lancaster

Perry County

Site Name:

36Pe16

Borough, Township:

Liverpool Township

Author:

Pat Miller

Representing:

KCI Technologies, Inc.

Date of Site:

Paleoindian to Late Woodland
from 10,000 BP to ca 1000 AD

Project Sponsor:

Federal Highway Administration, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, District

Brief Description: Archaeological surveys were conducted during the planning stages of the S.R.0011, Section 008 highway widening project to identify sites that could be disturbed by highway construction. The surveys found three prehistoric sites within Perry County that contained important information on people's way of life in the Susquehanna Valley prior to settlement by Euro-Americans. One of these, Site 36Pe16, contained evidence from the very earliest inhabitants of the region.
36Pe16 is an important archaeological site because it contains evidence of occupation of the region spanning a period from 10,000 to 1,000 years ago. Because the site is stratified-- that is, occupations occur in layers from youngest to oldest-- we can see how human activities changed over this long period of time.

The most exciting finding is that the site contains artifacts dating to the earliest period of prehistoric occupation-- the Paleoindian Period. Artifacts from this era were above and within a layer of cobbles at the very bottom of the floodplain sediments. Paleoindians were apparently making and using tools on what was then the rocky shore of the river. Eight thousand years later, the ground surface at the site was more than six feet above the river.

During the Paleoindian Period, the climate was much colder than today and vegetation more sparsely distributed. Paleoindians gathered nuts and berries, but relied largely on hunting for their food supply. Among the Paleoindian artifacts found at the site were spear points with a central flake, or flute, removed parallel to the long axis. Fluting was not used at all during later periods of prehistory.

The excavations in Perry County are being funded by the Federal Highway Administration and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The work is being performed by KCI Technologies, Inc. of Harrisburg, in consultation with PennDOT and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. For more information contact Patricia Miller or David Bibler, KCI Technologies, Inc., (717) 691-1340.

Perry County
Site Name:	36Pe16
Borough, Township:	Liverpool Township
Author:	Pat Miller
Representing:	KCI Technologies, Inc.
Date of Site:	Paleoindian to Late Woodland from 10,000 BP to ca 1000 AD
Project Sponsor:	Federal Highway Administration, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, District
Brief Description: Archaeological surveys were conducted during the planning stages of the S.R.0011, Section 008 highway widening project to identify sites that could be disturbed by highway construction. The surveys found three prehistoric sites within Perry County that contained important information on people's way of life in the Susquehanna Valley prior to settlement by Euro-Americans. One of these, Site 36Pe16, contained evidence from the very earliest inhabitants of the region. 36Pe16 is an important archaeological site because it contains evidence of occupation of the region spanning a period from 10,000 to 1,000 years ago. Because the site is stratified-- that is, occupations occur in layers from youngest to oldest-- we can see how human activities changed over this long period of time. The most exciting finding is that the site contains artifacts dating to the earliest period of prehistoric occupation-- the Paleoindian Period. Artifacts from this era were above and within a layer of cobbles at the very bottom of the floodplain sediments. Paleoindians were apparently making and using tools on what was then the rocky shore of the river. Eight thousand years later, the ground surface at the site was more than six feet above the river. During the Paleoindian Period, the climate was much colder than today and vegetation more sparsely distributed. Paleoindians gathered nuts and berries, but relied largely on hunting for their food supply. Among the Paleoindian artifacts found at the site were spear points with a central flake, or flute, removed parallel to the long axis. Fluting was not used at all during later periods of prehistory. The excavations in Perry County are being funded by the Federal Highway Administration and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The work is being performed by KCI Technologies, Inc. of Harrisburg, in consultation with PennDOT and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. For more information contact Patricia Miller or David Bibler, KCI Technologies, Inc., (717) 691-1340.