Cape Cod National Seashore Archaeological Survey

This collection contains documents, images, and data about the archaeological resources in and around the Cape Cod National Seashore on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. In particular these relate to what is known as the "outer Cape," that is, from the vicinity of Chatham, Orleans, and Eastham north to the the Provincelands.

Much of the archaeological work described in the contents of this collection are from investigations done by or for the Cape Cod National Seashore. The historic time period, as well as ancient times are covered by the range of digital records included.

Site Name Keywords
Indian Neck ossuary, Wellfleet, MA • Indian Neck ossuary, Wellfleet

Site Type Keywords
Domestic Structure or Architectural Complex • Settlements • Funerary and Burial Structures or Features • Ossuary • Archaeological Feature • Midden • Sheet Midden • Trash Midden • Shell Midden • Human cremation

Culture Keywords
Woodland • Middle Woodland • Late Woodland • Historic • Euroamerican • Archaic • Late Archaic • Early Woodland

Investigation Types
Data Recovery / Excavation • Systematic Survey • Methodology, Theory, or Synthesis • Site Evaluation / Testing

Material Types
Chipped Stone • Fire Cracked Rock • Human Remains • Metal • Shell • Dating Sample • Ceramic • Fauna • Glass • Ground Stone

Temporal Keywords
Contact Period • Historic Period • Prehistoric Period

Geographic Keywords
Cape Cod • Southeastern Massachusetts • Southern New England • Barnstable County • Barnstable County (County) • US (ISO Country Code) • United States of America (Country) • Wellfleet

Resources Inside This Collection (Viewing 1-10 of 10)

There are 10 Images within this Collection [remove this filter]

  • Cape Cod National Seashore Archeological Survey, 1979 - 1984, General Photos (1980)
    IMAGE Francis McManamon.

    These images show examples of activities and well-known locations from the Archeological Survey of Cape Cod National Seashore conducted between 1979 and 1984 by the regional archeology program of the the North Atlantic Regional Office, National Park Service. ** Photo #1 [a17-caco_survey_roll_10_frame_14.tif] shows two of the Archeology Survey crew working in the field lab analyzing and cataloging recovered artifacts or other material. ** Photo #2...

  • Excavation of the Indian Neck Ossuary - General Photos, September 1979, Wellfleet, MA (1979)
    IMAGE Francis McManamon.

    These photos show general images related to the excavation of the Indian Neck ossuary, Wellfleet, MA in September, 1979. The ossuary site was discovered inadvertently when a backhoe operator digging a hole for a new septic tank for a resident noticed human skeletal remains in the dirt he had removed from the backhoe excavation. Each photo is described in the following list: ** Photo #1 [a1-caco_survey_19_bn_387.tif] shows the surface at the Indian Neck ossuary site prior to archaeological...

  • Excavation of the Indian Neck Ossuary, September 1979, Wellfleet, MA (1979)
    IMAGE Francis McManamon.

    Photo showning the midden level that was stratigraphically above the ossuary feature. In this photo, the piece fo white plastic sheeting shown covers a human cranium that was exposed in the profile in the photos

  • Excavation of the Indian Neck Ossuary, September 1979, Wellfleet, MA (1979)
    IMAGE Francis McManamon.

    Photo shows the top of the ossuary feature begining to be exposed by archaeological excavation. Remaining traces of dark soil are from the overlying midden stratigraphically above the ossuary. A shapres of a few human bones representing the top of the ossuary are visible. The photo is taken from a nearly vertical perspective. The rough edge of the profile is the result of the backhoe excavation which dug into the midden, destroying the northern portion and discovering the human bones which...

  • Excavation of the Indian Neck Ossuary, September 1979, Wellfleet, MA (1979)
    IMAGE Francis McManamon.

    Photo of the excavation of the Indian Neck ossuary, ossuary feature.

  • Excavation of the Indian Neck Ossuary, September 1979, Wellfleet, MA (1979)
    IMAGE Francis McManamon.

    Photo of three Mashpee and Wampanoag tribal representatives observing the excavation of the Indian Neck ossuary. John Peters (Slow Turtle) Massachusetts Commissioner of Indian Affairs at the time of the excavation who was part of the consultation regarding the excavation is in the foreground.

  • Excavation of the Indian Neck Ossuary, September 1979, Wellfleet, MA (1979)
    IMAGE Francis McManamon.

    Photo of the crowd of observers who visited the excavation site of the Indian Neck ossuary. Excavation is shown in the lower right corner of the photo. In the lower left corner of the photo are three observers from the Mashpee and Wampanoag Indian tribes.

  • Excavation of the Indian Neck Ossuary, September 1979, Wellfleet, MA (1979)
    IMAGE Francis McManamon.

    Photo shows John Portnoy, then Cape Cod NS park scientist (kneeling) and Michael Soukup (then Ast. Regional Scientist) shifting through back dirt pile from the backhoe excavation of the ossuary site to recover distrubed human bone and artifacts.

  • Excavation of the Indian Neck Ossuary, September 1979, Wellfleet, MA (1979)
    IMAGE Francis McManamon.

    Photo shows the top of the ossuary feature after it has been exposed by archaeological excavation. Photo is taken looking south.

  • Excavation of the Indian Neck Ossuary, September 1979, Wellfleet, MA (1979)
    IMAGE Francis McManamon.

    Photo of the cleaned top of the ossuary burial feature. The pattern of human crania around the edges and long bones laid perpendicular to the long access of the burial feature is apparent. The northern half of the ossuary was inadvertently destroyed by a backhoe excavation which led to the discovery of the remaining part of the ossuary.