Riv. Bas. Sour. ee 
Pay, No. 27] STAR VILLAGE—METCALF | 
follow. No fireplace was present, and the charcoal-mixed level, never 
pronounced in any house, was completely lacking there. As a result 
the floor was scraped down to what appeared to be clean, undisturbed 
soil where the postmolds were found. It is possible that this feature 
was excavated slightly below the true floor level. 
Each excavation unit within the site was designated a feature and 
assigned a number, and the same procedure was followed with all 
finds which were considered noteworthy. Thus, house floors with 
their associated posthole patterns were considered features, as were 
fireplaces, storage or other pits, exploratory cuts across the ditch, and 
the excavation which uncovered the entrance gap left in the surround- 
ing ditch. In the following pages each of these will be described 
under its feature number. 
HOUSES 
Feature 1 (fig. 6; pl. 15, a)—The field season was almost ended 
and the excavation of the ceremonial lodge was well under way before 
Stout’s map and notes were discovered. It occasioned some surprise 
when it was learned that Feature 1, the first house floor to be un- 
covered at the site was, by the testimony of Stout’s informant, that 
of the first lodge to be built at the site and further that it had been 
owned by “Chief, the only Mandan in the village.” It was located in 
the extreme northwest part of the site with the defensive ditch ap- 
proaching it closely on the north and northwest. Before excavation 
it showed as a low but distinct ring-mound or circular earth-bank 
enclosure and was well covered with a heavy growth of rather tall 
grass. The fireplace was located at once, and the earth was removed 
to this depth as far as the inner side of the mound. The floor was not 
well marked, but close examination showed a thin line of soil darkened 
by the presence of a small amount of fine charcoal particles and resting 
on completely sterile earth. This level was accepted as the floor, and 
the edges of the excavation were carried outward until traces of the 
leaner butts were found. The fill varied in depth from a minimum of 
7 inches at the center to a maximum of 10 inches at the outer edge. 
The excavation revealed the floor plan of a circular structure 33 
feet in diameter, with a central fireplace, four centrally located sup- 
port posts, an outer ring of 11 posts and an entrance portico. The 
four central posts stood at a radius of approximately 7 feet from the 
center of the fireplace and formed the corners of a square measuring 
10 feet on aside. Two extra postmolds were present, one behind each 
front center post and in line with that member and the fireplace. 
Kvidences of extra posts are not uncommon in house remains in the 
Plains area and have been referred to as braces, on the supposition 
that they were added in the old age of the structure to support a weak 
foundation post or a sagging roof member. Such can hardly have 
