Post by UKarchaeology on Nov 11, 2015 20:24:39 GMT
Is this a case of prehistoric sprawl?
County archaeologists over the past several years have uncovered centuries of Native American history at Pig Point along the Patuxent River, now they think a vast settlement surrounded the ceremonial gathering spot.
"We thought of Pig Point as a central, ceremonial place," C. Jane Cox, county chief of cultural resources, said Wednesday. "There have been hints of other settlements, people have found artifacts in the area, but it looks now like there might have been thousands of people here for a long, long time."
She was standing near the shore near the southernmost end of the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary in Lothian where two primary areas are being studied, one along the shoreline and the other upland near Two Run Branch that flows into the river. Crews have been digging all summer unearthing evidence of Pig Point's "suburbs."
The biggest surprise has been the wide distribution of artifacts. "It's everywhere," Cox said.
The archaeology team's approach begins with the digging of shovel-test-pits a couple of feet deep that are set up in a grid across the potential study area. A promising site will have clusters of shovel pits with some artifacts or other evidence in spots scattered across the grid.
Full story & video: www.capitalgazette.com/news/ph-ac-cn-pig-point-plus-1011-20151011-story.html
County archaeologists over the past several years have uncovered centuries of Native American history at Pig Point along the Patuxent River, now they think a vast settlement surrounded the ceremonial gathering spot.
"We thought of Pig Point as a central, ceremonial place," C. Jane Cox, county chief of cultural resources, said Wednesday. "There have been hints of other settlements, people have found artifacts in the area, but it looks now like there might have been thousands of people here for a long, long time."
She was standing near the shore near the southernmost end of the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary in Lothian where two primary areas are being studied, one along the shoreline and the other upland near Two Run Branch that flows into the river. Crews have been digging all summer unearthing evidence of Pig Point's "suburbs."
The biggest surprise has been the wide distribution of artifacts. "It's everywhere," Cox said.
The archaeology team's approach begins with the digging of shovel-test-pits a couple of feet deep that are set up in a grid across the potential study area. A promising site will have clusters of shovel pits with some artifacts or other evidence in spots scattered across the grid.
Full story & video: www.capitalgazette.com/news/ph-ac-cn-pig-point-plus-1011-20151011-story.html