Allegheny Archaeology Research Home

Allegheny Archaeology Research is an organization comprised of professionally trained archaeologists who seek to explore a variety of research interests. Our primary area of interest includes but is not limited to the middle and upper Ohio River valley and upper West Branch of the Susquehanna.

The primary objective of this website is to convey information concerning the archaeological record from a region that has been largely overlooked and underpublished by archaeologists. The majority of the papers presented should be considered works in progress and will be continually updated until they reach a more 'polished' form.

Current research endeavors have focused on investigations of three sites located along the Allegheny River in Forest County, Pennsylvania. These sites are known collectively as the Indian Camp Run site complex and were recorded into the Pennsylvania Archaeological Site Survey (PASS) files at the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh and at the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in Harrisburg.

The photo of the fluted point found on this page was recovered at Indian Camp Run No. 1 (36Fo65). The projectile point-knife (PP/K) form was found buried in the lower levels of the site stratigraphic sequence. An assortment of other suspected Paleo age tools was also recovered.

Photos and metrical statistics of the fluted point were forwarded to Dr. Chris Ellis of the University of Western Ontario in London who concluded that the point-knife (PP/K) was similar to the Barnes fluted point typeology found sporadically throughout the Great Lakes region.

Barnes fluted points date to the Middle Paleoindian period. Although no 14C dates are currently available for the type, dates of around 10,800 to 10,500 years B.P. have been suggested by (Ellis and Deller (2000:253) based on their investigation at Parkhill, Ontario. The closely related and recently defined Michaud-Neponset phase (Speiss et al. 1998:238) dates slightly later to around 10,200 B.P. The age of the fluted point found at Indian Camp Run falls somewhere between that range of dates. Indian Camp Run (36Fo65) is considered the oldest site currently known from the Allegheny River drainage of western Pennsylvania.

Bedrock mortar observed at Forest County rockshelter. Within the past few years somebody has unfortunately chipped around the perimeter of the feature

The bedrock mortar pictured above was recently discovered while attempting to experience a phenomenological approach to landscape archaeology studies. Phenomenology is a relatively new praxis in the realm of landscape archaeology. Christopher Tilley is often credited with melding philosophy with landscape archaeology (Rainbird 2008:263). The study of phenomenology has origins in late nineteenth century and early twentieth century western European philosophy and is considered a significant branch of continental philosophy (Wylie 2007:140). Phenomenology attempts to explore certain phenomena as they are experienced or perceived by humans through participent observation. Tilley (2005: 206) has recently described this action as a 'synaesthetic' approach to the study of landscape were by a 'blending of all the senses through which we experience the world ' can be experienced. Learning is thus gained through the experience of being in the world. A phenomenologist attempts to gain knowledge of landscapes either past or present through perceptual experience of them from the point of view of the subject and attempts to describe these experiences as fully as possible (Tilley 2008: 271).

After reading Tilley's seminal 1994 work entitled 'A Phenomenology of Landscape: places, paths, and monuments' I wanted to see if I could experience the landscape in similar fashion as Tilley did while exploring Mesolithic and Neolithic monuments in south Wales and southern England (Tilley 1994). Would it be possible to experience life as Native Americans may have experienced it many hundreds if not thousands of years ago? I wanted to actually walk a portion of a trail that had been proposed (Myers 1997) a number of years ago. This trail originated in the north at Warren, PA. Several trails converged at the present City of Warren and this particular trail journeyed south from Rogertown generally following the valley along Route 6 before reaching Sheffield. The trail continued south along Route 948 before reaching the village of Brookston. The alignment of drainages in this region offers many miles of straight line walking along the valley floor before being interrupted by a major ridge. At Brookston a gradual excursion into the uplands was necessitated to cross the drainage divide separating the Allegheny River drainage from the Clarion River. This segment of the proposed trail was selected for the phenomenological study of the landscape. This study began in the village of Brookston and would end upon reaching the Bogus Run rockshelter found exposed below the plateau rim in the headwaters of Bogus Run.

The experience was a lot different than expected. At first I attempted to navigate along the floodplain and terraces of Bogus Run. Due to the meandering nature of the run I found myself almost constantly crossing from side to side of the creek. I decided to move upslope along the shoulder of the creek to avoid the water and mud. Once I got to this location I found myself traversing numerous boulder fields with small beech saplings growing throughout that constantly whipped me in the face. Eventually I found myself in a large red pine plantation. These trees are not native to Pennsylvania and many were planted during the CCC era. About half way up the creek I noticed a large earthen wall in front of me. This was actually the remains of an old railroad grade and was a good sized horseshoe curve. After passing through an old clearcut I finally reached the magnificent rocks in the headwaters of Bogus Run. At this location there are numerous rock overhangs and a number of springheads that originate only a short distance from the rockshelters. Groups such as the McFate that would camp here would have only a short walk over the ridge and into the Clarion River drainage. I had originally photographed the bedrock mortar in 1990 when Eric Young and myself surveyed the sites while employed by the Allegheny National Forest. The mortar has recently been chipped away around the perimeter of the feature.

The results of my inquest were much different than expected. Actually I ran into at least two railroad grades, a pipeline, and several acres of CCC era plantings. If the landscape can be viewed as an ever changing palimpsest then perhaps the changes can be viewed as too drastic to experience the forest as Native Americans once did. The rocks are still similar to those experienced by prehistoric peoples so one can catch a glimpse of what they saw and felt as they camped onsite. But in reality we are too far removed to know what it was like hundreds and thousands of years ago. Ingold (2000) has criticised the anthropology of the senses as perpetuating limited western conceptions into the study of the ancient world. This may be an astute observation of the genre

If for a moment I was able to experience the past as an ancient observer did then my phenomenological approach to landscape studies would proove to be beneficial. I feel that while I had a unique experience there were too many changes to the landscape to be able to grasp life in prehistoric times. I do however feel enriched by the experience as I know more now than I did before my journey.

