Geoarchaeological Consideration of the Ryan-Harley Site (8JE1004) in the Wacissa River, Northern Florida

Abstract

The inundated Ryan-Harley archaeology site (8Je-1004) is located in a swamp forest dissected by channels of the spring-fed Wacissa River. It is thought to represent an undisturbed Middle Paleoindian site placed in time from ~10,900¹⁴C yr BP to ~10,500 ¹⁴C yr BP (Anderson et al. 1996; Goodyear 1999; Dunbar 2002). Distribution and taphonomic analyses of the artifacts and vertebrate faunal remains recovered from the Suwannee point level suggest the artifact assemblage, including the faunal remains, represent an archaeological site component that remains relatively intact since its time of deposition. Additional conformation beyond the artifact suite is also necessary. To accomplish this, granulometric analyses of unconsolidated sediment samples were performed. Samples were collected from and immediately above and below the artifact horizon. Arithmetic probability plots of grain-size distributions suggest that most but not all of the sandy sediments were originally transported and deposited by fluvial processes. The artifact assemblage, faunal remains, and fine fraction eolian sand recovered from the site were deposited subsequent to the fluvial conditions. The granulometric analysis as well as other lines of evidence indicate the Suwannee point level at the Ryan-Harley site is essentially intact with little or no post-depositional reworking.