Phase II and Phase III Archaeological Database and Inventory
18CV350 Field Locus # 21
Diagnostic Artifact Data
Features
Summary
The Roberts Site (18CV350), also known as Field Locus # 21, is the remains of what appears to be an 18th century animal pen with evidence of one or two badly degraded domestic components associated. The site is located on the outskirts of Prince Frederick, the County Seat of Calvert County, Maryland. The Roberts site occupies a knoll overlooking Maryland Highway 2/4 and the commercial development that has grown up along it. Soils at the site were cultivated until rather recently (at least portions of the site were) and consist of highly erodible Sassafras fine sandy loams.
The site was first identified in the fall of 1995 during the course of a Phase I survey for proposed improvements to MD Highway 2/4. The roadway improvement included widening the highway and construction of a Collector-Distributor road system for the highway. The Collector-Distributor system would be a continuous two-lane roadway on both the east and west sides of MD 2/4, as well as 2 partial interchanges and an overpass. All of the road alternatives had a high potential to contain both historic and prehistoric resources and, thus, Phase I work was carried out in compliance with Section 106 of the NHPA.
The 1995 Phase I survey consisted of the excavation of shovel test pits (STPs) along 50 transects following the various proposed roadways, widening, and alternative alignments. Transects were placed 10 meters away from the centerline of the right-of-way (ROW) for each roadway under consideration, but at staggered intervals within each transect (resulting in a distance of 20 meters between the two, off-set transects). When cultural materials were encountered, additional STPs (radials) were excavated in a cruciform pattern around the positive test, at 10 m intervals. STP excavations continued in this pattern as long as artifacts were being recovered. STPs measured approximately 40 cm in diameter and were excavated to an average depth of 50 cm below the surface (typically 10 cm into the culturally sterile subsoil). All soil was dry screened through hardware mesh and stratigraphic profiles were measured and recorded on standardized forms.
A total of 924 STPs were excavated within the large project area, but only 13 of them were within the confines of what would eventually be identified at 18CV350. The positive shovel tests within 18CV350 revealed the presence of an 18th century artifact scatter. Artifacts recovered included 25 architectural objects (20 pieces of brick, 2 window glass fragments, 2 cut nails, and 1 wrought nail), 23 kitchen-related artifacts (1 miscellaneous stoneware sherd, 1 whiteware sherd, 1 French wine bottle fragment, 4 other bottle/jar glass fragments, 4 pieces of oyster shell, and 12 unidentified faunal objects), and 3 ball clay tobacco pipe fragments. Based on these findings Phase II testing was recommended if the site could not be avoided.
Phase II work was eventually conducted from 2003-2005 for the construction of the Prince Frederick “Loop Road”, which would bypass part of the commercial district that has developed along MD 2/4, and will extend further eastward. The Department of Public Works, in compliance with the Prince Frederick Zoning Ordinance, commissioned a Phase I survey of the new corridor and Phase II testing of the previously documented 18CV350. Eventually, the Phase II testing transitioned to a Phase III data recovery project.
As part of the Phase II/III study carried out from 2003-2005, archival research was conducted to establish the ownership of the site during the historic period and obtain any information that might help place the site in context. Unfortunately, destruction of many land and judgment records in the county courthouse fires of 1882 and 1883, combined with poor quality surveys and frequent partitioning and coalescing of parcels makes the development of a complete chain of title difficult, if not impossible. What is known is that since the late 19th century, the 26 acre parcel within which 18CV350 lies has been owned by the Roberts family (for whom the site is named). Prior to that, from at least 1884 – 1896, it was owned by the Buckmasters. Its ownership during the rest of the 19th century is less certain, but members of the Buckmaster family were involved in at least two prior transactions involving the parcel of uncertain date.
The 26 acre tract was originally part of two much larger parcels, the 310 acre “Borders Enlarged” tract and the 100 acre “Chance” tract. Surviving records indicate that Borders Enlarged was owned by the Skinner family (William Skinner and then his sons, Joseph, James, William, and Leonard and their heirs) from as early as 1704 until sometime after 1810. A wine bottle with a seal found during excavations of an 18th century feature at the Roberts site was marked with the initials I*S. Thus, the parcel on which 18CV350 was likely that inherited by James or Joseph Skinner (the ‘I’ probably representing the Latinate ‘J’). Little else is known about the Skinner family from the surviving archival records.