Myers, A. 1997. An Examination of Late Prehistoric McFate Trail Locations. Pennsylvania Archaeologist 67(1): 45-53.

Rainbird, P. 2008. The Body and Senses: Implications for Landscape Archaeology, in B. David and J. Thomas (eds)Handbook of Landscape Archaeology. Walnut Creek: Left Coast Press.

Tilley, C. 1994. A Phenomenology of Landscape: Places, Paths, and Monuments. Oxford: Berg.

Tilley, C. 2008. Phenomenological Approaches to Landscape Archaeology, in B. David and J. Thomas (eds.), Handbook of Landscape Archaeology. Walnut Creek: Left Coast Press, 271-276.

Plate 1. The opening of Test Area 19 in April 2011

During the 2011 field season the investigations focused on an area designated as Test Area 19. This test block was laid out in the extreme western portion of the site as a 3X3 meter square unit. It was known that a historic structure had exisited in this portion of the terrace as evidenced by fragments of a pot belly stove, coal and slag, and small amounts of historic ceramics. It was originally thought that this narrow peninsular portion of the terrace might be somewhat "off site" and therefor generally lack significant evidence of prehistoric activity. This did not proove to be the case and the soil package in this area is actually deeper than certain areas found on the central portion of the landform. Plate 1 shows the opening of the test area in April. A number of rock fragments found in the unit were associated with the historic structure and likely served to balance the frame. No cellar holes were found to be associated with the structure.

The historic artifacts associated with the house were generally confined to the first 10 cm level. Based on evidence gathered by examining building material the house occupied the terrace late in time probably dating from the very late 1800's to perhaps as late as the 1920's to 1930's. The person that occupied the house was likely a squatter as the land has been in the hands of corporations for many years including prior to the suggested date of the structure. The majority of the wood and glass items as many items consist of molten glass, chared wood, and burnt oxidized soil around the structure.

Plate 2. 1877 Niagra Silver Company twist spoon in situ

The spoon is an 1877 Niagra Fall Silver Company (Oneida) twist spoon. The photograph shows the spoon as it was found "in situ" near the bottom of 10 cm level I. Plate 3 shows one of three wooden posts found in place in the upper levels associated with the historic structure

Plate 3. Wooden post still in place associated with late 19th to early 20th century structure

As the excavation continued downward a Contact period component was discovered. Two Jesuit rings, a French gunflint, and a musket ball were recovered. These items were found in and around a hearth Feature 78 which contained numerous fragments of burnt deer bone. The Jesuit rings were found in Unit E, a 1m square found within Test Area 19 West, at elevations of 29-30 cm BGS. These items are typically found on sites of French occupation or influence (Cleland 1972:202). The rings were engraved with IHS Isus Hominis Salvator "Jesus Savior of Mankind" They were likely manufactured from brass and exhibit an engraved bezel. The engraved version of the Jesuit ring is said to date to the late 1600's to the 1700's(Cleland 1972).

Found below the Jesuit rings was the first of several features associated with components of Johnson's (1994a) Glaciated Allegheny Plateau (GAP) tradition including ceramics in the form of Mahoning cordmarked, Chautauqua cordmarked, and McFate Incised. This was the first McFate Incised pottery recovered from the site in the 12 years of excavation.

Feature 77 became exposed at 44 cm BGS. This feature was associated with grit tempered Mahoning cordmarked pottery which was found just below shell tempered McFate Incised ceramics that were found in the general vicinity of the feature at the interface of levels 3 and 4.

Mahoning Cordmarked ceramics being uncovered in Feature 77

The photos above and below are of the Mahoning cordmarked pot. This vessel exhibits cordmarking on the exterior suface of the vessel that exhibits final "Z" twist cord markings. The large triangular projectile point shown in the photo below was found in direct association with the pot.

Mahoning rim sherds and a large projectle found in Feature 77

36Fo65-Test Area 19, Feature 80 becoming exposed

Feature 80, which has slowly become exposed through the course of the season, consists of a number of large rock fragments purposefully placed by prehistoric people. This feature was overlaid with a thick midden occupation floor. A number of post suggest that this feature was surrounded by a roundhouse like structure. The feature may represent some type of work platform or station. GAP tradition folk appear to have been skinning and processing deer and possibly bear on the structure. Numerous bone fragments, mostly deer were recovered, along with a number of broken small triangular points likely removed from the freshly killed deer. Also found associated with the feature were a number of carbonized food reamains including corn, hickory nut, and possibly walnut or butter nut hull fragments suggesting use in the fall of the year. At least two broken celts and one leaf shaped blade were found with the feature along with shell and grit tempered pottery.

Post mold (in front of picture board) being excavated on the perimeter of rock feature 80.

McFate Incised, Chautauqua Cordmarked and related items found in and around Feature 80

Mahoning Cordmarked rim. This rim was the second type of Mahoning ware to be recovered in Feature 77. This rim is much more diagnostic that the cordmarked vessel but forms an association between the two types

Feature 87 under excavation, note large bone fragments. Also found in this feature were McFate Incised ceramics. Feature 82 is one of a number of features associated with Feature 80.

Deer teeth found associated with Feature 80

Comments and questions are encouraged. If anyone would like to share photos and discuss any of their finds please feel free to contact me at my e-mail address below.