PAC Newsletter
 In this issue:  

 

PAC President's Column

Please Mark Your Calendars

Compliance

Current Research

Public Education

PennDOT Report


Download issue as a PDF

 

 

 Newsletter Archives

 Summer 2006

 Vol. 27


PENNSYLVANIA ARCHAEOLOGICAL COUNCIL

.

 PAC PRESIDENT'S COLUMN

Submitted by: Paul Raber, PAC President
Heberling Associates

I just came back from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's (PennDOT's) Byways to the Past conference at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. This was the seventh Byways conference and, as always, a worthwhile experience. For those of you who aren't familiar with the conference, I strongly recommend that you consider attending next year. The conference considers all aspects of archaeology, history, and historic preservation as they relate to transportation. PennDOT funds a substantial part of the archaeology, historic structures studies, and preservation efforts in the state. It probably has more influence on how archaeology is done in Pennsylvania that any other single government agency. The conference is an opportunity to get to know the people who make the daily decisions about how archaeology and preservation are funded and conducted in Pennsylvania, and to decipher the signals about the future of those efforts.

Unfortunately, the signals aren't good. The current buzz words, which have come down from "above" (the federal government) are "streamlining" and "rightsizing," which translate to greater scrutiny of how and why money is spent on archaeology and, in general, doing less. The first part of that message is probably good: undoubtedly too much bad, inadequate, or unnecessary archaeology has been done with public funds, and some critical perspective is needed. Archaeology has too often been viewed by agency folks as something that will go away if you throw enough money at it. This has sometimes yielded less than wonderful archaeological practice and a climate that treats archaeology as a nuisance that can be eliminated by the blind application of money (or selective neglect). But compliance with federal and state preservation laws has also produced some outstanding archaeology and real additions to our knowledge of the past. Even using the most basic standards (the number of sites recorded in the Pennsylvania Archaeological Site Survey (PASS) files, for instance) we can easily see what a substantial contribution publicly funded archaeology has made over the past 25 or 30 years. All of us can think of transportation-related archaeological projects - our own or those of our colleagues - that have yielded important new data or fresh insights on the prehistory and history of the Commonwealth.

It is probably also a good thing that PennDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will be more circumspect in the near future in trying to solve transportation problems by building more and bigger roads and bridges. By this time it should be evident to all but the most obtuse (or greedy) that this has simply created the cycle of expansion of facilities, overuse, and sprawl that currently plagues much of Pennsylvania. As citizens, archaeologists should be as aware and concerned as anyone about the environmental and social costs of unregulated development and sprawl.

The bad part of the new message is the oversimplified idea that we have done too much archaeology in the past and now need to do less. If "streamlining the process" merely translates into trying to do as little archaeology as possible, we will have subverted the intent of the National Historic Preservation Act, which requires that federal agencies consider the effects of their actions on archaeological sites. The challenge, as it always has been, is to do the best archaeology possible while doing what is appropriate for the scale and nature of project effects. Both of those ideas - the best archaeology and appropriate treatment - are intimately and inextricable tied to the concept of significance. We can't know what constitutes good archaeology and appropriate archaeology if we don't consider what makes archaeological sites significant. For the largest class of sites, those which might be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion D, significance is tied to research potential, to what the site might add to the current body of knowledge about the past. That body of knowledge is not static, but changes constantly as archaeologists assess their understanding of the past. Significance is therefore linked in a fundamental way to research and research potential. Archaeological resources cannot be "managed" without grappling with the concepts of significance and research potential, concepts that change or evolve with the growing body of data. Archaeologists have something important to say to agency resource managers about that.

