Ohio History Journal

THE FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE

 

BY RICHARD G. MORGAN AND H. HOLMES ELLIS

 

PREFACE

The Indian village site described in this report was explored

by the Department of Archaeology of the Ohio State Museum

in cooperation with the Harding High School of Fairport Harbor,

Ohio. The existence of the site was brought to the attention of

the Museum by Mr. Elijah H. Brown, principal of the high school.

Through the efforts of Mr. Brown, permission was secured to

excavate the site from Mr. B. H. Snyder, representing the Harbor

Land Company, owner of the property. The specimens found in

the site were divided between the Ohio State Museum and the

Harding High School.

Excavating was carried on at the site from August 10 to

September 3, 1937, under the direction of Mr. Richard G. Mor-

gan, Curator of Archaeology, Ohio State Museum, and Mr.

Robert M. Goslin, Field Assistant.  The field force consisted

of Mr. Elijah Brown and the following members, most of whom

were students at the local high school: George Snyder, John

Toth, Kayo Saarela, John Simko, Rudolph Henninger, Steve

Vegso and Steve Ondo.

The writers wish to thank Mr. Brown and Mr. Snyder for

their fine cooperation in making the work possible and to acknowl-

edge the hospitality and assistance of the people of Fairport

Harbor and vicinity.

 

DESCRIPTION OF SITE

The Fairport Harbor Village Site is located in Painesville

Township, Lake County, Ohio, on the Grand River (Fig. 1).

The site is situated on the east side of East Street immediately

south of the railroad crossing and lies between the street and

the edge of the river bluff. It is about three-quarters of a mile

(3)

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4     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

from Lake Erie and overlooks the valley of the Grand River. The river at this place flows in a southeastern direction and is situated at some distance from the edge of the bluff. At the present time the flood-plain between the river and the edge of the bluff is used by the Diamond Alkali Company as a settling basin for waste material. The site, which covers an area of somewhat over an acre.

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FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE              5

 

extends on the east to the edge of the river bluff which is grad-

ually being eroded away by caving. It is apparent that a portion

of the area has been lost by erosion, although it is not possible

to estimate how much farther east the village debris once ex-

tended. According to local residents, the site has not beer

farmed within recent years but the probabilities are that it had

been cultivated in the past. At the time of our preliminary ex-

amination the area was covered with grass, high weeds and

bushes. Only one tree was present on the site and, since it stood

at the edge of the bluff, it was not disturbed. The surface of

the site was approximately level except for pits dug by persons

seeking Indian artifacts. Several small collections from the site

are in the hands of local individuals and some of these have been

loaned to the high school. It should be noted that some of this

material has been included in the artifact description in this

report, especially specimens which were not duplicated by ob-

jects recovered during the excavations.

Complete excavation of the site was not possible due to

lack of sufficient funds. Enough material was recovered, how-

ever, to be considered culturally representative of its occupants.

Nineteen hundred and fifty artifacts, eleven thousand, six hun-

dred and three potsherds and hundreds of animal and bird bones

were found in the deposit. Further excavation, however, might

have thrown more light upon the post-mold patterns which were

encountered during the work. As the site is gradually being

destroyed by erosion as well as digging by collectors and is in

danger of being encroached upon by a modern refuse dump, it

is fortunate that even a limited portion of the area was carefully

excavated.

STRUCTURAL FEATURES

The area excavated (5,1O6 square feet) was staked out in

five-foot squares for mapping purposes and all features were

recorded on the ground plan (Fig. 2). Artifacts were recorded

horizontally by five-foot square designations and vertically by

arbitrary six-inch levels. The record by levels revealed no sig-

nificant differences in either frequency or type of material found.

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FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE             7 Excavation showed that the artifact-bearing deposits on the site consisted of a layer of black earth which extended from the surface down to the undisturbed sub-soil (Fig. 3). The yellowish clay of the sub-soil contrasted sharply with the overlying black

soil. The black earth varied in depth from about ten inches to eighteen inches with an average depth of around fourteen inches. Intermixed with it, from top to bottom of the deposit, were artifacts, potsherds, fire-cracked stones, ashes, charcoal, flint chips and spalls, and animal, bird and fish bones. With the exception of one large glacial boulder about three feet across, the objects con- tained in the black earth could be attributed almost entirely to human occupation. The blackness of the earth is typical of village sites found along the southern shore of Lake Erie. It was caused by the continued occupation of a restricted area with the resultant accumulation of organic material of both animal and vegetal origin. It is interesting to note that gardeners and nursery men often

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8      OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

obtain earth from Indian village sites in the region to enrich their

garden tracts. This practice, while sometimes leading to the dis-

covery of unknown sites, also hastens their destruction.

