ARCHAEOLOGIST Jm

39 Pages·2012·7.75 MB·English

OHIO
A R C H A E O L O G I ST
VOLUME 56 NO. 2 SPRING 2006
PUBLISHED BY THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF OHIO
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TABLE OF CONTENTS PRESIDENT'S PAGE
President's Page 3
Front Cover Information 3 Ladies and gentlemen of the ASO,
An Obsidian Point From Muskingum County, Ohio
I am honored and humbled to have this opportunity to
by Jeff Carskadden & Gary Felumlee 4 serve as the President of the Archaeological Society of
Ohio. With this position comes the responsibility to serve
A Rare Gorget by Ken Simper 8
each and every member regardless of whether they are individual, family or
Excellent Hopewell Slate Artifacts from Northern Ohio institutional members. We will strive to protect our members' rights to col
by Michael Ftusnak 10 lect artifacts without any restrictions and do our best to educate them
Hopewell Core Exhibit at May ASO Show about our rich prehistoric past.
by Michael Ftusnak 12 I would like to thank our outgoing President, John Mocic and Trustee
Chris Rummell for a job well done - and welcome our new Vice President
Marking The Trail of the Portage Path Mick Van Steen and Trustee Doug Hooks.
by Jason M. Hanna 13
Our Hopewell Symposium was a huge success thanks to Brian Foltz, Bob
A Superb Crowf ield by Lar Hothem 14 Converse, Elaine Holzapfel, Carl Harruff, George Colvin, Chris Rummell,
Mick Van Steen with the help of Dennis Link. Our sincere thanks go to
Hopewell Artifacts from a Burial in Kosciusko Co., Elaine Holzapfel, Fred Brumbaugh, Dick Sisson and Bob Converse for mon
Indiana: The Ridinger Lake Site etary donations which made the symposium possible. We also want to rec
by Dr. R.M. Gramly, Ph.D 15 ognize the professional advice and assistance of Neil Mortine and his public
relations firm - essential in making the symposium a success.
A Clovis Point of Flint Ridge Flint from Northwestern
Pennsylvania by Nick Miller 18 Despite the fact that more than two hundred people attended the sympo
sium, only around one hundred of them were Society members. We cer
Some Winegardner Flint by Lar Hothem 19 tainly need better support from our membership and chapters when such
important and costly programs are arranged for our members' education
Upper Mercer Flint Artifacts by Todd Harding 20
and enjoyment.
A Rare Bust Type Birdstone from Crawford County, We thank the Ohio Historical Society for their Hopewell displays as well
Pennsylvania by Nick Miller 22 as the National Park Service, Bill Piatt and others.
In the next two years, with Board of Trustees approval, we hope to see
Burin Flaked Bifurcated Points by Gilbert Cooper 23
many changes to bring us into the twenty-first century. We need to grow
The Passing of the Gavel by John M. Mocic 24 into a strong Society that will be known nationwide - a Society whose
ideals and goals will never be taken lightly - and a Society who will fight for
Two Flint Ridge Pieces by Terry Elleman 25
its members - and members who will fight for our Society. Our Society
Wayne Edgar Steerman and His Gift of a belongs to you - the members - and its future is in your hands.
Lifetime Collection 26 I welcome calls, e-mails, correspondence from members with ideas,
opinions and even complaints. Feel free to contact me any time. As your
The Possum Hollow Site, Clermont County, Ohio
President, I will not let you down.
by Anne B. Lee 28
Archaeology at The Pennsylvania House Rocky Falleti
by Cyndie Gerken 33
cTcJtzy
Do You Have American Indian Ancestry? 38
President
Book Review by Robert N. Converse 39 The Archaeological Society of Ohio
New Release - Archeological Atlas 39
Front Cover:
(Ritchie) Obverse and reverse of banded slate birdstone found in
Franklin County, Ohio in 2006. It is 4% inches long.
A RECENTLY FOUND BIRDSTONE
by
Jim Ritchie
Hilliard, Ohio
I found this heavily encrusted birdstone in Franklin County, the bottom are intact and unbroken.
