A Petrographic Analysis Of Late Woodland Ceramics From The Sperry Site,Jackson County,Missouri

Abstract

A sample of 11 sherds from the Late Woodland component of the Sperry Site in Jackson County, Missouri was selected for petrographic analysis. The findings indicate that sherds as well as granite particles, and possibly limestone and sand served as tempering agents. It is suggested that prehistoric potters may have been utilizing till clays (available locally) which contain naturally occurring granitic particles and further tempering the clay with sherds, limestone, or sand.     

A Review Of Two De Koninck Retzioid Brachiopod Species, And Description Of A New Genus From The Carboniferous Of Europe

A new neoretziid brachiopod genus, Coveenia , from the Lower Carboniferous of western Europe is erected; the type species is Coveenia ulothrix (de Koninck, 1843), and C. buchiana (de Koninck, 1843, sensu 1887) and C. tilsleia sp. nov. are included, diagnosed and described. Neotypes are selected and illustrated for C. ulothrix C. buchiana .     

A Human Skeleton From The Anthony Site, 14Hp1, Harper County,Kansas

Abstract

Measurements, indices and selected non-metric observations are presented for an adult female, the only human skeletal material recovered from the 1959-60 excavation of the Anthony Site, 14HP1. Comparison with other American Indian populations from the same geographic region suggests that the Anthony female is morphologically related to the Caddoan groups.     

An Empirical Trial Of The Effectiveness of Statistical Methodology With Site Survey Data: An Application of The Correlation Coefficient to Survey Data From Mahaska County,Iowa*

Abstract

To find out whether complex statistical methods could be successfully applied to site survey data, the correlation coefficient was used to evaluate the reliability and validity of survey data gathered from Mahaska county, Iowa by means of a mailed questionnaire. It was also used to identify geographical characteristics of the sites located by the above survey. The reliability of the survey data was found to be questionable, while their validity was found to be good. Sites in Mahaska county were found to be located near rivers, at low altitudes, and on timber soil. It was concluded that the correlation coefficient can be a useful tool in working with site survey data.     

Structure and Organization of a Burned Rock Midden: The Indian Creek Site,Real County,Texas

Abstract

Excavation of a Central Texas burned rock midden was conducted to test hypotheses generated by study of a systematic surface collection. Some significant findings on social organization and function of the midden are verified by multiple typologies. The structure of the midden is attributed to successive cooking devices. The economic organization was entirely a matter of nuclear families.     

Plant Remains From Phillips Spring,A Multi Component Site In The Western Ozark Highland Of Missouri

Abstract

Phillips Spring (23Hi216) is a multicomponent archaeological site associated with an active artesian spring on a terrace of the Pomme de Terre river in western Missouri. Preservation of both carbonized and uncarbonized plant remains is excellent and remains of plants representing 32 taxa, including 24 potential food plant, occur atthe site as well as eight taxa of wood charcoal. In addition, there are remains of squash (Cucurbita pepo) and bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) dating 4260 B.P., 40008.), 1999 B.P., and squash dating 2293 B.P. When combined with data from a Woodland storage pit at nearby Boney Spring (squash dated at 1920 B.P.) and Blackwell Cave (bottle gourd at 730 B.P.), it appears that these cultigens were being grown in the western Missouri Ozarks for much of the last 4000 years. Phillips Spring is a multicomponent (Late Archaic and Middle Woodland) site situatedon a terrace of the Pomme de Terre River in Hickory County, Missouri. Discovered in 1973, the site was subsequently excavated during four field seasons: 1974, 1976, 1977 and 1978. The 1974 excavations defined four cultural horizons including three Late Archaic and a Woodland component (Chomko 1976) and produced numerous well preservedplant remains. The presence of squash (Cucurbita pepo) in the earliest component, later associated with a date of3927 B. P., prompted additional testing of the site in 1976 and full scale excavation in 1977 and 1978 (Kay 1978, Robinson 1978). Results of the 1974 excavations have been previously discussed (Chomko 1978, Chomko and Crawford 1978) and the present paper discusses the plant remains from the 1976 and more extensive 1977 excavations. While the 1978 material, presently awaiting analysis, will undoubtedly increase both our knowledge of activity patterns at the site and our sample size of specific types of features and biotic remains, it will probably not add substantially to the extensive list of plant taxa which have been recovered from the spring.     

