An Archaeological Survey Of High Probability Water Course Development Areas In the East Fork White River Watershed in South Central Indiana

Abstract

The primary goal of this project was to obtain information about archaeological sites in the project area, especially those which are in danger of destruction or which have already been destroyed. The collection of data was the ultimate objective. Analysis of settlement patterns and subsistence strategies of prehistoric peoples in the project area was an important, albeit lesser objective. Given this mindset, the project did not focus on any one time period, culture or artifact style. The majority of the information documented during this project was generated from interviews with individual artifact collectors and landowners. Information was also generated in the field by using reconnaissance surveys, intensive site surveys, and limited shovel probing. Other objectives of this project were to promote public education and awareness about archaeology and to enrich relationships between archaeologists and various other government agencies and the community in general. During this project the authors gave a number of presentations and interacted with the public as much as possible in order to help meet these objectives. This project took place between July 1, 1999 and April 30, 2000, under archaeological permit number 990051. A total of six hundred three sites were investigated, one hundred nineteen being reinvestigations of previously reported sites, and four hundred eighty-four being investigations of new sites. Four hundred ninety-five sites were investigated via informant interviews, and one hundred sixty-two sites were investigated in the field, fifty-four of which were investigated through both informant interviews and field reconnaissance. All fieldwork was conducted by the authors under the guidance of Patrick O’Brien, senior staff archaeologist at the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology.