#oneota

[uwlmvac]

The Meier Farm Site is part of the Sand Lake Archaeological District, and represents a village associated with extensive ridged agricultural fields that have been found nearby. The house structure that was examined in 2003 was one of the very few such structures in the La Crosse area that archaeologists have ever had the opportunity to investigate. The others that we presume existed have all been destroyed by decades of cultivation. This structure was defined by over 300 post holes, small circular stains left when wooden posts decayed. The structure was probably similar to a wigwam, or a long rectangular building.

Most of the cultural remains that were found at the site are characteristic of the Oneota time period, from 1300 to 1625 A.D. In addition, several features were found that had Woodland or grit-tempered pottery probably dating to between 700 and 1200 A.D., suggesting that the location had been occupied multiple times in the past.

Link to read more about the Sand Lake Archaeological District - Meier Farm site: https://www.uwlax.edu/mvac/past-cultures/specific-sites/sand-lake-archaeological-district/

[uwlmvac]

This photo goes back to 1979, when UWL’s fledgling archaeology program excavated an Oneota village at the site of the Valley View mall. Students hand-excavated units and features throughout the university field school. Afterwards, the construction company’s bulldozer operator stripped the plowed surface soil from the rest of the site, exposing many more features. Here Kathy Stevenson skim-shovels to define a newly exposed stockade line.

[monkeydoespride]

Archaeology

Just finished a field day for college. Found tons of flakes, like two dozen pieces of pottery, a possible hammerstone, AND a partially reworked flake that might be a rejected/unfinished tool. My back says it wasn't very fun. But I disagree

[uwlmvac]

This reconstructed pot, designated Vessel 46, was found in Feature 199 during the 2012 excavations under STH 35 in downtown Onalaska, Wisconsin. The nearly complete vessel is a classic example of Brice Prairie phase Perrot Punctate. The rim is moderately high for the vessel size and is slightly outward-flaring, with small, interior tool impressions. Two small loop handles attach at the lip top on opposite sides. The shoulder has alternating panels of vertical tool trails; nested chevrons (about eight) with a border of long, slash punctations below; vertical tool trails; and four horizontal tool trails with a lower border of long slash punctations, and short vertical tool trails below those. There are four nested chevron panels, one under each handle and the others midway between them. The rim radius is 7 cm, flaring slightly to 7.5 cm at the handles.

[uwlmvac]

Thanks to Jim Theler for this week’s post –

 In 1987, UW-La Crosse archaeology students working at the OT site (47LC262) in La Crosse County found a dog skull in this refuse-filled pit feature (Feature 3). The skull (center of photo) was surrounded and partially overlain by Oneota pottery sherds and burned rocks. Dogs were important in Indigenous societies and served many functions, including acting as intruder alarms, consuming organic waste, carrying burdens, and being consumed under certain circumstances. Dog remains have been found at a number of late precontact Oneota sites in the La Crosse area.

[uwlmvac]

This woven bag was recovered from an area rockshelter. Pottery associated with the bag and the natural fibers (nettle) used to make the bag suggest an association with late precontact Oneota tradition. Perishable items such as this are rarely preserved in western Wisconsin. This one survived because of the rockshelter’s dry environment. 

Link to 3D image:  https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/swennes-woven-nettle-bag-native-american-7eb4f55cdaaa473f97c8b6cbeec97175 

3D scan courtesy Dr. David A. Anderson, Associate Professor, UWL, Department of Archaeology & Anthropology.

[uwlmvac]

Throwback Thursday - In 1988 MVAC mounted an intensive salvage excavation at the Midway Village site north of La Crosse, Wisconsin.  Upcoming expansion of a sand/gravel pit was going to impact this important Oneota village site. With advance planning and the cooperation of the landowner and the sand/gravel mining company, MVAC spent an entire summer working at the site. Nearly one hundred volunteers took part--local residents as well as participants from Earthwatch, a worldwide program that engages people in scientific field research.

[uwlmvac]

This shell-tempered Oneota vessel portion was found in La Crosse County in 1991. The rim flares outward and has tool impressions on the lip top. The tool was held flat, and the impressions were made at an angle rather than being perpendicular, creating a series of diagonal dashes / / / along the lip. The shoulder has blocks of diagonal tool trails made at different angles.