A Clay Figurine Cache From The Lower Pecos Region,Texas

Abstract

A cache of four clay figurines from a large rockshelter in the Lower Pecos region in Val Verde County, Texas, is described. A tentative date range of 2000 to 1200 B.C., which is within the Middle Archaic period of the local chronology, is proposed for the cache on the basis of artifact associations.     

Mobridge Site Cemeteries: Controversy Concerning The Location Of The Over And Stirling Burials

Abstract

During the 1920's, W.H. Over and M.W. Stirling excavated skeletal material from cemeteries at the Mobridge site. Their records are not clear as to the exact location of burial recovery. Mobridge has at least three distinct burial areas (Features 1, 2, and 3), and there are craniometric and temporal differences among them. A comparison of crania from Features 1, 2, and 3 with the Over and Stirling samples gives some insight as to the location of their burials. Burials excavated by Over classify primarily with Feature 2, indicating this to be their point of origin. A few burials from Feature 1 also appear to be represented. Stirling's sample groups with areas 1 and 3. His sample possibly originated there, although it seems more likely that they came from a location north of the village which dates to the same time period as Features 1 and 3 and represents the same population.     

An Analysis Of Four Survey Collections From Armstrong County,South Dakota 39Ar2 (No Heart Creek Site), 39Ar4, 39Ar5 And 39Ar 7

Abstract

The materials collected from four sites on the Little Bend of the Missouri River are described and analyzed. In the conclusion, these manifestations, referred to as the No Heart Creek complex, are compared to seven other sites along the river in north.-central South Dakota. The sites are related to the Le Compte Focus and are characterized by a distinetive settlement pattern.     

A New Family Of Calcareous Microfossils From The Silurian Of Gotland, Sweden

Scanning electron microscopy of polished, slightly etched rock surfaces of samples from the Silurian of Gotland, Sweden, revealed the presence of excellently preserved calcareous microfaunas and microfloras. This paper illustrates several morphotypes of calcareous micro-organisms of unknown biological affinity, attributed to the new family Ovummuridae. Specimens of Ovummurus duoportius Minoura and Chitoku, a problematical microfossil, which was first described from the Upper Pennsylvanian of Kansas, USA, were found in addition to comparable micro-organisms attributed to the following new taxa: Minourella gotlandica gen. et sp. nov., Arouxina pluricellata gen. et sp. nov. and Samtlebenella circumcamerata gen. et sp. nov. In addition, a few other problematical micro-organisms, probably belonging to the same family, are described under open nomenclature. The enigmatic microfossils are compared with other known calcareous organisms, their possible biological affinities are discussed, and the different stages of diagenetic alteration and destruction are illustrated.     

The Strohacker Site: A Review of Pre-Archaic Manifestations in Texas

Abstract

Investigations at the Strohacker site in central Texas produced a number of late Paleo-Indian and pre-Archaic artifacts. These are described and the site is compared to several other Texas sites from which similar artifacts were recovered in recent years. On the basis of present evidence, it is proposed that the latter part of the Paleo-Indian period ended in parts of Texas around 6000 B.C. and was followed by a transitional preArchaic phase which extended throughout the Altithermal. This phase was succeeded by a developed Archaic tradition about 3500 B.C.     

A New Family Of Coleoids From The Lower Jurassic Of Osteno, Northern Italy

The discovery of well preserved and almost complete fossil coleoid cephalopods near Osteno in northern Italy has allowed the original study of a single specimen by Pinna (1972) to be enhanced. The unusual structure of the ten arms, showing a clear differentiation in the shape of the arm hooks (long and thin on six arms and short and stocky on the other four), is a distinctive character which is not present in any Jurassic family of coleoids known to date. We distinguish two new genera: Ostenoteuthis, with the species O. siroi sp. nov., and Uncinoteuthis, with the species U. cuvieri sp. nov. The new family Ostenoteuthidae (Order uncertain) is erected for them. The systematic position of this family within the fossil coleoids is discussed.