Pit 43: Level 3

Completed on July 6, 2013 by the Schelling's (David, Katie, Carrie, and Todd), Dean Hunt, the Locke's (Jocelyn, and DC), the Brinkman's (Odess, and David), and Debra Carlsen. We found more pieces of the blue cloth even deep into level 3 and we are certain now that these were not dropped into the hole during the dig. One Archaeologist thought it could possibly be Granby period and the blue color could be indigo dye. We ended up taking level 3 all the down to 87 centimeters as we were still finding artifacts much past the 50 cm mark that all the pits on the other side of the hot spot followed. Fortunately, Katie and David Schelling were still full of energy and when they were not in the hole digging, they were begging to be there. Josie made our first buckle find toward the end of the dig and David B. found a pipe stem while searching the corner for a metal detector hit which proved to be a nail. This corner area had very soft dirt and we believe it may have been a post hole. It was not dark in color so the post was probably removed before it decomposed. During the artifact cleaning, we discovered an obvious Native America pottery piece with a hole in the center but the cleaning process triggered a disintegration of the artifact. We stopped the cleaning process and discovered 16 other pottery pieces of this same type. We have recovered this type in other pits but were not certain they were man made until this pit. The clothing and large number of Native American artifacts, along with the 3rd highest take on pottery, pushed Pit #43 all the up to #4 in the overall power rating of all pits. The overall numbers for pit 43 were: 73 pieces of pottery, 22 pieces of glass, 22 nails, 18 iron pieces, 2 pipe stems, 1 pipe bowl piece, 19 Native American artifacts, and 9 pieces of cloth. .

Pit 43: Level 3 produced: 31 pieces of pottery, 8 pieces of glass, 9 nails, 8 iron pieces (including the buckle), a 1720-1750 pipe stem, 6 pieces of cloth, and 17 pieces of Native American pottery.