Phase II and Phase III Archaeological Database and Inventory
18WO165 Woodcock Farm Shell Middens
Diagnostic Artifact Data
Features
Summary
The Woodcock Farm Shell Middens Site (18WO165) lies between Green Point Creek and Sinepuxent Bay in Worcester County. The site is comprised of an area of three contiguous shell middens (midden complex) on an overlook above the creek and another shell midden in the (uncultivated) woods just to the north. The shell middens are dated to the Late Archaic and Middle to Late Woodland periods. Within the site area there is a diversity of environmental settings such as woodlands, bay basins, open cultivated fields, and tidal marsh land. The soil types in the plowed field are primarily Sassafras moderately eroded 2 to 5 percent slope and Pocomoke poorly drained soils. The soil types in the wooded and open areas are Fallsington and, slightly to the north, Mattapex silt loam surrounded by Othello soils.
Phase I survey was conducted in 1994-1995 ahead of the proposed construction of a golfing community on the western shore of the Sinepuxent Bay. The project would alter the landscape by re-contouring to create the golf course and by clearing of woodlands to accommodate the golf course, a club house, access roads and residential dwellings. The project area was around 250 acres and encompassed privately owned land and a portion of the land that was to be conveyed to the National Park Service. Prior to field investigations, extensive archival research of the project area was done. Survey consisted of extensive field walking with controlled surface collection. This was followed by excavating shovel test pits (STPs) at intervals never exceeding 15 meters (some areas required shorter interval testing). Lastly, in certain loci a single 1 meter square was excavated. These were areas where site potential was considered to be high, thus facilitating an accurate sample of cultural material. Seven of these loci, which were assigned roman numerals, were excavated. The Woodcock Farm Shell Middens Site (18WO165) consists of two loci designated as Locus III and Locus IV.
Three contiguous shell midden features were identified on small points of land along Green Point Creek within the site area during the Phase I survey of Locus III. During the walk over survey it was established that the midden complex was a clearly-defined roughly circular feature about 121.9 meters (400 feet) in diameter. A total of 18 STPs were dug east and north of the midden. Locus III overlapped with a concentration of 19th century artifacts first identified during the field walking that was designated as Area A. Those artifacts from Area A were counted as a collection and the artifacts that fell within the boundaries of site 18WO165 were not distinguished from the collection. Therefore, they are not counted in the totals here. All shell, coal, and brick found in the STPs was simply noted and discarded, thus providing no absolute counts. There was 1 uncommon object, a stone net sinker, 7 sherds of prehistoric ceramic, 9 jasper, chert, quartz, and chalcedony flakes, 2 fire-cracked rocks, 1 chert scraper, 2 bashed pebbles, 375 faunal items (7 animal bones, 132 oyster shell fragments, 175 clam shell fragments, 8 spiral shell fragments, and 51 unidentifiable shell fragments), and 2 burned nut hulls. 5 architectural items (brick fragments) are all that reflect the historic component at the site.
During phase I evaluations in Locus IV, 18 STPs and the excavation of a single 1 meter X 1 meter square test unit revealed another shell midden feature. The shell is mostly clam with some oyster. The midden was a compact shell heap no more than 60.96 (200 feet) in diameter. Shell was counted and kept from the meter square test unit but not from the STPs. Only 1 fire-cracked rock and 2 prehistoric ceramic sherds were collected from the STPs although shell fragments, coal and charcoal were noted but discarded and not counted. Artifacts found in the Locus VI test unit were 13 prehistoric ceramic sherds (one that was net-impressed) and 1 fire reddened clay nodule, 2 chert and 1 quartz flakes, 2 fire-cracked rock, and 592 faunal items (4 animal bones, 155 oyster shell fragments, 425 clam shell fragments, 1 scallop shell fragment, 1 spiral shell, and 6 unidentified shell fragments).
Phase II evaluations of Locus III involved the excavation of six 1 meter X 1 meter square test units across the center of the midden and 3 additional STPs. Below the plowzone, numerous pit features were identified but not clearly described by the archeologists. Since shellfish seasonality and source are important aspects of research in the region, special attention was directed at retrieving whole (or nearly whole) shells. Only in a few cases was the total number of shells reported by the archeologists. Undisclosed numbers of shell, glass, and brick were discarded. Numbers of other artifacts such as flakes and ceramics were not always clearly stated. Total numbers for those objects were arrived at using a standardized system developed for the synthesis project. There were 68 clam and oyster shell fragments, 7 fire-cracked rocks, 35 flakes, 6 pieces of debitage, 3 projectile points, 47 ceramic sherds, 1 hammerstone-type tool , 8 bone fragments, and 1 wood fragment. Two of the projectile points are Late Archaic types and the third is a Brewerton-style side-notched point dated to the Middle Archaic period. The bulk of the ceramic appear to be relating to the Late Woodland Townsend series (a minimum of 2 Townsend sherds were recorded in the table above).
Phase II evaluations of Locus IV involved the excavation of six 1 meter X 1 meter square test units across the center of the midden. Two pit features were found in Locus IV, one in ER 400 and one in ER 401. The one in ER 400 contained 8 cord-marked sherds, 2 fire-cracked rocks, 7 flakes, and 1 clamshell fragment. The one in ER 401 contained 2 pieces of animal bone, 1 nut shell, 1 shell fragment, and 2 fire-cracked rocks and had some charcoal flecking. Like with the finds from Locus III, only in a few cases was the total number of shells reported by the archeologists. The numbers of other artifacts such as brick, glass, and peach pits were not always clearly stated, therefore, the totals given here for those artifacts are estimated based on a standardized system. Undisclosed numbers of shell were discarded. All artifacts recovered from the Phase II excavation including those from the 2 pit features include 100 clam and oyster shell fragments, 1 snail shell fragment, 4 clam shell hammers used to open shells, 8 fire-cracked rocks, 16 flakes, 3 pieces of debitage, 59 ceramic sherds, 3 Mockely sherds dated to the Middle Woodland period, 3 bone fragments, 1 nut shell, 1 uncommon object (possible fire-hardened wood point), and 24 peach pits. Two historic architectural items were also found (1 brick fragment and 1 glass shard).
It should also be noted that a number of artifacts have been collected by individuals in the areas that comprise Locus III and Locus VI (18WO167). These include a nutting stone, a black chert fishtail variant knife, an incomplete fishtail or bifurcate point (these items were photographed and the photos are with the collection at the MAC lab), a reworked point, a red jasper projectile point, and more.
The presence of an abundance of shell suggests that the Woodcock Farm Shell Middens Site (18WO165) was a shellfish procurement site utilized intermittently or seasonal over a long period of time. Studying the shell deposits in pits of different periods may lead to new information about changes in the mollusk population and procurement strategies. In responds to investigative findings, the proposed plans for construction were altered in order to avoid any impact on the midden complex in Locus III. The impact to the midden in Locus VI is minimal to none. Therefore, this site still has the potential to provide valuable information about prehistory.
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