KRAP 2006
K-14
Block 5 Summary

The 2006 Block 5 team consisted of Rick Yerkes (supervisor), Julia Giblin (block captain), Jake Deppen, Katie Strand, and Smiti Nathan (undergraduates) and volunteer Adam Kereki.

Goals and previous excavations:

The first part of the field season focused on continuing the exploration of the middle ditch feature identified by magnetometry. This feature encircles the settlement along with two similar features: the inner trench/palisade and the outer ditch. The goal of excavating in Block 5 in 2005 was to explore a segment of all three of these features at the southern most point of the site. We were only able to excavate a segment of the inner palisade and the outer ditch due to weather constraints in 2005. At the start of the 2006 field season, our goal was to re-open a 5 x 3 meter strip of Block 5 above where the middle ditch was identified in 2005. A 6 x 7 meter extension of Block 5 was also opened just northeast of the middle ditch. The intent of the extension was to explore an anomaly identified through magnetometry that appeared to be a square structure built up against or between the inner and middle trenches.

Middle ditch:

We were able to identify the middle ditch and excavated an exploratory 3.5 x 1 meter strip along the east wall of the block to define the edges, fill layers and depth. We then excavated by fill layers from top to bottom on the western portion of the block. The ditch turned out to be much larger than the outer ditch excavated south of it in 2005 (Figure 1). Dimensions: roughly 3.5 meters wide and a little over a meter deep from the subsoil surface. We found no postholes within the feature and one possible posthole cutting into the subsoil along the edge of the northern wall (Feature 31). The topography of the ditch floor was irregular. There was a narrow depression running along the bottom, termed the �canal,� that may have contained water at some point. There were also what appeared to be possible steps cut into the subsoil on the south wall. We identified eight fill episodes that appeared to have been created rather quickly. There was no evidence for layers, such as silt buildup, that indicate the ditch was allowed to fill in naturally over time. The ditch contained a fairly large quantity of cultural material including Tiszaplog�r ceramic vessels (one almost complete cup), faunal remains, an interesting bone tool (harpoon?), daub, and charcoal (several c-14 samples were taken). Some of the layers contained more cultural material than others and one contained a high concentration of large burned and non-burned daub chunks and charcoal (Figure 2).

In the southeast corner of the Block 5 extension we excavated through the cultural layer to identify where the north edge of the middle ditch swung through the extension. We only excavated enough to identify the subsoil edge from the ditch fill. We also identified a circular shallow pit cut into a portion of the north ditch edge that my have been part of a step (Figure 3).

Inner palisade:

In the Block 5 extension we removed part of the first cultural layer and identified where the inner palisade swings though the north section of the extension. We only had time to completely excavate a 3 meter strip of the inner palisade/trench (Feature 46 and 8). We found eight postholes along the bottom of the trench which supports the idea that it was used for a palisade-like function (Figure 4). There was a small quantity of cultural material (ceramic, bone and daub) in the trench besides charcoal and daub flecking (C-14 samples were taken). The fill in the postholes was relatively soft and dark grayish brown. The postholes were surrounded by a mottled subsoil fill that appeared to be packed around the original posts.

Infant burial:

While removing the top cultural layer in a 2 x 2 meter unit in the northwest corner of the extension, we discovered an infant burial (Feature 47; see (Figure 5). We could not identify a grave pit and the body appears to be lying on top of the second cultural layer (a.k.a. cultural layer B) similar to the two infant burials excavated in Block 4 in 2005 (Feature 11 and 12). It does not appear to be related to any of the surrounding structures. The infant was surrounded by four small Tiszapolg�r cups (one along side the skull and three above the extremities). It was in a flexed position and appears to be lying on its left side. It was oriented with the skull pointed east and the body pointed west. Some small balls of ochre were collected from around the body (could be daub). There were no fresh water clam shells or charcoal and daub flecking in the fill around the body. Based on the Ubelaker sequence of dental eruption and formation (1989) the child�s age is estimated at 3 � 12 months. No pathologies were observed in the lab analysis. Some of the skull, vertebrae, and long bones were partially reconstructed using water soluble glue in the lab. See feature form for details of lab analysis.

Block 5 extension continued:

We excavated down to the subsoil surface along the east portion of the Block 5 extension to locate the anomaly identified through magnetometry, however there were no structures apparent at any level. Most of the central and southwest portion of the Block 5 extension remained unexcavated below the level of plowzone due to time constraints.