The 2003-2005 fieldwork began with a general surface reconnaissance, searching for cultural materials on the surface and noting crop marks and other surface features that might betray the extent and nature of cultural deposits. Surface visibility at the site was close to 50% in some portions of the Roberts site, with nearly no visibility in the weedier areas, particularly along the southern portion of the site. A few artifacts were recovered, but no clear evidence of sheet middens or subsurface features that might have been truncated by recent plowing. Nor was there any evidence of foundations or structures.
North-south and east-west baselines were then established using a transit and tapes, creating a 7.62 m (25 ft) sampling grid for excavating shovel test pits (STPs). All shovel tests were excavated to subsoil, the soils screened through hardware mesh, and appropriate data were recorded on standardized forms. STPs measured 40-46 cm (16-18 in) in diameter and were backfilled upon completion of recording. STPs revealed some evidence of erosion, with re-deposition of materials in low-lying areas of the site (rather than off-site). Based on the results of the shovel testing, locations were chosen for the excavation of five 1.524 X 1.524 m (5 X 5 ft) test units, along with one 76.2 X 76.2 cm (2.5 X 2.5 ft) test square, for a total of 12.1 m2 (130 ft2) excavated during Phase II work. The full site report provides no description of how test units were excavated, but does state that features, when they were encountered, were drawn to scale and then excavated stratigraphically by natural or cultural levels, with the exception of one large feature excavated by arbitrary levels. All excavated features were profiled and their constituent soils described on standardized forms. Organically-rich strata were wet-screened through window mesh in their entirety to recover fish bone and other small finds. Very large flotation samples were taken from these strata for lab processing.
Excavation of the Phase II test units revealed a generally low artifact density. The artifacts clearly identified a Colonial 18th century occupation. In addition, one of the test units in the southern portion of the site revealed part of an 18th century feature. Subsequent sampling with a split-spoon auger indicated a much larger features or cluster of overlapping features. Based on these findings, the fieldwork moved forward as a Phase III data recovery project.
To expose features and reveal their extent, approximately 2,415.5 m2 (12,600 ft2), or 0.6 acres, of plowzone was stripped from the site using a gradall. Field crews trowelled the features uncovered and drew them to scale. The drawings were then scanned, traced electronically, and the resulting images keyed to their appropriate locations on the site map. The features were then excavated as described above.
The mechanical stripping revealed an apparent fenced enclosure measuring approximately 27.4 m (90 ft) on each side and comprised of 37 paired postholes and postmolds, with a probable gate opening on the west side. Presumably the posts supported horizontal pole or plank railings. The lack of nail fragments in the postholes and molds suggests the former. A fifth line of 10 postholes and molds, diverging N 8°E from the west fenceline was also uncovered, as were four largely truncated postholes paralleling, and just south of, the south fenceline. These four truncated postholes all contained burned daub inclusions, raising the possibility that they may have formed part of a chimney bay for an earthfast house. Within the enclosure, the field crew defined three large features: a rectangular pit in the northeast corner, a squarish feature in the northwest corner, and a very large ovoid feature near the southwest corner. These features were 3.32 X 1.62 m (10.9 X 5.3 ft), 1.68 X 1.83 m (5.5 X 6.0 ft) in area, and 7.92 m (26 ft) in diameter respectively. The rectangular feature in the northeast corner of the enclosure yielded no artifacts and only sand in the portion sampled. The squarish feature in the northwest corner was filled with brick, charcoal, oyster shell, bone, and other artifacts, including a 1719 two-Reale piece. The feature appeared to be a root cellar, but no structural postholes were within a 5.18 m (17 ft) radius of its center (i.e. no evidence of an overlying structure). This feature cut through one of the postholes in the fifth fenceline, indicating that the fence predates the root cellar-like feature. The ovoid feature is extremely difficult to interpret. It was filled only with silt loam, charcoal, and a few artifacts and bones. It was postulated that this feature and the sand-filled feature in the northeast corner of the enclosure were related to animal husbandry in some way (presumably the purpose of the enclosure).
Flotation analysis was conducted on soil samples recovered from the features at 18CV350. In addition, carbon-rich strata were subjected to water screening for the recovery of small elements. The sample contained a diverse array of carbonized plant materials, fish scales, oyster shells, small land snails, bone fragments, and carbon dust. Details of the floral assemblage can be found in the linked ethnobotany profile for 18CV350. Briefly, the assemblage included wood charcoal samples from a number of common species, native plant seeds, and cultivated species. The faunal assemblage recovered through flotation included oyster and mussel shell, cod, catfish, spot fish, white perch, rock fish, and black drum in addition to the faunal remains described below (recovered through traditional excavation methods).