Layers of ashes and burned earth were encountered at sev-

eral places in the deposit of black earth. One of these, indicated

by X on the ground-plan (Fig. 2), was roughly oval in form,

two feet across, three inches in thickness, and was located six

inches beneath the surface. A second (Y on the ground-plan),

similar to the first in extent, was twelve inches beneath the sur-

face. A third burned area (Z on the ground-plan) was twelve

inches beneath the surface and covered an area five feet in length

and one foot in width. While the first two features may be

fire-places, the third must be noted as due to a fire of unknown

purpose.

At several places in the black deposit thin layers of sterile

yellow clay were present with black earth above and below them.

This yellow clay was the same in composition as the sub-soil

and may have been dug up and scattered around when post-holes

and pits were dug into the underlying deposit. Nothing indicat-

ing human activity was found in the sub-soil and there was a

sharp division line between it and the black earth above. It

should be mentioned in this connection, however, that post-molds

and pits extended down into the yellow sub-soil.

 

REFUSE PITS

Only four pits were found at this site and they were all small

and shallow (see ground-plan Fig. 2). They were outlined as

oval black areas at the level of the yellow sub-soil.

Pit No. I: This pit was roughly circular with a top diam-

eter of two feet and three inches. It was shallow and bowl-

shaped, extending only six inches into the underlying clay. No

artifacts were found in this pit which contained only tightly packed

black earth.

Pit No. 2: Pit No. 2 was irregularly oval in form with a

long axis of four and one-half feet and a short axis of four feet.

It extended a foot down into the sub-soil with a diameter at the

bottom of about three and one-half feet. It was filled with black

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FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE              9

 

earth intermingled with artifacts, potsherds, animal bones, and

fire-cracked stones. Most of the stones were in the bottom of

the pit. The sherds found in this pit belonged to one pottery

vessel which was partially restored (Fig. 15). The following

artifacts were taken from this pit: eight projectile points, four

scrapers, one hammerstone, one net-sinker, two bone beads, one

bone awl, and one piece of worked bone.

Pit No. 3: The outlines of this pit were recognized four

inches above the level of the sub-soil. It was circular in form

with a diameter at the top of three feet and extended down into

the yellow clay eight inches. Mixed with the black earth fill of

this pit were many fragments of charcoal and charred twigs, and

fire-cracked stones covered its basin-shaped bottom. There were

no artifacts in it. The evidence seems to indicate that this pit

may have been used for cooking purposes.

Pit No. 4: This irregular pit was five and one-half feet long

and four feet wide and extended down into the sub-soil ten inches.

It contained black earth mixed with ashes, charcoal, animal and

fish bones, several pieces of pottery, fire-cracked stones, one ham-

merstone and one projectile point.

 

POST-MOLDS

Numerous post-molds were found during the course of the

excavation, all of which were plotted on the ground-plan (Fig. 2).

They showed up as circular black areas on the surface of the

yellow sub-soil. Some of them may have extended up into the

black earth but this could not be determined due to the color and

nature of the soil. Three distinct rows or linear patterns were

uncovered which are indicated by the letters A, B and C on the

ground-plan.

Row A: The post-molds of Row A were traced for a distance

of approximately forty feet in a slightly curving line. They were

spaced rather irregularly, varying from about six inches to one

foot and three inches from center to center, with the majority

being about eight inches apart. The molds petered out at the

northeastern end of the row but extended to the limit of the

excavated area on the southwest.

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10     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

Row B: The post-molds of this row extended for a distance

of twenty-five feet in almost a straight line. They varied in their

spacing from eight inches to two feet and three inches, most of

them being about twelve inches apart from center to center.

Row C: This row extended for fifty-four feet in a slightly

curving line from northeast to southwest, being interrupted at

only one place by a pipe-line. Like the other two rows, the spac-

ing of the molds varied considerably with most of them measur-

ing about a foot from center to center.

The post-molds varied widely in their diameter at the level

of the top of the sub-soil. Their diameters ranged from about

three inches to about five and one-half inches with the majority

being around four and one-half inches. Cross-sections showed

that some of the post-molds extended down into the sub-soil as

much as fourteen inches and that their diameter decreased at the

bottom to two inches. This tapering of the post-molds would

seem to indicate that the posts which occupied them were also

tapered. There is no way of knowing how high the posts were.

These rows would seem to indicate enclosures which perhaps

surrounded the village area. In general, their direction is north-

east-southwest and it should be noted that Row B is nearly paral-

lel to Row C. They may have extended in a semi-circle with the

ends of the rows terminating at the river bluff. At several points

there were smaller post-molds between two larger ones and it

may be that there were branches interlaced between the posts.

