Archeological Site Survey, Basic Data Report, BPI_0522, N.D.

Part of the Blossom Point Project Page (DRAFT) project

Year: 2018

Summary

Originally mapped by Judge Graham and later documented by Wilke and Thompson, this oyster shell midden is being actively eroded by waves on Nanjemoy Creek. The midden surface has also been highly disturbed by disking and blading. Numerous piles of surplus or discarded test equipment are being stored on the midden. Radiocarbon dated at 2220 +/- 50 BP, this site is attributed to the Middle Woodland period. Supporting this cultural association is the presence of Mockley ceramics (three sherds). The carbon-14 date is at least 500 years earlier than any previous Mockley date and is questionable. Any error probably lies in the shell used for the date. The shell used for this date was obtained from the basal portion of the midden. Other items from this site include lithics, primarily quartz and quartzite flakes and chunks. The shell covers an area approximately 900 feet by 400 feet.

MAAR's 1993 survey turned up 6 quartz & quartzite flakes, 1 rhyolite Lehigh point (in three pieces), and 1 firecracked rock. In addition, a scatter of 18th century artifacts was found, including 1 Staffordshire redware, 2 creamware, 1 whiteware, and 2 other redware sherds, 3 bottle glass, and 1 wrought nail.

Cite this Record

Archeological Site Survey, Basic Data Report, BPI_0522, N.D.. 2018 ( tDAR id: 441001) ; doi:10.6067/XCV8441001

Keywords

Culture
Archaic • Historic • Late Archaic • Middle Woodland • Woodland

Material
Creamware • Fire Cracked Rock • Redware • Rhyolite • Shell • Whiteware

Site Name
18CH157 • CH-J3 • Cornfield • W-T

Site Type
Archaeological Feature • Artifact Scatter • Midden

Investigation Types
Heritage Management • Reconnaissance / Survey

General
Collections Management • Lithic

Geographic Keywords
Blossom Point, MD • Cedar Point Neck • Charles County (County) • Maryland (State / Territory) • Mathias Point, MD • Nanjemoy Creek

Spatial Coverage

min long: -79.514; min lat: 38.565 ; max long: -76.349; max lat: 39.749 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): US Army Corps of Engineers Mandatory Center of Expertise for the Curation and Management of Archaeological Collections, St. Louis District

Landowner(s): Harry Diamond Laboratories, Adelphi, MD

Repository(s): Adelphi Laboratory

File Information

  Name Size Creation Date Date Uploaded Access
BPI_0522_ArcheologicalSiteSurveyBasicDataReport18CH157_1995_OC... 3.27mb Mar 15, 2018 7:43:36 AM Confidential

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Contact(s): US Army Corps of Engineers Mandatory Center of Expertise for the Curation and Management of Archaeological Collections, St. Louis District