26 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



After completing their studies at the Gaines Creek project, John- 

 son and Smith proceeded to the Optima Keservoir area, on the North 

 Canadian (Beaver) Eiver in Texas County. The dam for the project 

 is to be erected just above the confluence of the North Canadian and 

 Coldwater Creek and will flood areas along both streams. Three sites 

 were found along the North Canadian and one along Coldwater Creek. 

 In all cases they were found to be above the high-water line, and there 

 is no urgency with respect to excavating them. Site 3 lies at the 

 upper end of the basin that will be flooded along the North Canadian, 

 and investigation at some future date has been recommended. 



The excavations made in Oklahoma were in the area to be flooded 

 by the Tenkiller Ferry Reservoir on the Illinois River near Tahlequah. 

 Some testing was done at two locations, but most of the work was at a 

 third, known as the Cookson site, where a party under the direction 

 of Donald J. Lehmer dug 6 houses, 4 graves, 2 hearths, and 31 cache 

 pits. Two components were isolated. The early one was character- 

 ized by rectangular houses with four center posts and trench en- 

 trances, while the later was characterized by rectangular houses with 

 two center posts and indications of a bench along the north wall. 

 There was no evidence of an entry way for these houses. The projec- 

 tile points accompanying the early horizon fall within the range that 

 is considered typical of Archaic and early Woodland in the Southeast. 

 They also are common in the material from the prepottery Grove 

 Focus in northeastern Oklahoma. Associated potsherds indicate a 

 ware similar to the utility forms from the Spiro components. The 

 latter ware in itself cannot be limited to an early horizon, but the 

 small amount found in the excavations of the early component sug- 

 gests that pottery was just beginning to appear in the complex. Stone 

 artifacts in the late horizon differ somewhat from those of the earlier. 

 Slate hoes and double-bitted axes are absent and projectile points are 

 predominately small. The pottery associated with the late horizon is 

 a shell-tempered ware which usually is decorated. The total complex 

 has certain similarities to Orr's Fort Coffee Focus, but it probably will 

 warrant being set up as a separate focus. The houses of the early 

 horizon are similar to those considered typical of the early Spiro 

 component, while those of the late horizon are quite similar to those 

 for the late Spiro component. 



The work at the Tenkiller Ferry was completed at the end of May, 

 and Mr. Lehmer returned to the Missouri Basin headquarters at Lin- 

 coln. Throughout the period of the activities in Oklahoma, both for 

 the surveys and the excavations, Dr. Robert E. Bell, of the University 

 of Oklahoma, aided the field parties in the capacity of a consultant, 

 and the University of Oklahoma cooperated in the loan of equipment 

 and in making office space available to the men when they were in 

 Norman. 