Ohio, in the spring of 2006. It is made of banded slate and is Needless to say, this is the finest artifact I have ever found in
unmarked by implements. A mouth is indicated by a tiny depres my three decades of surface hunting and collecting.
sion and two eyes are minuscule holes which are difficult to see. (Editor's note: This is the finest surface-found birdstone I have
A heavy incrustation of a white limestone-like deposit covers seen in fifty years.)
much of one side and part of the other. The holes at each end of
3
AN OBSIDIAN POINT FROM MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO
by
Jeff Carskadden, Zanesville, Ohio
and
Gary Felumlee, New Concord, Ohio
Introduction the meantime she moved to Columbus in the Licking and Muskingum valleys. In
One of the more interesting, and as it and we lost touch with her. In the spring 1932 then Newark area resident Jesse
turns out, controversial artifacts ever sur of 2005, however, Renee was back living Walker found an obsidian bladelet core in
face collected in Muskingum County is in Zanesville and we had the opportunity the Deer Lick Spring Mound, which was
the obsidian point, resembling the to photograph the obsidian point and the located about ten miles north of Newark
Hopewellian Ross Barbed type, shown in other artifacts from the garden. As can be (Mertz 1959). The core was reportedly
the accompanying photograph (Figure 1). seen in the photo, in the intervening years found with a bundle burial in the mound.
This point was found in 1972 by then Renee had the obsidian point placed into Walker had been employed by local
twelve-year-old Zanesville resident Renee a wire mounting for suspension on a industrialists AT. Wehrle to excavate the
Huddleston while helping her grandfather necklace, which slightly obscures the mound (as well as other mounds in
weed his garden. On the same day and outline of the point in the photo. Licking County), and the core ended up
within ten feet of this point she also found Renee's obsidian point measures two in the Wehrle collection. It was later pur
an obsidian flake. Elsewhere in the and a fourth inches long. One barb is chased by M.R. Mertz of Findlay but its
garden Renee found an early Adena point missing, but the point would have prob present whereabouts is not known.
and several Archaic points, both whole ably been about one and three-quarter In 1974 archaeologist Jack Bernhardt
and fragmentary (Figure 2). The garden inches maximum width in pristine condi found an obsidian flake on the DiGion-
was located along the west side of the tion. It is nearly identical, in outline at domenico Site (33-LI-11), a Hopewell
Licking River at Dillon Falls, about two least, to several Hopewellian Ross habitation along the South Fork of the
miles upstream from Zanesville (Figure 3). Barbed points recently illustrated by Con Licking River south of the Newark Earth
The Licking River at Dillon Falls is char verse (2001, 2003). The obsidian flake works (Bernhardt 1976). In the 1990s an
acterized by an 800 foot long stretch of was a little less than two inches long and obsidian flake was found in a refuse pit at
rapids, with the total drop in the river about three-quarters of an inch wide. the Fort Ancient Philo II site along the
being around seven or eight feet (Figure Renee's grandfather, the late Howard Muskingum River south of Zanesville. The
4). The location is named after Moses Smith, lived in a subdivision on the north Fort Ancient village partially overlapped
Dillon, an early settler who opened an end of Zanesville. No gardens were an earlier Hopewell habitation site, and
iron furnace in 1808 along the riverbank allowed in this subdivision, so Mr. Smith we suspect that the Hopewell occupation
at the foot of the rapids. There were at cultivated a small plot on land owned by was the origin of the obsidian flake.
