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Weaver & Associates, LLC |
Weaver & Associates, LLC conducted Phase II testing of a multi-component archaeological site, 40Sy644, in Germantown, Tennessee during the late summer of 2002. The site was located within the right-of-way for a proposed extension of Wolf River Boulevard. We established a grid for the entire site area, and then systematically shovel tested along the grid. We also excavated 15 1x1 meter test units in areas with a high artifact density. Our goals were to determine the site boundaries and site depth, to identify the cultural affiliations represented at 40Sy644, and to identify the presence of undisturbed subsurface features and archaeological deposits.
Our analysis of the recovered artifacts revealed that the cultural components of 40Sy644 spanned the Late Paleoindian to Middle Archaic periods (ca. 8500 - 2000 BC), and Early Woodland to Mississippian periods (800 BC - AD 1400). The site also contained an early to mid-nineteenth century Frontier period component (ca. 1800 - 1850). A wide variety of projectile point types and prehistoric ceramics were found at the site, including three ceramic types not usually seen in the area. Two Alexander Pinched sherds and a limestone-tempered sherd indicate that trading with prehistoric cultures to the east and southeast took place in the area. Some of the historic period artifacts we recovered include many historic ceramic types, buttons, and seven French gunflints. Another interesting find was an historic root cellar uncovered during our unit excavations.
Based on these findings, a redesign of the proposed roadway is being considered in order to protect this important archaeological site.
