This house was thirteen by fifteen feet as indicated by the charred
remains of the superstructure (Fig. 35). Many of the poles appeared to
be rafters and were about .2 foot in diameter. Interwoven between them
were small poles forming a loose lattice work wall or roof (Fig. 36).
Several small sections of cane matting were found near the basal ends of
many poles. Typically these were of small whole cane laid at right
angles to the poles. At one location there was some split cane matting
but it is questionable whether this was part of the wall construction or
was a portion of the house furnishings. Several of the wall poles had
basal ends still in place. These basal ends were apparently resting on
the surface of the ground since they originated at the same level as the
house floor. The group at the southwest corner of the house were .9 foot
apart. Cross sectioning vertical cuts under these posts failed to yield
any evidence of postmolds or rotted out underground portions of the
poles (Fig. 37). The evidence would seem to be quite clear that there
were none.
There was considerable evidence of thatch throughout the burned areas
although this was very fragmentary. There were several hard fired floor
areas that seemed to have been made of puddled clay. The fireplace was
not dug out but was simply a central area on the floor identified by the
heavy burning, the concentration of ash, and a small broken bowl buried
in this ash (Fig. 34). There was an ash pit to one side of the fireplace
which cut down through feature 25, firebasin. There was no evidence of
daub being used in the construction of the house. One internal feature
of extreme interest was a log lying on the floor which had been hewn to
shape (Fig. 38). This was not apparent in the field but was discovered
when the specimen was brought into the lab. Careful study revealed that
the top section of the log had been cut down leaving a ledge at right
angles to it. The split cane matting already mentioned was found in
association with this log and may well have been part of some house
furnishings. Quite a number of specimens were found lying on the floor
of this house including the strap handled water bottle (Fig. 15;5).
Another broken vessel was beneath charred roof or wall timbers (Fig. 39
). Outside the house there was a refuse pit and an infant burial.
Specimens found on the floor are as follows: one whetstone, four pottery
vessels, two broken celts, one projectile point, three drilled pottery
disks, two bone awls, one chipped hoe, one hammerstone, one rectanguloid
clay pad, one bottom of a wooden container and one antler tip.
Much of the interpretation of the house superstructure seems to be based
on good solid evidence, but, even so, much is still conjectural and will
remain so until more evidence is forthcoming. The absence of postmolds
and the positive evidence of wall poles originating on the ground level
led to the judgement that in some way the structure leaned upon itself
in self support (Table 5).
[Illustration: Figure 34. Closeup of Pottery Vessel in House 2
Firebasin]
[Illustration: Figure 35. Ground Plan House 2 showing Firebasin and
Burned Floor Area and House 3 Showing Details of the Burned
Superstructure]
__
[Illustration: Figure 36. Charred Wattle Work Wall or Roof Section
of House 3]
[Illustration: Figure 37. Basal Ends of Poles along West Wall of
House 3
_(These poles rested on the house floor and were not sunk into the
ground)_]
[Illustration: Figure 38. Cross Sectioned Log from Floor of House 3
_(It appears to have been hewn to shape)_]
[Illustration: Figure 39. Broken Pottery Vessel Found Beneath
Charted Wall or Roof Timbers in House 3]
TABLE 5—SUMMARY OF HOUSE DATA
Traits House 1 House 2 House 3
Fired clay floors - x x
Compacted floors x - -
Puddled firebasins x x -
Mortar and pestles near firebasins x - -
Wood ash in firebasin x x x
Broken bowl in basin - x x
Ash pit beside basin x x x
Associated infant burial x - x (outside house)
Refuse pit outside house x ? x
Lack of daub x x x
Pole, whole cane and thatch x ? x
construction
No post molds x x x
A hypothetical reconstruction (Fig. 40) is an ‘A’ frame building that
makes use of all the archaeological data found here. Other forms might
as easily be conceived including prefabrication of wall sections which
could then be bound at the corners and braced outside against any roof
thrust. There is no doubt that these dwellings were made of poles, cane
and thatch and that these materials were assembled in such a way as to
give strength and some degree of permanency to the house.