scholarly journals Current Research: Organic Residues on Engraved Vessels from Ancestral Caddo Sites in East Texas

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Perttula
Keyword(s):  
Daily Life ◽  
River Basins ◽  
Organic Residue ◽  
East Texas ◽  
Organic Residues ◽  
Ceramic Vessels ◽  
Sabine River

In the course of recently documenting ancestral Caddo ceramic vessels from sites dating to Late Caddo period Titus phase contexts (ca. A.D. 1430-1680) in East Texas, specifically on sites in the Big Cypress Creek and Sabine River basins, I have encountered a significant number (ca. 9.6 percent) of more than 1790 engraved fine ware vessels that have an exterior organic residue (Table 1), including carinated bowls, compound bowls, jars, bowls, and even bottles. In some cases, the exterior residue on certain carinated bowls and compound bowls is so thick that the engraved design is obscured and almost completely covered with the organic residue (Figure 1a- c). If engraved fine wares from ancestral Caddo sites were used in daily life for the serving of foods and liquids, how did they accumulate an exterior carbonized residue by the time they were placed in burials as funerary offerings?

scholarly journals Caddo Ceramic Vessels from Lake Sam Rayburn Sites

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy K. Perttula ◽  
Mark Walters
Keyword(s):  
Research Laboratory ◽  
River Basins ◽  
East Texas ◽  
Organic Residues ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
University Of Texas ◽  
Ceramic Vessels ◽  
Ceramic Assemblages ◽  
The University ◽  
Larger Sample

The distinctive Caddo ceramic vessels from the lower Neches–Angelina (i.e., Lake Sam Rayburn) and the lower Sabine (i.e., Toledo Bend Reservoir) river basins are not well understood, due to current cultural phase taxonomic difficulties and poorly defined ceramic assemblages. Sites in these areas were included in the Angelina focus by Jelks, which was a “broadly defined unit encompassing the entire Caddoan [sic] sequence in the Lake Sam Rayburn locality; needs reevaluation in light of larger sample of sites which are known in the area." Perttula used the term late Angelina focus to refer to sites in these localities that date after ca. A.D. 1400, but this taxonomic terminology is also not satisfactory. The vessels from the Lake Sam Rayburn Caddo sites warrant restudy, because currently it is difficult to determine what a representative assemblage of ceramic fine ware and utility ware vessels from this part of the Neches–Angelina River basin looks like, and the differing affiliations of local Caddo groups. Few of the vessels recovered from burials at Lake Sam Rayburn have been typologically identified. The rarity of Belcher Ridged sherds in the Lake Sam Rayburn sites when compared to their frequency in Toledo Bend Reservoir sites appears to indicate that the ancestral Caddo groups that once occupied these two areas had distinctly different utility ware traditions. Furthermore, stylistically–related Titus phase and Belcher phase engraved fine wares are absent in the Lake Sam Rayburn sites, much different from the Toledo Bend Reservoir ceramic assemblages, a trend which may be indicative of differing populations of Caddo peoples living in these two locales. The Lake Sam Rayburn ceramic assemblages warrant a thorough reanalysis—paired with radiocarbon dates from organics (and organic residues on sherds and vessels) in the collections—before it will be possible to establish their temporal, stylistic, and compositional character and diversity, and explore their relationship to other ancestral Caddo ceramic traditions in East Texas and Northwest Louisiana. This article summarizes the reanalysis of the Lake Sam Rayburn ceramic vessels. There are 21 vessels in the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory, The University of Texas at Austin collections from Lake Sam Rayburn archaeological investigations. This includes: 12 vessels from Walter Bell (41SB50); one vessel from Bird Point Islands (41SB71); one vessel from the Sawmill site (41SA89); six vessels from the Wylie Price site (41SA94); and one vessel from the Blount site (41SA123).

