from approximately 120-180 cm below the present ground surface. On the basis of a single radiocarbon age and a diagnostic Guadalupe tool, this component is believed to date to the Early Archaic. The second cultural deposit is associated with the upper veneer, and extends from approximately 10 cm to 110 cm below the surface. Although this deposit could not be subdivided based on the limited excavation data, it contains a cultural debris associated with Late Archaic and possibly Middle Archaic occupations

Due to the deep and stratified nature of the deposits and the diversity of artifactual assemblages at the site, 41DW269 is considered eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places and for designation as a State Historic Landmark.

Licensing Statement

This is a work produced for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) by the report producer. TxDOT and the report producer jointly own all rights, title, and interest in and to all intellectual property developed under TxDOT’s contract with the report producer. The report may be cited and brief passages from this publication may be reproduced without permission provided that credit is given to both TxDOT and the report producer. Permission to reprint an entire chapter, section, figures or tables must be obtained in advance from either the Supervisor of the Archeological Studies Branch, Environmental Affairs Division, Texas Department of Transportation, 125 East 11th Street, Austin, Texas, 78701 or from the report producer.