one time several salt springs or licks at or his friend the late George Imlay. The Imlay Another flake, this one used as a scraper,
in the immediate vicinity of Dillon Falls, family operated a flower shop in Zanesville was surface collected by the late Jim Tish
and it has been argued in previous publi and lived in a house along Licking Lane, at the Fred Wolf Site along the Tus
cations that these may have been the salt which ran along the west side of the carawas River near Port Washington, in
springs that Christopher Gist was Licking River at Dillon Falls, upstream from Tuscarawas County. This artifact was
describing in the journal of his 1750-1751 the Licking River bridge. This lane dead recently illustrated in a report on the site
tour of the Ohio Country (Mulkearn ends at the southern boundary of Dillon (Mortine and Randies 2003). To our
1954:100-105; Carskadden and Morton State Park Wildlife Area. Dillon Dam is knowledge, these are the only other
1997:95-96). Gist mentioned that ". . . about 1.6 miles further upstream. The obsidian artifacts found, or at least
Traders and Indians boil their Meat in this garden was roughly eighty feet long by reported on, in the Muskingum and
Water." The salt springs at Dillon Falls forty feet wide and sat along the west side Licking valleys, and all except the core
were described again in an account of a of the lane opposite the Imlay house. The from the Deer Lick Spring Mound were
1793 expedition through the Muskingum eastern edge of the garden was about associated with Hopewell habitation
Valley by a group of Wheeling-area men thirty feet from the lane (see Figure 5). sites. The age and cultural affiliation of
led by William McColloch (Draper Manu the Deer Lick Spring Mound is not
Over the years Mr. Imlay had also
scripts 8E156). Aaron Robinson, whose known, although the discovery of the
found artifacts in the garden. Around
father Israel was a member of the expedi obsidian core certainly suggests that it
1975 the senior author, along with James
tion, stated that at the Falls of the Licking was probably Hopewell. The artifacts
Morton, stopped at one of the houses
(Dillon Falls) they came to a large deer from this mound were not included in
along Licking Lane to ask if anyone had
lick, and there his father"... saw more deer Bruce Aument's study of the Wehrle col
found any Indian artifacts in the area. We
together than he had ever seen before." lection housed at the Ohio Historical
were told to go on up the lane and talk to
Society (Aument 1982). We suspect that
The presence of the salt springs and the Mr. Imlay. On that occasion Mr. Imlay
there were no field notes on the excava
abundance of deer in the area, as well as showed us his collection of artifacts,
tions, so the artifacts from the mound,
excellent fishing, may have been among which consisted of 35 Archaic points of
which included "pieces shaped as hoes,
the factors which attracted prehistoric peo various types. Many of these were from
celts and large points" (Mertz 1959) were
ples to Dillon Falls. Numerous artifacts the garden, but he informed us that some
not acquired by the Historical Society but
dating to various periods have been found had been found in the adjoining seven
had been dispersed into various private
in the cornfields on both sides of the river acre cornfield. Mr. Imlay mentioned that
collections.
upstream and downstream from the falls, others had occasionally found artifacts
and a prehistoric mound was once situated while working in the garden, but did not Although there were numerous
on a terrace along the west side of the river mention Mr. Smith's granddaughter Hopewell sites along the Licking River
overlooking the falls. specifically. It would be about 24 years upstream from Dillon Dam, there is no
before we learned of her finds and had evidence of a Hopewell habitation site in
The Obsidian Point the opportunity to examine her collection. the garden or adjoining cornfield at Dillon
We saw Renee Huddleston's artifact Falls. Renee picked up everything she
collection about seven years ago and Discussion saw, including chippage, and there were
noticed the two obsidian artifacts, but did Renee Huddleston's discoveries are no Hopewellian artifacts such as
not have a camera with us at the time. In not the first obsidian artifacts to be found bladelets, cores, or projectile points in
4
her collection. Nor were there any Controversy determine its age and whether the source
Hopewell artifacts in the Imlay collection. In the year since Renee's discovery was of the material was the Yellowstone area,
This does not rule out the possibility, brought to the attention of the archaeolog where other Hopewell obsidian origi
however, that there could have been a ical community, there has been some dis nated. Such testing, however, is beyond
Hopewell habitation elsewhere in the cussion as to the authenticity and the expertise and pocketbooks of the
immediate Dillon Falls area. The garden Hopewellian affiliation of the obsidian authors, but this offer is extended to any
where the obsidian artifacts were found is point. Although we are the only individuals graduate student or others who might
in the Licking River floodplain, but about who have actually examined and handled currently be doing such analysis. For now
750 feet to the southwest is a 52 acre the point, high resolution digital photo it will be up to the readers to decide if the
remnant of a late Wisconsin outwash ter graphs of the artifact were sent to a obsidian point from Dillon Falls is an
race, which rises about forty feet above number of people who we thought might example of a Hopewellian Ross Barbed
the flood plain. Unfortunately this terrace verify that we were looking at a point or a modern reproduction "planted"
has never been cultivated in the forty Hopewellian Ross Barbed point. Unfortu in the garden to impress a twelve-year
years or so that we have been exploring nately the opinions of some were that the old girl. We like to think that the point is
the Licking Valley, so we have no idea point is modern and was probably brought Hopewell, and if so it would be one of the
what might be found there. It would have back as a souvenir by someone who most unique and interesting Hopewell
been an ideal location for a Hopewell vacationed in Mexico. ASO member Larry artifacts found in Muskingum County.