The Pennsylvania Archaeological Council (PAC) has a critical role to play in developing current philosophy and praxis in publicly funded archaeology. We have the opportunity to involve ourselves in individual projects and in statewide issues related to transportation-related archaeology. We currently participate as a consulting party in project-specific memoranda of understanding (MOUs) and in statewide programmatic agreements (PAs) that deal broadly with classes of projects or archaeological sites. Our involvement (and that of the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology (SPA)) has been essential in allowing the voice of the archaeological community to be heard in negotiations about how archaeology will be treated in transportation projects. Individual PAC members have served as representatives for the organization on a variety of projects and statewide agreements in past years, but we are running out of dedicated members to accept this responsibility. In the current political climate, it is critical that PAC continue to participate as a consulting party in PennDOT projects. I invite PAC members who have not already done so to consider serving as representatives for PennDOT MOUs and PAs. A minimal commitment of time and effort on your part will yield a major benefit to archaeology in Pennsylvania.

We need to be sure that our voice is heard by those making the decisions about streamlining and rightsizing at FHWA and PennDOT. Your presence at the next Byways conference might be one step in that direction. Another might be volunteering to serve as PAC representative in consulting party activities. Our message should be that to be more efficient and cost-effective in an era of scarce money and political pressure, the agencies' emphasis must be on value and not simply price, on making sure that the agencies get the best possible archaeology (and resource protection) for their dollars.


PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Archaeology Month Program Planned at
Fort Hunter

Submitted by: Kurt Carr, PHMC, BHP

During Archaeology Month, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Bureau for Historic Preservation will be investigating the location of Fort Hunter which is located just north of Harrisburg. Fort Hunter was a British supply fort during the French and Indian War and was one of three forts built between here and Sunbury. Fort Halifax and Fort Augusta were the other two and the latter was the largest British fort built in Pennsylvania. Fort Hunter is operated by Dauphin County and is currently conducting a remote sensing project to locate the fort. If all goes well, the Commonwealth Archaeology Program, in the form of Jim Herbstritt and volunteers will ground truth the remote sensing results. We expect 5,000 visitors on Fort Hunter Day, September 17 and another 1,500 visitors on Pennsylvania Indian Festival Day, October 1. We are hoping to find the fort but situated at a stream confluence with the Susquehanna River. The property contains a major prehistoric site as well.

***

Symposium on Native Americans in Pennsylvania, October 14, 2006

Submitted by: Kurt Carr PHMC, BHP

The Pennsylvania Humanities Council, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology, Pennsylvania Archaeological Council, and the Mid Atlantic American Studies Association are sponsoring a symposium on Native Americans in Pennsylvania. This will be held on October 14, 2006 in the State Museum and the Keystone building. This is a collaboration of archaeologists, historians, conservators, Native Americans, and teachers. The goal is "to develop an accessible, interdisciplinary, content-rich, and interesting program that will serve a diverse audience of professional historians, archeologists (professional and avocational), museum professionals, educators, students, and the general public. We'd like to make a special effort to include Native Americans in the program." We are expecting 200 - 400 attendees. Our audience will include adults and children.

Program

"Exploring Pennsylvania's Native American Heritage"
October 14, 2006

AM

9:00 Welcome

9:30 Keynote Address
Daniel K. Richter, McNeil Center for Early American Studies

10:30 Break

11:00 Concurrent Sessions

"Native American Origins"
Explore different perspectives on how and when Native Americans populated Pennsylvania and the New World.

Chair: Kurt Carr, PHMC Bureau for Historic Preservation
James Adovasio, Mercyhurst College
Kinorea Dickman, Smithsonian Institution--NMAI
Discussant: Jay Custer, University of Delaware

"Pennsylvania Indians on the Web:
ExplorePAhistory.com"

Hear about the creation of "The Indians of Pennsylvania," the newest story to be featured on Pennsylvania history's most exciting web site.

Chair: Robert Weible, The State Museum of Pennsylvania
Charles Hardy III, West Chester University
Timothy Shannon, Gettysburg College
Comment: Audience

"Caring for Native American Collections"
Learn how to handle and care for archaeological and ethnographic Native American collections.

Chair: Deborah Filipi, Pennsylvania Federation of Museums and Historical Organizations
Tom Evans, Smithsonian Institution--NMAI
Stephen Warfel, The State Museum of Pennsylvania
Discussant: Deborah Filipi

PM

12:30 Lunch on Your Own

2:00 Concurrent Sessions

"Cultures in Contact"
Discover how archaeological evidence and oral tradition preserve a record of profound changes in Native American lifeways resulting from contact with Europeans.

