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Weaver & Associates, LLC |
New Memphis Arena
Phase I, II, and III Data Recovery
In April 2002, the Public Building Authority requested that Weaver & Associates, LLC conduct Phase I and II archaeological testing of the proposed site of New Memphis Arena--the new home of the Memphis Grizzlies. Phase III data recovery followed this testing. The Memphis Arena project involved the removal of 380,000 cubic yards of dirt, reaching a depth of 35-40 feet below surface, over an area of about 3.4 hectares. The project is located in downtown Memphis, Tennessee, south of Beale Street. The project is the largest public building construction in the city’s history and one of the largest archaeological projects ever undertaken in the Midsouth.
After identifying the potential for intact deposits in the site plan, a Phase III data recovery project began. This work coincided with the excavation for the arena’s foundation and was completed without significant delay to construction. The Phase III data recovery identified 92 features, most of which can be classified into three major types: cisterns, privies, and wells. Fieldwork was completed in August 2002, and final lab analysis and report preparation is ongoing as of February 2003. The number of artifacts recovered during the project exceeds105,000.
