PHYTOLlTH, PROTEIN RESIDUE, AND MACROFLORAL ANALYSES, AND AMS RADIOCARBON DATING FOR THE CITY POINT UNIT APPOMATTOX MANOR RESTORATION PROJECT, HOPEWELL, VIRGINIA

Summary

Two prehistoric ceramic rim sherds, a soil sample, and a single projectile point/knife

were recovered during Phase III archaeological data recovery at the Appomattox Manor

dwelling house in the City Point Unit of Petersburg National Battlefield in Hopewell, Virginia.

This area is part of a large, multicomponent site. The majority of the ceramic sherds found on

a possible living floor/midden (Feature 4) are believed to be associated with the Varina Netimpressed

variety, which dates to the Middle Woodland II Period. The AMS radiocarbon

analysis conducted on charcoal recovered from Feature 4, as part of this study, yielded an age

of 590 ± 30 BP, indicating a Late Prehistoric occupation. The two ceramic rim sherds were

washed to recover phytoliths and/or starches that would aid in identifying foods cooked using

the ceramic vessels. A soil sample from this feature was floated for macrofloral remains to

determine plant resources available to the occupants of this site. Charcoal identified from the

sample was submitted for AMS radiocarbon analysis. The projectile point/knife was recovered

beneath Feature 4. It exhibits serrated edges and is deemed to be similar to those produced

during the early Archaic period. This artifact was tested for possible protein residues to provide

information concerning animals hunted/processed with the tool.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• PaleoResearch Institute

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