Chair: Paul Raber, Pennsylvania Archeological Council
Gerald Dietz, Seneca Descendant
Michael Stewart, Temple University
Discussant: Timothy Shannon, Gettysburg College

"The Carlisle Indian School"
Discuss the Indian boarding school experience and learn how native pupils kept alive tribal traditions and folkways amidst pressure to assimilate into mainstream white society.

Chair: Dennis Downey, Millersville University
Barbara Landis, Cumberland County Historical Society
Carolyn Rittenhouse, Millersville University and Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation
Dovie Thomason Sickles, Native American Folklorist
Comment: Audience

"Teaching Native American History"
Learn some tips for teaching Native American history from a variety of perspectives to diverse audiences.

Chair: Charles Kupfer, Penn State-Harrisburg
Kinorea Dickman, Smithsonian Institution--NMAI
Mary Pat Evans, Susquehanna High School
Jill Showalter, North Museum of Natural History & Science
Renata Wolynec, Edinboro University

3:30 Break

4:00 Wrap-up Plenary

Moderator: Daniel K. Richter, McNeil Center for Early American Studies
James Adovasio, Mercyhurst College
Kinorea Dickman, Smithsonian Institution--NMAI
Timothy Shannon, Gettysburg College
Comment: Audience

5:30 Book Signing and Reception

Public Activities

All Day

Exhibition of Private Collections

Throughout the day, private Native American artifact collections will be exhibited by members of the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology, Inc. Be sure to examine these fascinating objects and talk to the people that found them.

11:00 AM

Children's Activities: Making Native American Cordage and Exploring Native American "Rock Art"

Renata Wolynec, Edinboro University, has developed interactive archaeology curriculum for grades four through eight. She will demonstrate Native American technology and belief systems through the cordage-making process and a project on Pennsylvania "rock art."

Native American Tool Manufacturing Demonstrations

Native peoples in Pennsylvania met daily needs by crafting tools, clothing, shelters, and more from naturally available materials. Watch and learn as prehistoric technology expert Steve Nissly demonstrates and explains ancient technologies.

Film: More Than Bows and Arrows
The winner of 11 film festivals, this narrative examines the contributions of Native Americans to American and Canadian culture and history.

2:00 PM

Gallery Tours
Take a personalized tour of The State Museum's Hall of Anthropology & Archaeology with Steve Warfel, Senior Curator of Archaeology. Special attention will be given to Commonwealth treasures displayed in the gallery.

Lab Tours
Janet Johnson, Curator of Archaeology, will lead a "behind the scenes" tour of The State Museum's archaeology lab and storage facility, where more than 3 million artifacts are given perpetual care.

Film: America's Stone Age Explorers
This NOVA production explores the exciting controversy surrounding recent archaeological finds which challenge long-standing theories about human migration into the New World.

A Pre-Registration Form is printed at the end of the newsletter for your convenience. Pre-registration deadline is October 6, 2006.

***

Section 106 Course Planned

Submitted by: Joseph Baker, PennDOT Bureau of Design

Once again we are going to offer the two-day introductory course in Section 106 and historic preservation issues. The course is tentatively set for February 21 - 22, 2007. This course is taught by Lynn Sebastian of the SRI Foundation (http://srifoundation.org/pdf/WKSHP_2.pdf). It is suitable for anyone who may encounter and have to deal with historic preservation issues on federally funded transportation projects including project and portfolio managers, environmental staff, cultural resource managers, consultants, and consulting parties. The course is free for PennDOT and other agency staff and for our non-profit partners. There is a very reasonable charge for our for-profit business partners. For more information please contact Joe Baker at josebaker@state.pa.us or (717) 705-1482.


COMPLIANCE

Submitted by: Jerry A. Clouse, McCormick Taylor, Inc.

