Article Title

Archeological Testing within the Right-of-Way of FM 1929, at Site 41CN218, Coleman County, and in the Vicinity of Site Complex 41CC48/49/50/51 and Site 41CC52, and Site 41CC246, Concho County, Texas

Authors

G. R. Dennis Price
A. Joachim McGraw

Agency

Texas Historical Commission

Abstract

The State Department of Highways and Public Transportation (SDHPT) conducted archaeological testing within the right-of-way of FM 1929 at site 41CN218 in Coleman County, and in the vicinity of site complex 41CC48/49/50/51 and 41CC52 in Concho County. Intensive surface survey and mapping was also undertaken at site 41CC246 in Concho County. This report details the work undertaken, and summarizes the cultural sequence of the area.

Excavations at site 41CN218 did not reveal any evidence of discrete cultural stratigraphy. Rather it appeared that artifacts were scattered throughout an upper brownish soil horizon, which in places reached depths of about 2 meters. The only feature tentatively recognized consisted of a limestone hearth. This was not associated with any diagnostic artifacts, identifiable cultural living surface, or any ash or charcoal. None of the artifacts recovered from the excavations were temporally or culturally diagnostic. For the most part, artifacts consisted of lithic debitage, with a few utilized flakes, one uniface, and two very small biface fragments. The nature of the debitage suggests that lithic activities were largely confined to final tool manufacture, at least within that part of the site tested. The utilized flakes suggest that scraping, cutting, and perhaps graving or piercing activities took place on the site. Fauhal remains consisted of a few small fragments of fossilized bone which could not be directly associated with cultural remains, and highly weathered fragments of mussel shell. The nature of the recovered remains is not conducive to the identification of specific activity areas, or other horizontal cultural patterning. Gross artifact counts indicate a higher density of artifacts along the western margin of the right-of-way. However, it was obvious from surface inspection of the area that the right-of-way crossed the eastern margin of the site, and that artifacts appeared with considerably greater frequency to the west of the right-of-way. On the basis of the excavations conducted, it is believed that those portions of the site within the highway right-of-way are not worthy of designation as a State Archeological Landmark.

Excavations within the FM 1929 right-of-way in the vicinity of site complex 41CC48/49/50/51 and site 41CC52 failed to reveal any buried cultural materials, cultural features, or other evidence of buried cultural strata. Surface examination revealed a few scattered non-diagnostic cultural artifacts, but all were in plow-disturbed deposits. It is, therefore, believed that those portions of the sites within the highway right-of-way are not worthy of designation as a State Archeological Landmark.

Survey within the FM 1929 right-of-way at site 41CC246 revealed that the area was extremely eroded. Although the investigations were primarily concerned with the historic component, scattered prehistoric lithic debitage, none diagnostic, was observed on the surface. This sparse scatter extended into site 41CC52, with no apparent discontinuity. Site mapping indicated that the concentration of rock and rubble associated with a house foundation was essentially outside the right-of- way, as was the accompanying sheet scatter of historic artifacts. Given the eroded nature of the area, the lack of intact features within the right-of-way, and previous impacts, it is believed that those portions of the site within the highway right-of-way are not worthy of designation as a State Archeological Landmark.

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