scholarly journals The Jonas Short Site (41SA101), San Augustine County, Texas

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy K. Perttula ◽  
Mark Walters
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
River Basins ◽  
Woodland Period ◽  
Cultural Tradition ◽  
East Texas ◽  
Coral Snake ◽  
Alluvial Terrace ◽  
University Of Texas ◽  
The University ◽  
Sabine River

The Jonas Short site (41SA101) is one of a few known and investigated Woodland period mounds in the Trans–Mississippi south (i.e., East Texas, Northwest Louisiana, Southwest Arkansas, and Southeast Oklahoma). In fact, the site is one of only four identified mound sites of possible Woodland period age—and Mossy Grove cultural tradition—in the Neches–Angelina and Sabine river basins in East Texas and Northwest Louisiana: Coral Snake (16SA48), Anthony (16SA7), Jonas Short, and Westerman (41HO15). The Jonas Short site was located on an alluvial terrace of the Angelina River. It was investigated in 1956 by archaeologists from the University of Texas and the River Basin Survey prior to its inundation by the waters of Lake Sam Rayburn.

scholarly journals Caddo Ceramic Vessels from the Mrs. Martin Farm, Harrison County, Texas

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy K. Perttula ◽  
Bo Nelson
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
East Texas ◽  
South Central ◽  
Ceramic Vessels ◽  
Sabine River

The Mrs. Martin Farm site is a Caddo site in the community of Darco, in south central Harrison County, in the Sabine River basin of the East Texas Pineywoods. The farm was investigated by C. W. Bailey in March 1941, and two Caddo ceramic vessels recovered in this work at depths of ca. 36 and 76 cm bs are now curated at the Gregg County Historical Museum. These vessels are likely funerary offerings from two different burials at the site.

scholarly journals New Radiocarbon Dates from East Texas Caddo Sites

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy K. Perttula ◽  
Robert Z. Selden
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
River Basins ◽  
East Texas ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Ams Dating ◽  
Sabine River ◽  
Organic Remains

In this article, we report the results of AMS dating of organic remains from ancestral East Texas Caddo sites in Gregg and Harrison counties. These sites are the Wade site (GC-38), a Middle Caddo period habitation in the mid-Sabine River basin, as well as from vessels (in the Gregg County Historical Museum) placed in Caddo burials at the Susie Slade (41HS13), Hyte, Eli Fields, J. O. and Henry Brown (41HS261), and the Patton (41HS825) sites in the Big Cypress and mid-Sabine River basins, and a vessel from an unknown site in the Big Cypress Creek basin.

scholarly journals Artifact Assemblages from San Augustine County, Texas, Sites Recorded in 1939-1940 by Gus E. Arnold

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Perttula
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
Archaeological Survey ◽  
East Texas ◽  
Surface Distribution ◽  
University Of Texas ◽  
Animal Bones ◽  
Ceramic Vessels ◽  
Mussel Shells ◽  
The University ◽  
Sabine River