habitation site, however. Merriam, for example, an authority on Because of her experience in her grand
Ross Barbed points, particularly those reproductions, stated that he had seen father's garden, Renee Huddleston devel
made of obsidian, are usually found in similar looking points that were made by oped a keen interest in the history of
Hopewell burial mounds, although a Mexican children for sale to tourists vis Muskingum County, and the Dillon Falls
cache of these points was found in 1975 iting the local ruins. Larry forwarded a area in particular. In later years she became
in a plowed-disturbed pit feature just copy of the photo to D. C. Waldorf, who a trustee of the Muskingum County Pio
outside the walls of Fort Ancient in also felt that the point was Mexican. neer and Historical Society and volunteer
Warren County (Converse 2001). In addi Recently Mark Seeman of Kent State Uni at the Society's Stone Academy museum
tion to obsidian, examples of Ross versity had a chance to examine a photo in the Putnam section of Zanesville. The
Barbed points made of quartz crystal graph of the point and concluded, as did authors appreciate the opportunity Renee
and extremely colorful varieties of Flint Waldorf, that the chipping was too crude has given us to examine and photograph
Ridge flint (orange and green), were also to be Hopewellian. There are several indi her obsidian point and the other artifacts
found in this cache. (Ross Barbed points viduals in the ASO, however, who have found in the garden.
of Knife River flint have also been also seen photographs of the point and
reported from other Hopewellian earth believe it to be Hopewellian, but after the References
work sites in Ohio.) It is probably safe to above named experts concluded that the Aument, Bruce
say, however, that finding a Ross Barbed point is probably modern, these other indi 1982 The History and Results of the Wehrle
point in a context other than a burial viduals now wish to remain anonymous. Mound Explorations. Paper presented
mound would be unusual. There are several characteristics of the at the Midwestern Archaeological Con
It is unlikely that Renee's obsidian arti point, however, that suggest it might be ference, Cleveland, Ohio.
facts from Dillon Falls were found on the authentic. The notches look worn, as if
Bernhardt, Jack E.
site of a long obliterated Hopewell the point might have been hafted. The
1976 A Preliminary Survey of Middle
mound, although the obsidian flake had point did not exhibit a sheen like the
Woodland Prehistory in Licking County,
been encrusted with clay, suggesting Mexican examples; there is some dull Ohio. Pennsylvania Archaeologist
perhaps some kind of formal deposition ness and patina (but not much). The thin 46(1-2):39-54.
of this artifact. No clay, however, was ness of the point is good, and there is
noted on the point. Arguing against the some retouch beyond just the gross Carskadden, Jeff and James Morton
possibility of a mound in the garden is the shaping of the point. We also have 1997 Where the Frolics and War Dances are
fact that there is not even the slightest absolutely no doubt that Renee found the Held: The Indian Wars and the Early
hint of a rise at this location. Also the obsidian items in her grandfather's European Exploration and Settlement of
Muskingum County and the Central
Imlay garden was not located in the garden. It has been suggested, however,
Muskingum Valley. Occasional Papers
highest part of the field. Slightly higher that her grandfather or Mr. Imlay salted
in Muskingum Valley Archaeology 20,
areas can be found to the north and the garden with artifacts so that Renee The Muskingum Valley Archaeological
west. We have already mentioned the would find them. To this, Renee com Survey, Zanesville, Ohio.
forty foot high outwash terrace to the mented that she had to work in the
southwest, which would have been the garden because she was being punished Converse, Robert N.
most likely location for the Hopewell to for something, and she felt it unlikely that 2001 The Powell Cache. Ohio Archaeologist
build a mound, and in fact a mound could anyone, particularly her grandfather, 51(4):23.
once be seen on the edge of this terrace. would have wanted to make her experi 2003 The Archaeology of Ohio. The
This mound was photographed in 1917 ence enjoyable. No obsidian artifacts or Archaeological Society of Ohio,
by Zanesville amateur archaeologist Clark reproductions of any kind were observed Columbus, Ohio.
Sturtz. He indicated that the mound was in the Imlay collection when the senior
Mertz, M. R.
five feet high and 75 feet in diameter author and James Morton examined it,
1959 Obsidian Core from Ohio.
(Figure 6). It was destroyed by construc and Mr. Imlay was very proud that he had
Ohio Archaeologist 9(3): 102-103.
tion of a house and barn complex within personally found every item in his collec
a few years after Sturtz took his photo tion and that they had come from his Mortine, Wayne A. and Doug Randies
graph. It is quite possible that the property or the adjoining cornfield. Renee 2003 The Fred Wolf Site. Ohio Archaeologist
obsidian artifacts in the Imlay garden has no knowledge of her grandfather ever 53(3):24-30.
somehow relate to the presence of this having any Indian artifacts.
nearby mound, although it is not known if Mulkearn, Lois
Renee has stated that she is willing to
Hopewell artifacts were found in the 1954 George Mercer Papers Relating to the
mound when it was destroyed. allow the obsidian flake to be subjected Ohio Company of Virginia. University of
to hydration or trace element analysis to Pittsburgh Press.
5
Figure 1. (Carskadden and
Felumlee) The obsidian point
found in 1972 by Renee
Huddleston in her grandfa
ther's garden at Dillon Falls,
Muskingum County, Ohio.
The point has since been
mounted in wire for suspen
sion on a necklace.
Figure 2. (Carskadden and Felumlee) Additional artifacts found by
Renee Huddleston in her grandfather's garden, including an obsidian
flake (just above the scale). The white areas on the flake are reflec
tions from the camera flash.
6
Figure 3. (Carskadden and Felumlee) A portion of the
Zanesville West 7.5 minute quadrangle showing the location
where the obsidian point and flake were found at Dillon Falls
(at the very tip of the arrow). The triangle below the arrow rep
resents the site of a destroyed burial mound.
Figure 4. (Carskadden and Felumlee) Recent photo of the
Licking River rapids, known as Dillon Falls, located about two
miles upstream from Zanesville.
Figure 5. (Carskadden and Felumlee) Renee Huddleston
stands on the site of her grandfather's garden at the approxi
mate location where the obsidian point was found. The obsid
ian flake was found nearby. The George Imlay house can be
seen in the background. The Licking River rapids are right
behind the house.
Figure 6. (Carskadden and Felumlee) Photograph taken in
1917 by Clark Sturtz of the mound on the Wisconsin terrace
southwest of where the obsidian artifacts were found.
7
A RARE GORGET
by
Ken Simper
Hamilton, Indiana
This gorget is one of the rarer forms known in the Mid
west. It was found by Harold Hugmeyer while following a
drag plow on the family farm west of Bear Lake, Manistee
County, Michigan. The accompanying photographs of
Michigan newspapers detail the finding of the gorget (called
a bannerstone) when Mr. Hugmeyer was a young man.
There are probably less than a dozen examples of this rare
type in Midwestern collections. These typically have an
upper narrower end and a lower wider end - being shaped
like an elongated trapezoid. Because the perforations or
suspension holes are parallel to the longer dimension of the
piece, it is likely that it was suspended - somewhat like a
pendant - with the narrow end at the top.
This unusual gorget would be considered by any measure
as an outstanding example of prehistoric art. It is 5% inches -rone was worn as an
long and 4% inches wide at the wider bottom end. It is signi'yinji nigh rank in .1 tribe
«w« me early archo
extremely thin for its large size being less than an eighth of
ler and use-
an inch in thickness. The rarity of this type leaves its cultural len roc-
affiliation somewhat in the air. But from its workmanship, kfortr,
size, and resemblance to some large Hopewell artistic cre
ations - copper breastplates for example - it is reasonable
to conclude that it is a product of the Hopewell culture. "readed and p
the, mus
. banners!
