Phase II and Phase III Archaeological Database and Inventory
18CA21 Wessel
Diagnostic Artifact Data
Features
Summary
The Wessel Site (18CA21) is comprised of Archaic and Woodland components, possibly representing base camp or hamlet occupations. This site is situated on a low sandy terrace of Tuckahoe Creek, in Caroline County, Maryland. It is located within the boundaries of Tuckahoe State Park. Prior to archeological investigations, much of the site had been destroyed by a sand and gravel pit and to some extent by historic plowing. Portions of the former farmland have been reforested. The soils at the site consisted of very sandy Galestown loamy sand, much of which was removed by the borrow pit. However, as of the early 1970s, a remnant of about 45.72 m long and 7.62 m wide (150’x25’) remained intact where the only disturbance was past plowing and more recent rutting by motorcycles.
In early 1970, staff members at the Maryland Geological Survey (MGS), Division of Archeology, were informed of the location of the Wessel Site. For several years, the site was collected by a former landowner and another collector. The private collections included axe heads, a bannerstone, projectile points and knives, and ceramics. Archeologists from MGS visited the site in late 1971. At the time of the 1971 site visit, the location was abandoned farm land, was partly reforested, and a portion was utilized as a gravel pit/mine. Tuckahoe State Park, then not open to the public, was under development. Plans for the park included a recreation lake which would eventually inundate the site. The site was also facing destruction during the construction of a dam a short distance downstream.
In November 1971, staff from MGS and volunteers from the Mid-Shore Chapter of the Archeological Society of Maryland conducted a 2 day investigation of the site. Unfortunately, no report is available that details the 1971 study. What follows was obtained primarily from the Site Files. A total of 13 one-meter square units were excavated. The plowzone ranged in depth from 5-24 cm. Cultural materials were found up to 40 cm below the surface in most units and up to 80 cm in some units. Analysis of the excavated material revealed that the site had stratigraphic integrity. Pottery was most abundant in the plowzone with a marked decrease in the first 20 cm below the plowzone; only 2 stray sherds were found below 20 cm. While the amounts of chert and quartz appeared to increase in the lower stratigraphic levels, the amount of jasper appeared to decrease in relative frequency in the lower levels. A refuse pit (Feature 1) was encountered during the excavations.
No artifact totals were available from the 1971 excavation at the site. The following counts of ceramic sherds were determined from photos: 16 Late Woodland Townsend Incised sherds (mend) from 1 vessel including 4 rim sherds, 11 Townsend Incised sherds (mend) from 1 vessel including 3 rim sherds, 2 Townsend rim sherds (mend), and 3 grit tempered sherds thought to predate the Townsend sherds. Several other sherds were likely encountered. The following counts of projectile were determined from photos: 4 points attributed to the Late Archaic period, 2 triangular points, and 1 stemmed point. In addition, the Site Files list other artifacts types that were recovered during the excavation. The totals are to be considered minimum estimates. There were 30 pieces of debitage (jasper, chert, rhyolite, quartz, quartzite, and argillite). There were 4 groundstone tools including 2 grooved axes, 1 gorget, and 1 bannerstone. There were 10 fragments of fire-cracked rock. There were 10 oyster shell fragments (unmodified faunal).
In 1971, a sample of wood charcoal was acquired from Feature 1 for radiocarbon dating. The sample was associated with shell-tempered ceramic sherds. The sample (SI-3671, 710 ± 90 BP) produced a calibrated age range of AD 1154-1422 to 2 sigma, using the CALIB 6.0/Intcal 09 program.
In the spring of 1974, the site was further excavated as part of the Maryland Archeological Field Session. Goals of the investigation were to recover a larger data set to be used for developing a local sequence of point and pottery types and for determining the organization and settlement structure of the camp/village. A total of 14 two-meter square test units were excavated; all but two were dug to sterile levels before being backfilled.
Unfortunately, no report is available that details the 1974 study. What follows was obtained primarily from the Site Files. In addition, the Tuckahoe State Park Archeological Survey was initiated by the Maryland Geological Survey (MGS) subsequent to the short excavations and investigations in 1971 and 1974 by MGS personnel. The work was to be conducted ahead of proposed construction within the park. The Phase I investigations were conducted in 1974 immediately following the Phase II investigations of the Wessel Site (18CA21). That report briefly characterized the landscape of the site and provided a short re-examination of materials collected during the 1971 testing at the site.
Feature 1, previously identified during the 1971 testing, was reinvestigated in test unit S21-E67. According to the plan view, the pit measured approximately 66 cm in diameter and was about 36 cm deep. Artifacts recovered from Feature 1 included almost 200 ceramic sherds, debitage and a broken point. In test unit S20-E64 or E65, Feature 2 was identified as a pit below the plowzone. According to the profile drawing, the pit measured approximately 60 cm wide and 24 cm deep. Pit features 3 and 4 were recorded on an inventory form as having been encountered in test units S20-E53 and S55-E49 respectively. No other information regarding those features was available. Another possible pit feature was located in test unit S20-E110. The notes for that unit state that 13 flakes and 4 sherds were recovered from a “pit”.
A total of 1,071 prehistoric items were recovered during the 1974 testing. There were 754 pieces of debitage (133 jasper, 268 chert, 320 quartz, 26 quartzite, 7 argillite). In all, 18 tools were identified including 4 triangular points, 2 notched points, 5 stemmed points, 1 biface, 4 knives and 2 endscrapers. Four other lithic items included 1 hammerstone and 3 pitted stones. The single groundstone object was a bannerstone. There were 2 soapstone fragments (recorded as stone bowls in the table above). A total of 292 ceramic sherds were recovered including 247 shell-tempered sherds (with 1 rim sherd), 38 sand and shell tempered sherds, and 7 grit tempered sherds.
In addition to the prehistoric artifacts, a total of 10 historic artifacts were recovered from the plowzone. Architectural materials included 2 unidentified nails and 1 screw. The only kitchen item was an earthenware sherd. There were 4 miscellaneous items, 2 glass shards (unclear if window or bottle) and 2 pieces of coal. There were 2 arms-related items (cartridge shells).
The Wessel Site (18CA21) is comprised of stratified Archaic and Woodland components, possibly representing base camp or hamlet occupations. Identified diagnostic artifacts included Late Archaic type projectile points and Late Woodland period ceramic sherds. A reevaluation of the artifact assemblage may reveal additional diagnostic material to include phases of occupation prior to the Late Archaic period, and between the Late Archaic and the Late Woodland periods. Unfortunately, as observed on aerial maps of the site location, and in accordance with the park’s plans, site 18CA21 is currently submerged in Tuckahoe Lake.
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