During the 1939-1940 WPA-sponsored archaeological survey of East Texas, Gus E. Arnold was particularly active in identifying and recording sites in San Augustine County, in the East Texas Pineywoods (see Perttula 2015a, 2017a), as well as sites along Patroon, Palo Gaucho, and Housen bayous in neighboring Sabine County (Perttula 2015b, 2017b), and sites in the Angelina River basin in Angelina County (Perttula 2016c). During his archaeological survey efforts, he collected substantial assemblages of ceramic and lithic artifact assemblages (curated by the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory at The University of Texas at Austin), primarily due to the fact that the surface of sites were well-exposed because of plowing, and he was encouraged to collect robust artifact assemblages by A. T. Jackson, the WPA survey director at The University of Texas at Austin. This article concerns the analysis of the recovered artifact assemblages from 14 different WPA sites in various parts of San Augustine County (Figure 1). The 14 archaeological sites are situated in several different stream basins, on a variety of landforms (i.e., floodplain rise, alluvial terrace, and upland ridge), including the Attoyac Bayou basin (41SA1 on Attoyac Bayou; 41SA5, at junction of Little and Big Arenosa Creek; 41SA24 on Price Creek; 41SA9, 41SA15, and 41SA16, Arenosa Creek), Patroon Bayou in the Sabine River basin (41SA11 and 41SA32), Palo Gaucho Bayou in the Sabine River basin (41SA108), Ayish Bayou (41SA77, 41SA80, 41SA95, and 41SA96) in the Angelina River basin; and Hog-Harvey creeks (41SA85) in the Angelina River basin. According to Arnold, these sites ranged from 1-6 acres in size, based on the surface distribution of artifacts as well as the extent of the landforms. In the case of the Hanks site (41SA80), midden deposits marked by mussel shells and animal bones were preserved there. The landowner had also previously collected two ceramic pipes, a celt, and a 33 cm long notched chert biface from the site. Burned and unburned animal bones were also noted on the surface of the Frost Johnson Lumber Co. site (41SA5); and burials associated with ceramic vessels and other material remains were noted when the site was first put into cultivation. Whole ceramic vessels from ancestral Caddo burial features had been reported to have eroded out of the Allan Howill (41SA24) and J. McGilberry (41SA85) sites. The Allan Howill site also had mussel shells and fragments of animal bone visible on the surface, and an area with ancestral Caddo burials (at least three with skeletal remains) was reported on the edge of an upland bluff there. Arnold also excavated several test pits of unknown size at the D. C. Hines site (41SA95), where he encountered archaeological deposits between ca. 60-76 cm bs. Arnold also noted “exceptionally large quantities of petrified wood, chert and flint flakes and chips cover the surface” of the D. C. Hines site.

scholarly journals A Catalog of Selected Caddo Ceramic Vessels in the Buddy Jones Collection at the Gregg County Historical Museum

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Perttula ◽  
Robert Z. Selden ◽  
Bo Nelson
Keyword(s):  
Native American ◽  
River Basin ◽  
East Texas ◽  
Ceramic Assemblage ◽  
Ceramic Vessel ◽  
History Of ◽  
Ceramic Vessels ◽  
Neches River ◽  
Sabine River ◽  
Different Parts

This publications presents information and images of 420 Caddo ceramic vessels from several different parts of East Texas. These vessels are in the Buddy Calvin Jones collection at the Gregg County Historical Museum (GCHM) in Longview, Texas. They represent unassociated funerary objects under the provisions of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). Our purpose in producing this publication is to make this information available to those in the professional and avocational archaeological community with a serious interest in the native history of the Caddo Indian peoples; as well as to the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma; and to the general public. The information presented here on Caddo ceramic vessel forms and decorative styles should be useful in current and future syntheses of East Texas Caddo ceramic traditions from ca. A.D. 1200 to the late 17th century, if not later. The provenience of these vessels by site and/or burial feature is not known, but because Caddo ceramic vessels from different parts of East Texas have distinctive decorations, vessel forms, and rim/ lip treatment, we have been able to sort much of this vessel assemblage by age and/or region. This includes several vessels of Middle Caddo period (ca. A.D. 1200- 1450) age that are likely from the mid-Sabine River basin, vessels from sites in the ca. A.D. 1450-1680 Titus phase area in the Big Cypress and mid-Sabine River basins, and vessels from sites in the upper Neches River basin from ca. A.D. 1400-1650 Frankston phase and post-A.D. 1650 Allen phase sites. Unfortunately, there remain a number of vessels in this assemblage that are undecorated or have less distinctive stylistic characteristics, and at the present time they are considered to be from unknown ceramic assemblage contexts in East Texas Caddo sites. Hopefully further study of the entire Buddy Calvin Jones collections, along with the examination of all available records and notes (including records and notes not yet provided to the GCHM), will lead to the identification of more specific provenience assignments to the latter group of vessels.