A New Section 106 Programmatic Agreement is Being Developed

Since the fall of 2005, representatives of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) have been meeting to discuss the development of a New Section 106 Programmatic Agreement, an agreement that would expand upon the current Minor Projects Programmatic Agreement (MPPA). In addition to streamlining the Section 106 process, the purpose of the new agreement is to formalize delegation of certain aspects of that process from FHWA, USACE, and the SHPO to PennDOT. The intent of the new programmatic agreement (PA) is to include all federal-aid projects (CE, EA, and EIS). The current MPPA only covers CE level projects. Due to the complexities of FHWA and USACE, two separate agreements may be required. Through a series of meetings, representatives of the various agencies have focused their discussion on the expected key points of the new PA. Included among the discussion points are: FHWA delegation, FHWA responsibilities, public involvement, levels of review by PennDOT staff, documentation, SHPO expedited review, public controversy, dispute resolution, annual review (QC/QA), education, and stewardship.

Transparency will be a key element in the operation of the new PA, and it is proposed that an electronic delivery system be developed to make the process more accessible to the public and the agencies. Since the first PA was enacted in 1998, it has become apparent that some changes would make the process more efficient and more cost effective. In addition, the current PA does not cover state-funded projects, does not adequately define public controversy, does not provide for tribal consultation, and does not incorporate revised Section 106 effect findings for archaeological sites. The new PA will seek to comprehensively resolve these issues. The Pennsylvania Archaeological Council (PAC) has been invited to be a consulting party. It is expected that there will be a meeting with consulting parties in late spring to gather their input on the PA.


CURRENT RESEARCH

Current Research by John Milner Associates, Inc.

Submitted by: Peter E. Siegel

John Milner Associates, Inc. conducted archeological survey and evaluation investigations in Valley Forge National Historical Park. This work was conducted for Boles, Smyth Associates, Inc. on behalf of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Fieldwork for the survey was divided into three components: (1) shovel testing, (2) metal detecting, and (3) ground-penetrating radar. The metal-detector survey resulted in the identification of a large concentration of Revolutionary War-era artifacts, principally musket and rifle balls and buckshot, but no artifacts associated with the camp areas such as buttons, buckles, food remains, or camp equipage. The concentration of lead balls is interpreted to be the remnant of a firing or musketry range. The firing range was assigned archeological site number 36MG414.

***

GAI and PPL Complete Central West Branch Archaeological Synthesis
and Great Island Geomorphology Study

Submitted by: Douglas H. MacDonald, Benjamin Resnick, and David L. Cremeens
GAI Consultants, Inc.

In 2005, GAI Consultants, Inc. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, prepared a synthesis of prehistoric archaeological data for Pennsylvania River Subbasin 9, the Central West Branch of the Susquehanna River and all its tributaries, including Pine Creek, Kettle Creek, Bald Eagle Creek, and Spring Creek. The report was required by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Bureau for Historic Preservation (PHMC/BHP) due to PPL Gas Utilities' (PPL) construction of a 12" natural gas pipeline across Great Island near Lock Haven, Clinton County, Pennsylvania. Because the pipeline passed near the previously-identified Site 36Cn5, the PHMC/BHP required monitoring during construction, a geomorphological study of Great Island, and an archaeological data synthesis. The goal of the report was to synthesize Pennsylvania Archaeological Site Survey (PASS) files data, as well as research report information, in order to summarize the prehistory of the Central West Branch Susquehanna River subbasin in north-central Pennsylvania. Great Island and the City of Lock Haven are the focal points of the synthesis from which a broad prehistoric context for the entire Subbasin 9 is provided.

GAI's report provides a detailed sketch of the geomorphology of Great Island, based on geomorphological coring conducted for PPL by GAI. The geomorphology analysis included a field visit where seven (7) soil-sediment cores were extracted in a transect across the island. Each core revealed fine sandy loam sediments with multiple, buried alluvial soils. To summarize briefly, five strata were identified based on morphologic characteristics observed in the cores. The eastern half of the island is older and has a more developed soil at the surface than does the western half. Detailed results are included in GAI's report.