There is no way of knowing whether they were high stockades or

palisades. The separate rows may represent different periods

of occupation, not meaning, however, that any great length of

time elapsed between their construction.

In addition to the linear patterns of post-molds there were

three circular or oval patterns indicated by D, E and F on the

ground-plan (Fig. 2). The pattern at D was three and one-half

feet in diameter and almost circular in form. The post-molds

were somewhat smaller than those of the rows and were spaced

about nine inches apart from center to center although there was

considerable variation. The pattern at E was oval in outline

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FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE            II

 

with a long axis of two feet and three inches and a short axis

of one foot and nine inches. The pattern at F was somewhat

confusing as it was cut by Row A, but an oval structure five

feet long and three and one-half feet wide seemed to be indicated.

The function of these small oval structures is unknown.

 

ARTIFACTS

STONE ARTIFACTS

Projectile Points:  Six hundred and nine flint projectile

points were found at the site. All of these are of the small trian-

gular type (Fig. 4, Nos. 1-7) except for two which are notched

(Fig. 4, Nos. 8-9). Two hundred and sixty of the triangular

points were complete and the remainder were fragmentary. The

triangular points range in length from 17 mm. to 45 mm., in width

from 10 mm. to 24 mm., and in thickness from 3 mm. to 14 mm.

Their mean length is 27.4 mm., mean width 16.2 mm. and mean

thickness 5.9 mm. They are more or less uniform in shape with

straight or slightly convex sides, and with either straight (133),

concave (85), or convex (42) bases.

One of the notched points is complete while the other is

broken. The complete specimen (Fig. 4, No. 8) is of the side-

notched type and is 50 mm. in length, 19.5 mm. in width and

9.5 mm. in thickness. The other specimen (Fig. 4, No. 9) has

a shallow notch and is 28 mm. in width and 9 mm. in thickness.

Drills: The nineteen flint drills may be divided into two

general types, straight and expanded-base. The twelve straight

drills (Fig. 4, Nos. 10-11) range in length from 23 mm. to 67 mm.,

in width from 10.5 mm. to 12 mm., and in thickness from 4 mm.

to 13 mm.; the average specimen being 37 mm. long, 11 mm. wide

and 7 mm. thick.

The seven expanded-base drills (Fig. 4, Nos. 12-13) range

in length from 26 mm. to 67 mm., in width from 13 mm. to

18 mm. and in thickness from 3 mm. to 9 mm. They average 36.2

mm. in length, 15 mm. in width and 6.5 mm. in thickness.

Knives: Twenty-four flint knives were found representing

several different types. Type I consists of eleven specimens which

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12    OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

are pointed at both ends and have a distinct shoulder slightly below the center (Fig. 5, No. 1). The average length of this type is 55.5 mm., width 22.8 mm. and thickness 6.5 mm. Type 2 is made up of six specimens which are pointed at one end and rounded at the other with a distinct shoulder as in Type I (Fig. 5, No. 2). They average 47.4 mm. in length, 20.8 mm. in width, and 6.4 mm. in thickness. Type 3 consists of two blades pointed at both ends but not shouldered (Fig. 5, No. 3). This type averages 60.2 mm. in length, 21.7 mm. in width, and 4.5 mm. in thickness. Type 4 includes two blades which are rounded at both ends (Fig. 5, No. 4). These specimens average 58 mm. in length, 28.5 mm. in width, and 6.5 mm. in thickness. One specimen, which is rounded at both ends, may have been originally of the pointed, shouldered type which was broken and then rechipped. It measures 42 mm. in length, 27 mm. in width, and 4 mm. in thickness. A broken knife blade with shallow notches on the sides was also found. A single flake knife was

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FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE             13 found in the site (Fig. 5, No. 6). It is 50 mm. long, 13.5 mm. wide, and 5.5 mm. thick. Scrapers: The one hundred and sixty-one flint scrapers found at this site may be divided into four distinct types: end, round, rectangular and ovoid.

One hundred and fourteen fall into the end-scraper group (Fig. 5, Nos. 7-12). These implements are pointed at the base, have a ridge on one or both sides, and a somewhat bevelled cutting edge. While eighty-five of these end scrapers have ridges on both sides and twenty-nine are flattened on one side, it seems apparent that this variation was due to difficulties encountered in the chipping of the specimens rather than to intentional shaping. The end scrapers have an average length of 29.9 mm., a width of 20.4 mm. and a thickness of 7.5 mm. The thirty-two round scrapers (Fig. 5, Nos. 13-15) are very

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14     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

roughly fashioned, chipped on all edges, and are more or less cir-

cular in shape. The mean length of these specimens is 34 mm.,

width 26.4 mm., and thickness 12.6 mm.

