lancaster

Columbia County

Artifacts from 36Co18

Site Name:

36Co17 (Mifflinville North) and 36Co18 (Mifflinville South)

Borough, Township:

South Centre Township (36Co17) and Mifflin Township (36Co18),

Author:

Robert Wall and Robert Jacoby

Representing:

Louis Berger & Associates, Inc.

Date of Site:

Archaic
6600 BC – AD 1000 (36Co17)
6000 BC – AD 1300 (36Co18)

Project Sponsor:

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

Phase III data recovery investigations of two prehistoric sites in Columbia County, Pennsylvania were conducted to mitigate impacts to as a result of the Mifflinville Bridge Replacement. Investigated sites include 36Co17, a floodplain locality on the north bank of the Susquehanna River, and 36Co18, a Pleistocene terrace site on the south bank of the river. At Site 36Co17, systematic block excavations identified three undisturbed prehistoric components below the plowzone.

Artifacts from 36Co17
The deepest and oldest cultural horizon consisted of bifurcate and Kirk stemmed points, debitage, stone tools, and several pit features containing charred nut remains. A radiocarbon date of 5230 BC ± 60 on wood charcoal defines this component as Middle Archaic. The middle component on the site was identified as Late Archaic based on the occurrence of Brewerton, Lamoka, and Bare Island hafted bifaces.
A fishing station is indicated by the large sample of netsinkers recovered in these contexts. Participation by site occupants in regional exchange networks is inferred by the presence of significant quantities of rhyolite, a non-local lithic raw material. A more intensive occupation is evident in the uppermost (Terminal Archaic) cultural horizon by a sharp increase in artifact frequencies in association with extensive fire-cracked rock features. This component is also marked by an increase in rhyolite use.
Radiocarbon assays of 1900 BC ± 80, 1630 BC ± 120, and 1430 BC ± 140 provide a time frame for the Terminal Archaic occupation. Site 36Co18 contained evidence of Early Archaic through Late Woodland occupations mixed within a thin surface organic horizon. The site yielded radiocarbon dates of 3090 BC ± 120 and 1450 BC ± 80 from two pit features, although neither feature contained diagnostic artifacts.

Columbia County Artifacts from 36Co18
Site Name:	36Co17 (Mifflinville North) and 36Co18 (Mifflinville South)
Borough, Township:	South Centre Township (36Co17) and Mifflin Township (36Co18),
Author:	Robert Wall and Robert Jacoby
Representing:	Louis Berger & Associates, Inc.
Date of Site:	Archaic 6600 BC – AD 1000 (36Co17) 6000 BC – AD 1300 (36Co18)
Project Sponsor:	Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
Phase III data recovery investigations of two prehistoric sites in Columbia County, Pennsylvania were conducted to mitigate impacts to as a result of the Mifflinville Bridge Replacement. Investigated sites include 36Co17, a floodplain locality on the north bank of the Susquehanna River, and 36Co18, a Pleistocene terrace site on the south bank of the river. At Site 36Co17, systematic block excavations identified three undisturbed prehistoric components below the plowzone. Artifacts from 36Co17 The deepest and oldest cultural horizon consisted of bifurcate and Kirk stemmed points, debitage, stone tools, and several pit features containing charred nut remains. A radiocarbon date of 5230 BC ± 60 on wood charcoal defines this component as Middle Archaic. The middle component on the site was identified as Late Archaic based on the occurrence of Brewerton, Lamoka, and Bare Island hafted bifaces. A fishing station is indicated by the large sample of netsinkers recovered in these contexts. Participation by site occupants in regional exchange networks is inferred by the presence of significant quantities of rhyolite, a non-local lithic raw material. A more intensive occupation is evident in the uppermost (Terminal Archaic) cultural horizon by a sharp increase in artifact frequencies in association with extensive fire-cracked rock features. This component is also marked by an increase in rhyolite use. Radiocarbon assays of 1900 BC ± 80, 1630 BC ± 120, and 1430 BC ± 140 provide a time frame for the Terminal Archaic occupation. Site 36Co18 contained evidence of Early Archaic through Late Woodland occupations mixed within a thin surface organic horizon. The site yielded radiocarbon dates of 3090 BC ± 120 and 1450 BC ± 80 from two pit features, although neither feature contained diagnostic artifacts.