Radiocarbon Dates

Notes on the Table

For the first time, secure radiocarbon dates were obtained from village sites excavated during the New Deal in Somerset County and one site with problematic dates. These radiocarbon dates showed that most of the villages were occupied within a century of one another and that one village component was inhabited during the early 16th century A.D. See Circular Villages of the Monongahela Tradition for more details on the significance of these new dates, which were obtained from curated (stored) archaeological collections. This project was made possible thanks to support from the National Science Foundation under Grant No. (BCS-0226785) entitled "Modeling Somerset Monongahela Village Organization Within a Chronological Framework Developed through AMS Dating of Curated Organic Remains."

Occupation Feature Feature Type Artifact Material Dated Sample Radiocarbon Age Results (calibrated 2 sigma range)

PECK NO. 1

Initial core 68 Unknown CMNH 7220 Wood charcoal AA52971 578 ± 42 B.P. A.D. 1297 to 1424
Initial core 88 Unknown CMNH 7233 Wood charcoal AA52970 639 ± 44 B.P. A.D. 1281 to 1401
Initial core 123 Unknown TSMP 2022 Organic residue AA53678 737 ± 46 B.P.1 A.D. 1209 to 1387
First expansion 15 Unknown TSMP 2055 Organic residue AA53677 614 ± 35 B.P. A.D. 1292 to 1404
First expansion 46 Unknown CMNH 7204 Organic residue AA52972 762 ± 36 B.P.1 A.D. 1213 to 1289
Second expansion 103 Unknown CMNH 7242 Organic residue AA52973 536 ± 36 B.P. 2 A.D. 1313 to 1441
Second expansion 103 Unknown CMNH 7242 Organic residue AA52973 540 ± 36 B.P. 2 A.D. 1311 to 1440
Second expansion 103 Unknown TSMP1788 Shell removed from shell tempered sherd AA58580 1169 ± 35 B.P. 3 A.D. 774 to 971
Second expansion 103 Unknown TSMP1909 Shell removed from shell tempered sherd AA58581 824 ± 35 B.P. 3 A.D. 1158 to 1272
Second expansion 112 Unknown CMNH 7249 Organic residue AA52974 658 ± 35 B.P. A.D. 1276 to 1395

FORT HILL

Fort Hill I 12 Unknown TSMP 1380 Organic residue AA53669 754 ± 34 B.P. A.D. 1218 to 1288
Fort Hill I 12 Unknown TSMP 0648 Organic residue AA58578 990 ± 69 B.P. 1 A.D. 897 to 1209
Fort Hill I 12 Unknown TSMP 0648 Shell removed from shell tempered sherd AA58579 1162 ± 35 B.P. 3 A.D. 776 to 971
Fort Hill I 35 Unknown TSMP 0409 Organic residue AA53673 658 ± 33 B.P.1 A.D. 1277 to 1394
Fort Hill I 49 Unknown TSMP 1313 Organic residue AA53667 802 ± 34 B.P. 2 A.D. 1176 to 1276
Fort Hill I 49 Unknown TSMP 1313 Organic residue AA53667 847 ± 35 B.P.2 A.D. 1050 to 1264
Fort Hill I 28 Free-standing post-enclosed feature TSMP 0627 Organic residue AA53663 763 ± 43 B.P. A.D. 1184 to 1294
Fort Hill I 29 Unknown TSMP 0546 Organic residue AA53664 693 ± 39 B.P. A.D. 1257 to 1392
Fort Hill I 35 Unknown TSMP 0408 Organic residue AA53666 582 ± 57 B.P.1 A.D. 1291 to 1429
Fort Hill II 85 Hearth TSMP 0337 Shell removed from shell tempered sherd AA53660 1026 ± 36 B.P. 3 A.D. 898 to 1149
Fort Hill II 40 Unknown TSMP 0661 Organic residue AA53659 695 ± 38 B.P. A.D. 1257 to 1391
Fort Hill II 84 Hearth TSMP 0488 Wood charcoal AA53672 753 ± 41 B.P. A.D. 1193 to 1379
Fort Hill II 85 Hearth TSMP 0335 Wood charcoal AA53670 366 ± 46 B.P.4 A.D. 1447 to 1636