Assessing Vessel Function by Organic Residue Analysis

2016 ◽  
pp. 624-648
Author(s):  
Hans Barnard ◽  
Jelmer W. Eerkens
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Residue Analysis ◽  
Stone Tools ◽  
Organic Residue ◽  
Organic Residues ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Ceramic Vessels ◽  
Organic Residue Analysis ◽  
Carbon Based

Organic residues can be defined as the carbon-based remains of plants, animals or humans, either in their original or a decomposed state. Biomolecules that can indicate the source of such residues include lipids (such as fatty acids, sterols, mono-, di-, and triglycerides, di-, and triterpenoids), alkaloids (such as caffeine, capsaicin, cocaine, ephedrine, nicotine, theobromine), carbohydrates (such as polysaccharides and starches), proteins (such as albumin, casein, collagen, gliadin, hemaglobin, hordein, myoglobin) and DNA. Archaeological organic residues have been identified in stains on teeth, deposits on stone tools, stains in soil, smoking pipes, and material adhering to pot sherds. A comprehensive overview of such an overwhelming number of compounds and range of methods is beyond the scope of this chapter. Instead, we present an overview for identifying and interpreting organic residues in ceramic vessels, followed by a brief discussion of issues related to archaeological organic residue analysis in general.

scholarly journals The Caddo Ceramic Vessels from the Cemetery at 41HS74 on Hatley Creek in the Sabine River Basin, Harrison County, Texas

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Perttula
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
Research Laboratory ◽  
East Texas ◽  
University Of Texas ◽  
Ceramic Vessels ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The University ◽  
Sabine River ◽  
Habitation Site

Site 41HS74 is an ancestral Caddo habitation site and cemetery on Hatley Creek, a southwardflowing tributary to the Sabine River, in the East Texas Pineywoods (Figure 1). The site was investigated in 1986 by Heartfield, Price and Greene, Inc. (1988). The re-analysis of the ceramic vessels recovered from nine burial features at the site are the subject of this article. The vessels are curated at the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory at The University of Texas at Austin (TARL).

scholarly journals Caddo Ceramic Vessels from the Loftis and Pearl Smith Sites in Harrison County, Texas

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy K. Perttula ◽  
Bo Nelson
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
East Texas ◽  
Ceramic Vessels ◽  
Sabine River

The Loftis (HC-53) and Pearl Smith (HC-60) sites are ancestral Caddo sites that were investigated by Buddy Jones, probably in 1960, but those investigations were never published by Jones. The sites are along Clarks Creek in the Sabine River basin in southwestern Harrison County in East Texas; Loftis is about 3 km north of the Pearl Smith site. Jones excavated Caddo burials from both sites, and also conducted limited investigations in Caddo habitation deposits at the Loftis site. There are two vessels from the Loftis site and one vessel from the Pearl Smith site in the Buddy Jones collection at the Gregg County Historical Museum. There are no notes or plans of the burial features excavated by Jones at either site. Burials had apparently been excavated by several people at the Loftis site, including Jones , and the burials ex

scholarly journals Caddo Ceramic Vessels from the Sipes Hill Site (41RK602) along Martin Creek in the Sabine River Basin in East Texas

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy K. Perttula ◽  
Robert Z. Selden ◽  
Bo Nelson
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
East Texas ◽  
Home Site ◽  
Ceramic Vessels ◽  
The 1950S ◽  
Sabine River

The Sipes Hill site (41RK602) is an ancestral Caddo site on Martin Creek, near Trammel's Trace, about 20 km from its confluence with the Sabine River. It is ca. 2 km downstream from the Martin Lake dam. The Sipes' Home site (41RK603) is about 100m to the northeast. This site was found and investigated by Buddy C. Jones in the 1950s or early 1960s. He did an unknown amount of excavations at the site, and ended up excavating at least one Caddo burial at the site; there are no available notes concerning these excavations or the burial feature, however. Whole vessels from the Sipes Hill site in the Jones collection are at the Gregg County Historical Museum.

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