498 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 112 



Laboratory of the U.S. Geological Survey obtained the age of 1100 

 ±160 years (W-419). 



A test trench 5 feet wide was dug from house 1 to house 2. This 

 trench yielded no artifacts, but uncovering the subsoil revealed a 

 shallow (24-inch deep) trench about halfway between the two houses, 

 V-shaped in profile and running at right angles to the edge of the 

 terrace. Due to insufficient time, this trench was not further ex- 

 plored, but it appears to have been a drainage ditch designed to 

 receive and carry away water running off the roofs of the houses, and 

 possibly to lower the water table in the vicinity of the pit dwellings. 



The outlines of house 2 were traced by means of a trench similar to 

 that around house 1 . In the trench were found one triangular arrow- 

 point of obsidian (411649), six retouched flakes of obsidian, one of 

 flint, and one of chalcedony (411650). Sherds found show the follow- 

 ing distribution and varieties : 



Type 

 Yoichi 

 Nopporo 

 Ebetsu 

 Satsumon 

 Haji 



One of the Satsumon rimsherds shows a support perforation just 

 below the rim made before the pot was fired. 



House 2, like house 1, was roughly square but slightly larger. The 

 sides measured 27.5, 28, 27.5, and 30 feet. The floor of the pit was 

 36 inches from the present surface. No trace of a prepared floor was 

 found, and no entrance way was visible. The fireplace was located 

 on the south side, just west of center, and a collapsed clay extension 

 outside the housepit wall was probably the remains of either an air 

 vent or a smokehole. Three postmolds were found in the corners, 

 but the fourth, if it existed, was missed. These postmolds were about 

 1 foot in diameter and extended into the subsoil for 2 feet. No sub- 

 floor pits or similar features were found. As in house 1, large quan- 

 tities of charred roof members were found on the floor, and the floor 

 show T ed reddening by fire in several large irregular areas. 



Artifacts found consisted of sherds and one obsidian flake scraper 

 (411652). Sherds were found scattered throughout the fill, but one 

 almost complete bowl was found at floor level only 2 feet from the 

 hearth's edge. This bowl was found articulated, but was struck by a 

 workman's shovel, and one piece was lost. Sherds of two other 

 badly broken vessels were found concentrated in the southern half of 

 the housepit, probably due to the proximity of the hearth. 



The miscellaneous sherds found in the housepit show the following 

 distribution and varietv: 



