Archaeological Reports
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12588/561
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Browsing Archaeological Reports by Author "Ahr, Steven W."
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Item Archaeological Testing and Data Recovery at the Cibolo Preserve Menger Creek Site (41KE217), Kendall County, Texas(Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2013) Ahr, Steven W.; Figueroa, Antonia L.; Tomka, Steve A.Between November 2011 and January of 2012, the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) conducted archaeological test and data recovery excavations at site 41KE217, the Cibolo Preserve Menger Creek Site, within the City of Boerne in southeast Kendall County. Archaeological monitoring associated with the Boerne Wastewater Treatment Plant encountered site 41KE217. The project was performed under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 5490 with Dr. Steve Tomka acting as Principal Investigator. For the testing and data recovery excavations, Steve Ahr served as Project Archaeologist. The excavation of three backhoe trenches revealed two stratigraphically distinct cultural zones. The upper component consisted of a dense burned rock layer (Feature 1), which extended approximately 50 m (164 ft.) northeast-southwest and at least 15 m (49.2 ft.) southeast-northwest. Based on the range of temporally diagnostic dart points recovered from the component, it was de-posited during the Middle to Late Archaic Period (6000-3000 BP). Radiocarbon dates suggest that the component dates between 4090-3925 cal. BP (94.2% probability) and 5686-5468 cal. BP (95.4% probability). The lower component is associated with the Early Archaic Period and appears to date between 5586-5468 cal. BP (95.4% probability) and 7325-7170 cal. BP (93.9% probability). National Register of Historical Places (NRHP) eligibility testing followed the trenching and consisted of the hand excavation of four 1-x-1 m (3.28-x-3.28 ft.) test units. The upper component consisted of a multitude of intersecting burned rock features and a range of associated temporally diagnostic projectile points. In contrast, the lower component appeared to be strati-graphically separated from the overlying component, consisted of isolated burned rock hearths, and had a more limited range of temporally diagnostic artifacts. Based on these testing results, it was concluded that the lower component had the highest research potential, and CAR recommended that this component warranted listing to the NRHP and formal designation as a State Archeological Landmark (SAL). Formal data recovery efforts followed the Texas Historical Commission’s concurrence with this recommendation. The data recovery efforts focused on the lower component while the upper component was mechanically removed. A block grid was established, and twenty-six 1-x-1 m (3.28-x-3.28 ft.) units and seven 0.5-x-1 m (1.6-x-3.28 ft.) units were excavated. Thirteen burned rock hearth features were revealed, and several lithic tools, including diagnostic dart points, were recovered. Artifacts recovered during the project will be returned to the private landowner unless it is decided that a portion of the artifacts will be donated to the University for research purposes. All project documents are curated at the CAR facility.Item Intensive Archaeological Survey of the Menger Creek and Browns Creek Interceptor Lines and the Proposed Site of the Boerne Wastewater Treatment Facility, Boerne, Kendall County, Texas: Volume I(Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2012) Figueroa, Antonia L.; Ulrich, Kristi M.; Ahr, Steven W.; Dickey, CyndiThe Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) performed a pedestrian survey for the proposed City of Boerne, Public Works Department Menger and Browns interceptor lines in Boerne, Kendall County, Texas. The project area consists of city-owned and private property adjacent to Cibolo Creek. The work was conducted in five phases, under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 5490, with Dr. Steve Tomka serving as Principal Investigator, and Antonia L. Figueroa, Kristi M. Ulrich, and Steve Ahr serving as Project Archaeologists over the course of the project. The combined alternative interceptor lines totaled approximately 2.4 km (1.5 mi.) in length, and also included a 12.5-acre wastewater treatment plant (WTP). Investigations consisted of an intensive pedestrian survey, with the excavation of 52 total shovel tests, 13 backhoe trench excavations, construction monitoring, and a geomorphological and geoarchaeological assessment. Four previously unrecorded archaeological sites were documented during the project. 41KE215 is a multi-component site consisting of a house structure, associated outbuildings and trash deposits, and two pieces of debitage. The historic farmstead was constructed in approximately 1940. Bedrock exposed across the site indicates no depth to the cultural materials. The limited time depth of the historic component coupled with the small number of artifacts representative of the prehistoric component and it unknown age, dramatically limit the information potential of both components. Therefore, it is suggested that the site is not eligible for nomination to the NRHP, as specified under 36 CFR 60.4 –Criteria of Eligibility, and does not merit designation as a SAL, as outlined by the requirements in 13 TAC 26.8 –Criteria for Evaluating Archeological Sites. Site 41KE217 was identified during construction monitoring as a large burned rock cluster. Backhoe trenching revealed two discrete occupation zones preserved in fine-grained overbank alluvial sediments. The upper component consists of an approximately 30-cm (11.8-in.) thick zone of late Middle Archaic to Late Archaic artifacts and burned rock midden deposits. The lower component, which appears to be limited to the south end of the site, contains a discrete zone of burned rocks, flakes, and tools, and diagnostic Angostura-like projectile points dating to the Early Archaic period. Based on the current level of survey work, site 41KE217 appears to exhibit excellent integrity and strong potential to contain stratified Early through Late Archaic cultural materials. National Register of Historic Places eligibility testing is recommended for 41KE217. 41KE218 consists of a small number of angular limestone rocks were noted during topsoil removal, followed by the discovery of six lithic debitage, two cores, a biface fragment, and a possible Late Archaic point fragment. Given the shallow topsoil over bedrock, a lack of intact features, and sparse cultural materials, site 41KE218 is recommended as not eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places or designation as a State Archeological Landmark. No further work is recommended at this site. 41KE219 contained a cluster of burned rocks in shallow topsoil at the edge of the easement along with three pieces of lithic debitage. Given that it is difficult to link the lithic artifacts to the cluster of fire-cracked rock (FCR), and since it is possible that the feature may itself be recent in age, the research potential of the site is extremely limited. Thus, site 41KE219 is recommended as not eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places or designation as a State Archeological Landmark. No further work is recommended at this site. All materials recovered during the survey and all project-related documentation are permanently curate at the Center for Archaeological Research at the University of Texas at San Antonio.