Mound C was situated on the west bank of the lake, 350 feet northwest of
Mound B (Fig. 1). This mound was in the shape of a broad oval with its
long axis oriented in an east-west direction. It measured 62 by 52 feet
at the base and reached a maximum elevation of 102.6 feet, or slightly
more than three feet above the modern surface of the floodplain (Figs. 6
and 11, B).
There was a circular depression approximately nine feet in diameter in
the top of the mound where pothunters had been at work. Excavation
revealed that the pothole had been dug to a depth of 4.8 feet and had
later been partially filled by natural agencies. Unfortunately, the
pothole had destroyed most of the central hearths associated with the
two house floors found at the base of the mound.
After the trees and bushes had been cleared from Mound C the standard
grid of 5-foot squares was established with a base stake set 125 feet
south and 100 feet west of the approximate center point of the mound.
The initial step in excavating the mound was to dig the southwest
quadrant down to elevation 100.0 feet. Next, the southeast quadrant was
excavated to the same level so that an east-west profile remained
standing completely across the mound. After the profile had been studied
and recorded, the other two quadrants were removed and the entire mound
was levelled at elevation 100.0 feet, where a circular zone of dark soil
containing a large amount of charcoal marked the outline of what later
proved to be the remains of two houses, one superimposed on the other.
A narrow east-west trench was next dug across the house area, the north
edge of the trench being on the N125 line so that it matched the bottom
of the major east-west profile which had already been removed. This
trench revealed two thin layers of dark midden soil, each of which
represented the floor level of a house (Fig. 7). The two floor levels
were separated by a layer of clean, yellow sand. The lower floor rested
on undisturbed soil at the base of the mound. Numerous charred segments
of poles lay in a jumble on and just above the upper floor as though the
house walls had burned and collapsed.
[Illustration: Fig. 6
HARROUN SITE
41 UR 10
MOUND C AREA
contour interval = 0.5 feet
shading indicates excavated area]
The house floors were completely excavated, the artifacts and other
material associated with each floor being collected and sacked
separately wherever possible. Two concentric rings of post molds at the
periphery of the house area were exposed and recorded, as were several
interior post molds (Fig. 8). An entrance passageway was delineated at
the west side of the house area.
In order to determine the relationship of the mound to the floodplain
several short trenches were carried from the edge of the mound out into
the floodplain formation (Fig. 6). A depressed area in the surface of
the floodplain between the mound and the lake was also trenched in an
effort to determine whether it may have been a borrow pit. Several other
trenches were dug south and west of the mound in an unfruitful search
for any middens, houses, burials, or other occupational features that
might have been located near the mound.
Throughout the excavation of Mound C, major profiles, horizontal plans
at ½-foot intervals, and occupational features were described in the
field notes and drawn to scale. Major profiles and features were
photographed. Most of the digging was done with shovels, but trowels
were used in part for excavating the two thin floor zones and for
several other situations where close attention to detail was desirable.
Because of time limitations only representative, spot screening was
attempted.