IS. S" 38]' TORONTO RESERVOIR AREA, KANS. — ^HOWARD 361 



Verdigris Kiver just north of the site on the opposite side of the 

 river. The area of occupation is approximately 1,000 feet in length 

 (NW-SE) by 350 feet in width (NE-SW). There seems to be a 

 greater concentration of artifacts at the northwest end of the site 

 (fig. 66). Although the site has been plowed for some time, it is 

 nevertheless quite rich in surface materials. 



EXCAVATIONS 



A trench 65 feet in length and 5 feet in width was run through the 

 area of greatest surface concentration at the north end of the site. 

 This was marked off into thirteen 5-foot squares. Near the center of 

 this trench, part of a circular hearth was uncovered at a depth of 0.5 

 foot (pi. 58, a). The trench was then widened to 15 feet in this area 

 in order to expose the remainder of the hearth and to locate possible 

 post molds or other features. Although this widened section, 15 feet 

 square, was shaved down to a depth of 2.5 feet, no additional features 

 were discovered. The remainder of the trench was excavated to a 

 depth of 1.5 feet. Since no cultural stratification could be found, 

 material from the surface of the site has been grouped with that from 

 the excavations for purposes of description. 



FEATURES 



Hearth. — ^At a depth of 0.5 foot from the surface, a circular hearth 

 was discovered. It measured 2.0 feet in diameter and had a maximum 

 depth of 0.3 foot at the center. The fill was white ash with occasional 

 lumps of charcoal. Beneath the hearth was a lens of burned earth 

 approximately 0.5 foot in thickness at the center and tapering to 

 0.2 or 0.3 foot at the outer perimeters. The hearth was lined with 

 limestone slabs, some of which were set on edge, while others were 

 laid flat. 



Although flecks of charcoal and bits of burned earth appeared 

 throughout the test trench at approximately the same level as the 

 hearth, no additional features appeared. If this hearth was the 

 central fireplace of a dwelling, the structure must have been of a 

 rather temporary sort. 



Associated with this hearth were three artifacts : a bone awl, a sec- 

 tion of antler (possibly a flint-working tool), and a small bone bead. 

 All of these objects seem to have been preserved by the ash of the 

 hearth, and were the only objects of bone or antler secured at the site. 



SPECIMEN DESCRIPTIONS 



Rim sherds. — The three rim sherds recovered were apparently from 

 vessels of Aksarben affiliation. They are tempered with fuie grit. 