Historic artifacts encountered during the 2003-2005 excavations at 18CV350 included 9 activity items, 1,017 architectural artifacts, 27 clothing items, 6 furniture artifacts, 766 kitchen-related artifacts, 8 personal items, 185 tobacco-related artifacts, and 101 miscellaneous objects. The activity items were 4 pieces of lamp glass, 2 ferrules, a piece of wire mesh, a strap buckle, and a wedge. Architectural artifacts include 697 pieces of brick, 1 piece of possible building stone, 2 fragments of oyster shell lime mortar, 55 pieces of daub, 11 window glass fragments, 250 nails (1 cut, 145 wrought, and 104 unidentified), and a hinge. Clothing items were a glass button or cufflink inset, 1 pewter button, a copper button, a brass hook, 3 copper or brass buckles, a shoe buckle, a spur buckle, a thimble, 12 handwrought pins, and 5 straight pins. The furniture items were 3 handwrought furniture handles, a stock lock, and 2 brass tacks. The kitchen assemblage consisted of 312 ceramic sherds (58 tin-glazed earthenware, 32 manganese-mottled earthenware, 2 Staffordshire slipware, 4 creamware, 2 Chinese export porcelain, 66 white salt-glazed stoneware, 11 Rhenish stoneware, 4 Nottingham stoneware, 53 British Brown stoneware, 32 Westerwald stoneware, 6 miscellaneous stoneware, 38 redware, and 4 unidentified ceramics ), 246 glass fragments (64 pieces of table glass, 95 handmade wine bottle glass fragments, a mason jar glass fragment, and 86 other container glass fragments), an aluminum pull tab, a table knife, 177 faunal remains (1 cow bone, 3 sheep bones, 2 pig bones, 22 mammal bones, 3 bird bones, 3 terrapin bones, 7 fish bones, 23 other animal bones, 109 oyster shell fragments, 3 mussel shell fragments, and a piece of egg shell), and 29 peach pits. The personal items encountered were a possible book clasp, a handwrought key, a bone etui/needle-case, 4 Westerwald chamberpot fragments, and a 1719 two-Reale piece. Tobacco-related artifacts include 181 ball clay pipe fragments and 4 snuff box pieces. Miscellaneous items include 73 pieces of metal, a piece of fossil coral, 1 other fossil, 4 pieces of plastic, 1 piece of rubber, 20 charcoal fragments, and an unidentified object.
All of the recovered material, with the exception of some late 20th century artifacts in the plowzone, appears to date to the 18th century. Moreover, no pearlware and only a handful of creamware sherds were recovered, and those only from the plowzone. The British Brown, Westerwald, and white salt-glazed stonewares all point to the 18th century, probably pre-Revolutionary War, and the tobacco pipe data support a second quarter of the 18th century date.
In addition to these historic artifacts, 17 prehistoric items were recovered. These were a rhyolite Morrow Mountain point (recovered on the surface), 4 quartz cores, another possible core, 2 rhyolite flakes, 1 quartz flake, 1 quartzite flake, 5 pieces of quartzite shatter, 1 other piece of shatter, an a possible chunk of prehistoric daub. The point, although found on the surface, is in an upland setting and appears to be in-situ, thus dating the site to the Middle Archaic. A relict creek bed lies below the site location and may have been the water source for whatever occupation was present at that time.
The significant historic component at the Roberts site, in short, is an animal pen with at least one, and possibly two, features that may have been related to the care of livestock, as well as a fifth fenceline that may have been used to confine/direct animals to areas for common animal husbandry activities such as branding (with irons or by notching ears), gelding, or (in the case of sheep) shearing. There is evidence of at least two earthfast houses, although that evidence was much degraded by plowing and erosion. The domestic refuse in two of the features appears to be redeposited secondary refuse. Little else can be said. The site-type is so unique that it is difficult to find similar sites in the region for comparative purposes.
Intensive work at the Roberts site (18CV350) recovered information for which the site was considered eligible for inclusion on the NRHP. Only a portion of two of the large features in the enclosure corners remained unexcavated in 2005, along with approximately 25 postholes. These features are unlikely to offer any further significant insights into the period and nature of the occupation. No further excavations are warranted and the site should no longer be considered capable of addressing ongoing research questions in Maryland history or prehistory.
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