22 BULLETIN 18 3, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Cultural remains were most plentiful in and immediately about the 

 old pits. These were undoubtedly dug originally for storage and 

 concealment of foodstuflPs. Secondarily, as when the contents soured 

 or had been used up, the pits were filled up with refuse. When 

 opened they yielded animal bones, sherds, burnt stones, charred 

 vegetal material, and occasional broken or whole artifacts. Their 

 original form and depth are difficult to determine, since the fill in 

 their upper portions was virtually indistinguishable from the midden- 

 filled topsoil covering the site generally. In all probability they had 

 been dug from approximately the present surface of the ground, or 

 what was the surface prior to leveling by modern tillage. This as- 

 sumes that the old village level was essentially the same as the present 

 surface. Their presence was usually undetected, however, until all 

 upper soil had been removed, when the pits showed as dark refuse- 

 filled spots contrasting sharply with the clay subsoil. Probably much 

 of the material taken from the squares and arbitrarily labelled by 

 depths actually was contained in the old pits. Because their upper 

 portions were so indistinct, however, no attempt was made to assign 

 specimens to given pits except where they were found definitely within 

 them below the top of the subsoil. 



The location, dimensions, and general contents of the various pits 

 are summarized in table 1. Data for some are incomplete, but the 

 others will provide a sufficiently clear idea of their usual character. 

 The artifacts and other remains from the pits will be discussed in 

 detail under the appropriate headings. 



