NO. 10 



NEBRASKA ARCHEOLOGY STRONG 



149 



trench to the east (fig. 17) may represent the edge of another direc- 

 tional fireplace. It is noteworthy that definite fireplaces occurred at 

 three and possibly all four of the cardinal points, and a ceremonial 

 significance seems the best explanation. Where the entrance passage 

 entered the house there was a rectangular pit some 8 feet in length 

 sunk about i foot below the general floor level (figs. 16, 18). In the 

 north-central part of the house was the deep subfloor disturbance 

 marked on figure 16 as a cache. Here in an area some 5 feet in 



Fig. 17. — Cross-section, west to east, house i, Gates site. 



diameter intrusive material was met with to a depth of 8 feet 3 inches. 

 Nothing of significance was found, the intrusive material consisting 

 of a few potsherds, rocks, and charcoal. The disturbed area went 

 down into the clear, hard yellow soil, and aside from the artificial 

 material the disturbed soil was the same in appearance and composi- 

 tion. There was no clear botmdary to the disturbed area. Below 8 feet 

 3 inches test pits and auger borings showed clean soil, and similar tests 

 on all sides were likewise negative. I am at a loss to account for 



Fig. 18. — Cross-section, south to north, of entrance passage and southern half of 

 house I, Gates site. Hachures indicate unexcavated soil. 



this occurrence, unless the disturbed area represents an emptied cache 

 or storage pit of some sort. It was under the north edge of the most 

 northerly fireplace, and there may have been some symbolic or cere- 

 monial connection between the two features. 



Considering the vertical soil layers (figs. 17, 18), conditions were 

 very similar to houses already described at Rock Bluft's. Over the top 

 was a dark unmixed layer averaging 12 inches in thickness. This 

 evidently represented the soil and humus accumulation since the house 

 was abandoned. Below this was a layer 15 inches to a little over 2 feet 

 in thickness of hard nodular soil which, within the house area, was 