GOWER

  1 Hearth TSMP 1853 Organic residue AA53665 744 ± 48 B.P. A.D. 1186 to 1385
  1 Hearth TSMP 1843 Organic residue AA53668 1184 ± 34 B.P. 5 A.D. 722 to 965

RECKNER
Village 101 Free-standing post-enclosed feature TSMP 2398 Shell removed from shell tempered sherd AA53675 945 ± 45 B.P.3 A.D. 1017 to 1207
Village 77 Midden TSMP 2384 Organic residue AA53662 529 ± 40 B.P.2 A.D. 1312 to 1444
Village 77 Midden TSMP 2384 Organic residue AA53662 599 ± 43 B.P.2 A.D. 1292 to 1413
Village 2 Unknown TSMP 2424 Organic residue AA53676 583 ± 34 B.P. A.D. 1298 to 1418
Non-village cluster 177 Post-enclosed feature attached to another pit TSMP 2390 Shell removed from shell tempered sherd AA53671 815 ± 36 B.P. 3 A.D. 1163 to 1272

PECK NO. 2

Peck No. 2-1 12 Pit with posts in or adjacent CMNH 7268 Organic residue AA52977 864 ± 40 B.P. A.D. 1043 to 1259
Peck No. 2-1 25 Unknown CMNH 7279 Organic residue AA52976 889 ± 38 B.P. A.D. 1037 to 1219
Peck No. 2-1 45 Unknown CMNH 7293 Organic residue AA52978 918 ± 39 B.P. A.D. 1028 to 1207
Peck No. 2-2 32 Unknown CMNH 7284 Wood charcoal AA52969 418 ± 42 B.P. A.D. 1420 to 1631
Peck No. 2-2 47 Unknown CMNH 7295 Wood charcoal AA52968 561 ± 42 B.P. 1 A.D. 1300 to 1434
Peck No. 2-2 51 Free-standing post-enclosed feature CMNH 7297 Section of maize cob AA53309 364 ± 44 B.P. A.D. 1448 to 1635
Peck No. 2-2 69 Unknown CMNH 7303 Organic residue AA52975 815 ± 36 B.P.5 A.D. 1163 to 1272
Peck No. 2-2 77 Unknown CMNH 7305 Wood charcoal AA52966 913 ± 46 B.P.5 A.D. 1027 to 1212
Peck No. 2-2 90 Unknown CMNH 7308 Wood charcoal AA52967 321 ± 41 B.P. A.D. 1468 to 1648

TROUTMAN
  56 Unknown TSMP 1167 Organic residue AA53679 742 ± 40 B.P. A.D. 1215 to 1380
  15 Unknown TSMP 1166 Shell removed from shell tempered sherd AA53661 1264 ± 87 B.P. 3 A.D. 638 to 971

EMERICK

  46 Unknown TSMP 1396 Section of bone awl AA53674 676 ± 41 B.P. A.D. 1265 to 1395

GNAGEY NO. 3

Gnagey No. 3-1 4 Stockade trench CMNH 7141 Maize kernel AA53310 692 ± 46 B.P. A.D. 1228 to 1395
Gnagey No. 3-1 122 Stockade trench CMNH 7548 Section of cotyledon AA53306 713 ± 34 B.P. A.D. 1228 to 1386
Gnagey No. 3-2 15 Free-standing post-enclosed feature CMNH 7150 Maize kernel AA53311 590 ± 50 B.P. A.D. 1291 to 1422
Gnagey No. 3-2 88 Smudge pit CMNH 7525 Maize cob AA53307 202 ± 33 B.P.4 A.D. 1644 to 1952
Gnagey No. 3-2 114 Smudge pit CMNH 7544 Maize cob AA53308 246 ± 33 B.P.4 A.D. 1522 to 1951

Endnotes

1 This date is statistically different from others in the village component(s).

2 Organic material was sub-divided and each division was dated .

3 All dates from shell were excluded from the analysis as invalid.

4 Date is too recent for village context.

5 Date is too early for village context.

Abbreviations: TSMP = The State Museum of Pennsylvania; CMNH = Carnegie Museum of Natural History