LS (he Boreaj Gorge mdhewn ho
Figure 1 (Simper)
>as ajir;
Newspaper articles
relating the story of "
Harold Hugmeyer's gorget.
« Excell
*£* C<m,fe|ioY«
Harold F. Hugmeyer scans a marking on his bannerstone, pointed out by WeWior, Franktottv,
director of the Public Musuem
• vechmquesuseAtot
"The working ol
that m»v ^av^,
pecking and grinc •r,ettopewe\Uwhans.
flibpe.
tecnniaue;-
Figure 2 (Simper) Large gorget found many years ago in Manistee County, Michigan. Shown in full size.
9
EXCELLENT HOPEWELL SLATE ARTIFACTS
FROM NORTHERN OHIO
by
Michael Rusnak
4642 Friar Rd.
Stow, OH 44224
While the Hopewell Culture is generally
associated with southern Ohio, some fine
Hopewell artifacts have also been found
in northern counties. Some sources
speculate that the spread of the
Hopewell into northern Ohio and on into
New York may have been a later devel
opment. At the ASO Hopewell Sympo
sium this past May, ASO member William
Piatt arranged an extensive exhibit of
Hopewell and Woodland slate pieces
that were found in northern Ohio.
Figure 1 shows six examples from the
exhibit. The extraordinary shovel-shaped
pendant in the center of the top row was
found in Geauga County. Robert Con
verse's Ohio Slate Types places such
pendants with the late Hopewell culture.
Converse also places pentagonal pen
dants, like the one at the bottom center
of figure 1, in the late Hopewell period.
He specifically notes the quality of such
pieces, writing "Seldom is a pendant of
this type crude or poorly made; they usu
ally exhibit a marked degree of symmetry
and a well polished surface." The pen
tagonal pendant and the four other
pieces in figure 1 were found in Trumbull
County. Curiously, like the shovel pen
dants, pentagonals generally have the
drilled hole near the center of the piece.
Interestingly, the two trapezoidal pen
dants in the top row of figure 1 bear a
remarkable similarity to each other and
were found only about six miles apart.
They are similar in shape, in proportion and
in the location of the drilled hole. Both are
surprisingly thin, smooth and finely made.
As with so many of the slate pieces in Mr.
Piatt's exhibit, the artistry is immediately
apparent. The symmetry, smoothness, as
well as the natural banding patterns in the
stone from which it was made, suggest an
ancient artist who was conscious of detail.
The one on the upper left was found in
Braceville, and the one on the upper right Figure 1 (Rusnak) Trumbull County slate, except for top center pendant from
Geauga County.
was found in Southington. Ohio Slate Types
places trapezoidal in association with
Adena, Hopewell and Fort Ancient cultures.
Figure 2 contains five more fine exam large frame of Hopewell bladelets and "but it's the whole ones that are hard to
ples of Woodland era slate. All pieces classic Hopewell fantail-shaped knives of find." He related that he found a beautiful
were found in Trumbull County. The flint ridge material from Byler Mound. expanded center gorget on his own prop
unusual diamond shaped piece was Mr. Piatt commented that he "has erty. He saw it while plowing, but couldn't
found in the vicinity of Eagle Creek. always been fascinated by slate artifacts, stop the tractor in time and ran over it. The
Figure 3 contains both slate and because of their shapes and their scarcity." piece remained whole and "just as fine as
copper artifacts found in the Byler He added, "It takes many miles of walking the day it was made."
Mound, which was excavated in 1951. to find an unbroken slate piece." He men Mr. Piatt is a member of the Mahoning
The mound was located within sight of tioned that he found his first artifact when Valley Chapter of the ASO and lives in
Swine Creek (part of the Grand River & he was 12, and now at nearly 80 continues Southington Township in Trumbull
Lake Erie drainage area) in Farmington to field hunt. He said that it is not unusual County. Much thanks to him for partici
Township in Trumbull County. to find slate. He has personally found a pating in the Hopewell Symposium and
' Additionally, Mr. Piatt's displayed a huge amount of slate - mostly broken - for sharing part of his fine collection.
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