In addition to the geomorphology study, GAI reviewed archaeological and historical reports and publications, as well as PASS files data on recorded sites to develop overviews of the prehistory of the Central West Branch Subbasin. In GAI's similar study of the nearby Upper Juniata Subbasin, GAI identified 288 site components from 202 recorded sites (MacDonald 2003). During that study, 176 sites and 676 components were eliminated from use in the study due to a lack of specific diagnostic artifact information. Within the current study area of the Central West Branch river basin, 471 total sites and 831 components were eliminated due to a lack of specific artifact descriptions on site forms. Based on these numbers, 53.4 percent of Upper Juniata and 25.7 percent of Central West Branch site forms contained useful information regarding site age. For components, the Upper Juniata site files contained useful data on 29.96 percent of identified components versus 24.7 percent for the Central West Branch. While the total usable site counts are reduced by 50 percent within the Central West Branch compared to the Upper Juniata, the overall number of useful components is similar between the two regions.

To supplement the general information from PASS files, GAI conducted an analysis of available lithic artifact collections from the seven previously-identified archaeological sites on Great Island. Of the seven sites identified on the island, collections from four sites were available for review. In particular, the goal was to determine the lithic raw material distributions for each site. To supplement PASS files data and collections analysis, GAI reviewed pertinent archaeological reports to better evaluate the types of sites found in the project area. All recorded radiocarbon dates for the Central West Branch are provided in the report, including more than 200 dates from various sites in the region.

One of the key findings of the study was the confirmation of increased use of rhyolite during the Transitional Period in the Central West Branch subbasin. The dominance of rhyolite at sites like West Water Street, Memorial Park, and Fisher Farm for Transitional period projectile points is overwhelming, indicating increasing population movements between south-central and north-central Pennsylvania at that time. Similar patterns were observed in the Upper Juniata subbasin as well (MacDonald 2003). The cause of these movements is unclear however, and is a key research issue of the region (Stewart 1987).

Finally, this report provides a revised and updated summary of the origins and use of keyhole structures in the Central West Branch subbasin. Based on information collected in PASS files and research reports, nine regional sites - including seven in the Central West Branch subbasin - have yielded keyhole structures. They were used primarily during the 14th-17th centuries A.D. at sites located along the main stem of the West Branch between Lock Haven and Jersey Shore, suggesting a local origin. Dates for features at sites along Pine Creek to the north and the North Branch to the east are later, suggesting the gradual spread of their use outside of the central core area. While their functions remain largely uncertain, this study speculates that they may have functioned as centralized food storage features within villages during the Shenks Ferry-Stewart sub-phase of the Late Woodland, as first suggested by Hatch (1980).

Data presented in this report highlights a great disparity in the ages and locations of researched sites in the Central West Branch subbasin. None of the research projects discussed in this report identified Paleoindian components and there was only limited study of Early Archaic, Middle Archaic, Early Woodland, and Middle Woodland sites. The focus of archaeological attention, thus, has been on the Late Archaic/Transitional and Late Woodland periods, similar to adjacent regions. Another clear trend of research is the general neglect of more remote portions of the Kettle Creek and Pine Creek watersheds; thus, little is known about upland use of the Appalachian Plateau in the Central West Branch river basin. In contrast, a great deal is known regarding the Ridge and Valley portion, including the main stem of the West Branch Susquehanna River, Bald Eagle Creek, and Spring Creek, especially for sites dating to the Late Archaic/Transitional and Late Woodland periods.

Similar to other regional data syntheses - including the companion volume by GAI on the Upper Juniata River Subbasin 11 (MacDonald 2003) - the goal of the Central West Branch synthesis was to provide a context for future research in the region. By using the information gathered in this report, future archaeologists will hopefully be able to better understand the important research issues and cultural historical milestones of the last 12,000 years of Native American lifeways along the Central West Branch Susquehanna River. GAI's full report will be available for distribution upon request starting in summer, 2006.

Works Cited:

Hatch, J.W.
1980 Fisher Farm Site: A Late Woodland Hamlet in Context. Department of Anthropology Occasional Paper No. 12. The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.

MacDonald, D.H.
2003 Pennsylvania Archaeological Data Synthesis: The Upper Juniata River Sub- Basin 11 (Watersheds A-D), ER 2000-2888- 013. Prepared by GAI Consultants, Inc. for Keller Engineers, Inc. and the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration.

