pIp*. Nalo?" ARCHEOLOGY AT KCPFS POST — WOOLWORTH, WOOD 265 



north and south. Two of the remaining pits, Features 60 and 61, 

 were oriented in an east and west direction. Feature 14, the only one 

 found witliin a structure (F-63) , was also oriented east and west. 



Three shallow pits (Features 7, 15, and 61) were subrectangular 

 with rounded corners, convex sides, and flat bases. They varied in 

 length from 8.7 to 11 feet; 4.8 to 8.3 feet in width; and averaged 

 1.5 feet in depth. All of the pits contained refuse such as ash, char- 

 coal, and broken stone. They also contained clay-pipe fragments, 

 gun flints, nails, broken glass, and considerable quantities of animal 

 bones. Two well-worn hum,an upper incisors were found in F-61. 



Five of the pits (Features 4, 6, 13, 14, and 60) had steep, nearly 

 vertical walls, rounded to level bottoms, and a narrow ridge or septum 

 of earth across the short axis of the pit. These ridges were rounded, 

 and about 1 foot high and 1 foot wide. They had been made at the 

 time the pits were originally dug as they were of undisturbed native 

 soil (pi. 56, h). These pits were rectangular in outline, with rounded 

 corners. 



Feature 14 will be discussed separately, as it was found inside the 

 central log cabin, Feature 63. It was oriented east and west, and one 

 of the floor joists passed directly over the earth septum. This pit 

 was smaller than those found in the post enclosure, measuring 2.2 

 feet deep, 4.1 feet wide, and 7 feet long. It had apparently been 

 open at the time the post burned, since flooring had collapsed into the 

 pit. Artifacts were scarce, but some animal bone was found here. 

 This pit has been discussed in connection with the central log cabin, 

 Feature 63 (p. 259). 



The remaining four pits were outside the buildings, and were 

 larger than Feature 14. They averaged 4.2 feet deep, 6.3 feet wide, 

 and 11.8 feet long. Refuse was present in each pit, but was particu- 

 larly abundant in Feature 13, which contained much burned earth 

 and other debris. Animal bone, earthenware fragments, clay-pipe 

 fragments, broken window glass, gun flints, buttons, beads, and an 

 elk metapodial flesher were recovered from these pits. 



Two of these pits. Features 4 and 60, contained decayed wooden 

 slabs at the bottom, of them. These had apparently served as flooring, 

 which was laid over the septum and served to keep stored goods off 

 the ground and would have kept them out of water if moisture had 

 seeped into the pits. It seems likely that the other pits in this group- 

 ing also had wooden floors when they were in use (pi. 56, h). The 

 function of these pits is a matter of speculation, although it would 

 appear probable that they were originally used for the storage of 

 trade goods. Perhaps these were the white fur trader's caches and 



