Phase II and Phase III Archaeological Database and Inventory
18HO33 Lower Deep Run West
Diagnostic Artifact Data
Features
Summary
Site 18HO33, Stearns Site #5 or the Lower Deep Run West Site, is a multi-component lithic procurement site dating from the Late Archaic and Late Woodland periods. The site is situated on an ancient upland terrace adjacent to the floodplain of Deep Run. The landscape is a deciduous woodlot that contains a mixture of mature tulip trees and sapling deciduous trees such as tulip tree, sweet gum, sassafras, maple, and cherry. An area of dense bushes extends into the eastern portion of the site from the floodplain and appears to be relatively recent in growth. This variation in forest age suggests that the area has been logged or otherwise cleared of most vegetation within the last 25 years. Soils at the site are mapped as Codorus and Hatboro silt loams and loams.
The site’s existence has been known since at least the 1890s when T.D. Jones (a local collector) visited the site during his examination of the Patapsco River Valley. In the mid-1940s, Richard E. Stearns visited the site and collected a fragment of a bannerstone as well as a groundstone gorget, but it wasn’t until 1973 that the site was finally recorded with the state. A few years later, in 1976, the site was visited during the course of an archeological reconnaissance of the BWI Airport noise corridors. At that time, it was reported that the site had been destroyed by construction of a house and a small used car lot. This appears no to have been the case.
In the fall of 2006, Site 18HO33 was rediscovered during the course of a Phase I survey related to the widening of MD 295.The investigations were performed in accordance with both state and Federal guidelines related to the use of public monies. During the Phase I investigations, a total of 20 shovel test pits (STPs) were placed within the site area. STPs were placed at 10 and 20 m intervals, were 30 cm in diameter and were excavated to depths between 50 and 70 cm below the surface. Soils were screened through hardware cloth.
Twelve of the 20 shovel tests contained cultural materials: four produced historic materials and 8 produced prehistoric materials. The historic artifacts were determined to be refuse from a mid 20th century residence situated to the east of the site. However, the STPs that produced prehistoric materials outlined an approximately 45 m2 remnant of 18HO33. The prehistoric cultural material consisted of 34 pieces of lithic debitage (at various stages of lithic reduction) consisting of quartz (31), chert (1), and rhyolite (2) flakes recovered in no distinct stratigraphic sequence. While no features or prehistoric ceramics were recorded, extensive disturbance was noted in the form of grading and filling along the right-of-way for the road improvements. Based on initial survey, avoidance was recommended as the portions that would be heavily impacted were already disturbed.
Ultimately, the decision was made to proceed with an evaluation of Site 18HO33 due to the planned impacts that would happen as a result of the widening of MD 295. The Phase II investigations were undertaken in late summer of 2007 on behalf of the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) and work was performed in accordance with state and Federal guidelines including Section 106 of the NHPA, executive Order 11593, the Archeological and Historical Preservation Act of 1974, the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979, Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations, parts 60-66 and 800 as appropriate, and the Maryland Historic Trust Act of 1985.
Phase II work in 2007 entailed the excavation of 45 additional shovel test pits placed at 5 meter intervals across the site area. All STPs measured a minimum of 40 cm in diameter, and were excavated a minimum of 10 cm into Pleistocene soils. All soils were removed according to natural stratigraphic horizons and screened through hardware mesh. Shovel test results, including presence or absence of cultural materials, stratigraphic sequence, and location in the testing pattern were recorded on standardized recordation forms.
Ten test units were then placed across the site based on the results of the Phase I and II shovel testing. All test units were 1 X 1 m in size. Five units were placed in the northwestern portion of the site. Two were placed in the southwest. One was placed in the center and two were placed in the eastern site area. Soils in test units were removed in 10 cm arbitrary levels within natural stratigraphy and were screened through hardware mesh. Standardized recordation forms were used to record test unit results, including the depth of excavation levels, stratigraphic sequences, the presence or absence of cultural materials, and interpretation of the excavated level. Stratigraphic data were documented using standard methods and soils nomenclature.
During Phase II excavations at 18HO33, no high or localized horizontal or vertical concentrations of cultural materials were noted and no cultural features or deposits were identified. A total of 1,017 cultural materials were recovered, the vast majority of which were prehistoric in age. Only 108 historic artifacts (cataloged above as “miscellaneous”) were recovered during the excavations. Nearly all of these materials are from plowzone contexts and are indicative of material discarded alongside the road or in the former agricultural field. The prehistoric assemblage recovered during Phase II work consisted of 1 Levanna point, 2 Savannah River points, 9 other bifaces, 1 flake tool, 1 uniface, 5 cores, 886 pieces of debitage, 3 pieces of fire-cracked rock, and 1 hammerstone. The vast majority of the lithics were quartz, followed by lesser amounts of quartzite, chert, rhyolite, and ironstone.
Based on the presence of Savannah River and Levanna projectile points, the period of significance for 18HO33 has been identified as a long period of time spanning the era from the Late Archaic (3000-1000 BC) through the Late Woodland (AD100-1600). The assemblage is indicative of a multi-component lithic procurement site. The relatively large flake size and prevalence of cortical quartz and quartzite debitage indicates that the principal activity on the site was the identification of usable quartz and quartzite cobbles and limited production of bifaces. However, testing within the site did not produce more than a few diagnostics or finished tools. No concentrations of artifacts were identified that might reflect activity areas. And no cultural features indicative of site layout and settlement patterns were identified.
Based on the limited findings, it was determined that 18HO33 lacked additional potential to answer research questions related to Maryland prehistory. The site should not be considered a significant archeological resource.
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