Stewart, M.
1987 Rhyolite Quarry and Quarry-Related Sites in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Archaeology of Eastern North America 15: 47-58.

***

Summary of 2006 Fort Augusta Excavations

Submitted by: Jim Delle Kutztown University

Using a grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and administered by the Northumberland County Historical Society, Kutztown University conducted archaeological testing at Fort Augusta in Sunbury, Pennsylvania. The work is being done to assess both historic and prehistoric resources which may be affected by the possible expansion of the historical society's building.

The 2005 excavations produced significant remains from the French and Indian War era. The goal of the 2006 field season was to determine the nature of the prehistoric occupation of the Fort Augusta site. To this end, the research design called for locating and re-excavating trenches first dug during the 1981 field season, to excavate below the bottom of these trenches as deep as possible until cobbles were encountered, and to open several 1 meter unit excavations in order to recover prehistoric artifacts with good contextual information.

To attain these ends, we used a backhoe to strip off several layers of post-19th century fill, which reached to nearly 1 meter in some places. We then shovel-shined and trowelled to locate and re-excavate five trenches sunk in 1981 (including 1981 Trenches 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7). Although we were able to excavate into the sub-1981 levels in trenches 2, 3, and 4, very poor weather conditions (we received in excess of 10 inches of rain over the final two weeks of the project) constrained our initial plan to take all of these trenches down to the Pleistocene cobble layer. We were able to reach the cobble layer only in 1981 Trench 2.

We did open a total of 19 1 meter units. In six of these we recovered artifacts from levels 3 (Fort Augusta-associated fill), 4 (a Late Archaic A Horizon), and 5 (B Horizon below level 4). We found several Late Archaic points, including side notched, corner notched, and stemmed points, as well as the tip of a broad spear. We excavated two features that clearly are Late Archaic or earlier, including a 1 meter sample of a hearth that we discovered in the profile of 1981 Trench 7. This hearth contained plentiful charcoal and fire cracked rock, but no diagnostic artifacts. We managed to float 30 liters of this material and recovered botanicals that still need to be analyzed. The second feature appeared in the B Horizon below the buried A Horizon. We bisected this feature and floated it. A few flecks of charcoal were recovered, but again no diagnostic artifacts. Finally, we opened two backhoe trenches in the front yard of the property. The goal of this was to determine the condition of fort-related features uncovered in 1938. We discovered that the WPA excavations destroyed the integrity of the fort related features entirely. On Saturday, July 8, I will be meeting on site with J. T. Marine, a geomorphologist, who will complete a geoarchaeological assessment of the site. The site will be backfilled on Tuesday, July 11..


. PUBLIC EDUCATION

No submissions for this edition.


PENNDOT REPORT

No report in this issue.

 


PAC COMPUTER USER'S COLUMN

There is no article in this issue.

.


MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

The fee for membership in PAC is $25.00 per year. To apply for membership, please forward a current resume or curriculum vita to Benjamin Resnick, Chair Membership and Ethics Committee, Pennsylvania Archaeological Council at:

GAI Consultants, Inc.
Pittsburgh Office
385 E. Waterfront Drive
Homestead, PA 15120
412-476-2000, ext. 1200
412-476-2020 (fax)
b.resnick@gaiconsultants.com

******************************************

PAC HOUSEKEEPING

Please make sure PAC has your current e-mail address (or FAX number) so that we may distribute urgent information as quickly as possible. Please send updates to mark McConaughy at mmcconaugh@state.pa.us.

******************************************

EDITOR'S NOTE

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all PAC members who contributed to this newsletter. There would be no newsletter without your willingness to take the time out of your busy schedule to write about your work or that of your organization. I would also like to thank Mark McConaughy who promptly replies to my last minute questions and to my husband who provides valuable technical support.

I wish you all a productive, satisfying, healthy, and wonderful year!

Renata B. Wolynec, Editor

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

 

 [Public Education] [Political Action] [Business Meetings][Officers and Members]