Late Woodland Frontiers: Patrick Phase Settlement Along the Kaskaskia Trail, Monroe County, Il

by Brad Koldehoff, Kathryn E. Parker

Planned improvements to Illinois Route 3 (FAP-14) in Monroe County necessitated Phase III archaeological investigations at three sites occupying adjacent ridges on the south side of Sprague (11MO716), Rhonda (11MO717), and Dugan Airfield (11MO718). The investigations were funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation and resulted in the recovery of important new information about Late Woodland Patrick phase (cal A.D. 650-900) land use and community organization in the interior uplands. Situated 15 km east of the Mississippi River bluff line, Route 3 retraces the historic Kaskaskia Trail, which follows the divide between the Mississippi River and Kaskaskia River drainage basins. More than 200 Patrick phase pit features and structure basins were excavated. The features yielded lithic and ceramic artifacts comparable to those recovered from Patrick phase settlements in the American Bottom. In addition, the subsistence remains show that local populations were farmers as well as foragers. Eastern Agricultural Complex crops-maygrass, chenopod, erect knotweed, little barley, sumpweed, sunflower, cucurbits, and tobacco-are present, frequently in abundance, demonstrating a commitment to agriculture in the uplands. Maize is poorly represented, as it often is in Patrick phase deposits. Although faunal preservation was spotty, it is clear that a broad spectrum of local resources, including mammals of all sizes, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and freshwater mussels, were utilized. Mammal remains are particularly common, especially those of white-tailed deer. Significantly, a number of riverine resources (large fish, aquatic turtles, and mussels) were identified that are unavailable or uncommon in the interior uplands. These remains, in addition to certain lithic raw materials (e.g., Crescent Hills Burlington chert) and several pipes made from floodplain clays, indicate regular visits to the American Bottom or interaction with American Bottom groups.

476 pages, Paperback

First published March 30, 2006