22 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



suits obtained. Limited excavations there indicated five occupational 

 layers and two well-defined, buried soils. At least two ceramic hori- 

 zons are present, in the upper levels, one with simple-stamped or plain 

 pottery, the other with cord-marked body sherds. Several additional 

 occupations, in stratigraphically earlier positions, have yielded 

 neither pottery nor other diagnostic artifacts. The great depth of 

 deposit and the presence of buried soils may make possible a consid- 

 erable refinement in the stratigraphy of late preceramic remains in 

 the Big Bend Keservoir area. Geological investigations carried on 

 by Alan H. Coogan in the area of the lower portion of this reservoir 

 were intended to obtain information bearing upon chronology and 

 the environmental sequence of the Medicine Crow, Aiken, and other 

 early sites in the area. The possibilities for correlation of terrace, 

 moraine, and other depositional features appear to be excellent. The 

 Irving party disbanded on September 4 and returned to the Lincoln 

 headquarters after 13 weeks in the field. 



The second Eiver Basm Surveys party in the field in the Big Bend 

 Reservoir area was a crew of 11 men under the direction of James 

 J. F. Deetz. This party spent the entire season in excavation of the 

 late (village occupation) components (areas B and C) of the Medi- 

 cine Crow site (39BF2). The work was done in conjunction with 

 that of the Irving party in an effort to provide a comprehensive pic- 

 ture of the site as a whole. In all, 16 houses were completely exca- 

 vated, and 4 were tested with varying intensity. Included within the 

 houses were 16 cache pits. Eleven cache pits were excavated in the 

 interhouse living areas. A single burial was recovered. Three well- 

 defined components have been established for the ceramic period of 

 this site and a fourth, less adequately outlmed component is proposed. 

 The Stanley Component (latest) is characterized by a predominance 

 of Stanley Braced Eim pottery ; circular houses, 25 to 30 feet in diam- 

 eter with hard, light-colored floors; mortar pits; and absence of 

 interior cache pits. Five domestic and four specialized house struc- 

 tures are included in this component. The specialized houses were 

 grouped about a "plaza" and included a ceremonial lodge, 50 feet in 

 diameter, with an altar, plastered floor, and silled entrance. The 

 Fort Thompson Component resembles that at the Oacoma site, but 

 may be somewhat later. Talking Crow ware predominates. Houses 

 range from 35 to 40 feet in diameter, have vaguely defined floors, 

 in-floor caches, and lack mortar pits. Four such structures were 

 excavated during the 1958 season. There were two cases of superim- 

 position, with Stanley houses above Fort Thompson houses. A third, 

 unnamed, component is represented by a series of large bell-shaped 

 cache pits excavated in area C. These affiliate most closely with the 

 Two Teeth site (39BF204) a short distance to the southeast. Talking 