The eleven rectangular scrapers (Fig. 5, No. 16) are chipped

on all edges and on both sides. They average 30.6 mm. in length,

23.2 mm. in width, and 9.1 mm. in thickness.

The ovoid scrapers (Fig. 5, No. 17) are elongate-oval in

form, chipped on both sides, and on all edges. The four speci-

mens in this category average 31 mm. in length, 16.7 mm. in

width, and 8.6 mm. in thickness.

Miscellaneous Flint Objects: There are two oval-shaped

"turtle backs" which are roughly chipped and may represent un-

finished objects. One measures 109.9 mm. in length, 49 mm. in

width, and 32 mm. in thickness; the other is 79 mm. in length,

37 mm. in width, and 29.5 mm. in thickness.

In addition to the specific implement forms which have been

described, six hundred and twenty-six flakes, spalls, broken

nodules and slightly worked fragments of flint were collected

during the course of the work.

Source of Flint: The flint used by the occupants of the

site for their artifacts is of one general type. It ranges in color

from a brownish to a bluish gray and on the whole is of poor

quality. It evidently was secured in the form of water-worn

pebbles from neighboring stream beds.

Celts:  Fourteen pecked and polished diorite celts were

found, seven of them fragmentary (Fig. 6, Nos. 1-4). The im-

plements are well-made and have slightly rounded sides, rounded

polls and bevelled bits. The complete specimens range in length

from 63 mm. to 153 mm., in width at the polls from 30 mm. to

48 mm., in width at the bits from 35 mm. to 62 mm., and in

thickness from 15 mm. to 35 mm. They averaged 102.7 mm.

in length, 25.3 mm. in thickness, 35.2 mm. in width at the poll,

and 47.7 mm. in width at the bit.

A single specimen, which might be termed an adze, was

found (Fig. 6, No. 5). It is made of ground and polished

chlorite schist. The bit end is convex on one side and slightly

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FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE         15

concave on the other. It measures 103 mm. in length, 38 mm. in width at the bit, 30 mm. in width at the poll, and 18.5 mm. in thickness. Nine roughly chipped celts made of brownish slate occurred at the site, seven of which were complete and two broken (Fig. 6, Nos. 6-7). The bits were sharpened by grinding and the polls are rounded except for one specimen which has a square poll (Fig. 6, No. 7). The greatest width is usually at the bit and the straight sides taper toward the poll. These implements are large, ranging from 85 mm. to 176 mm. in length, 37 mm. to 75.5 mm. in width at the bit, 23 mm. to 55 mm. in width at the poll, and 13 mm. to 32.5 mm. in thickness, the average specimen being 131.4 mm. in length, 42.5 mm. in width at the poll, 58.9

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16     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

mm. in width at the bit, and 20.7 mm. in thickness. In addition,

there are two roughly chipped slate artifacts which appear to be

unfinished celts, as they are without cutting edges.

Seven crudely chipped diorite celts were found (Fig. 6,

No. 8). They are polished and have tapering sides. One speci-

men is slightly grooved on both sides. They average 119 mm.

in length, 53.3 mm. in width and 20.4 mm. in thickness.

In contrast to the tapering-sided celts there are five small,

straight-sided celts, four of slate (Fig. 6, No. 9) and one of

pecked and polished diorite. The slate specimens were made

from flat, water-worn stones by grinding one end into a cutting

edge. Although compartively narrow, they do not taper at the

bit as do those which have been described as chisels. The two

whole specimens average 83.3 mm. in length, 31.2 mm. in width,

and 13 mm. in thickness.

Two chisels were found, one of black slate (Fig. 6, No. 10)

worked mainly at the bit, the other (Fig. 6, No. II) of pecked

and partly polished diorite. Both specimens taper toward the

bit.

A small celt-like object (Fig. 6, No. 12) 34 mm. long, 21 mm.

wide and 7 mm. thick, made from a flat sandstone pebble, was

found. The bit is the only portion worked and it has a bevelled

cutting edge.

An object was found which resembles the bit end of a

thick celt cut off squarely across the middle (Fig. 6, No. 13). A

hole II mm. in diameter and 6 mm. deep was bored in the center

of the cut end. The bit is bevelled, as are the sides, thus form-

ing a ridge on three sides of the specimen. This artifact, which

is made of limestone, is 60 mm. in length, 53 mm. in width, and

30 mm. in thickness.

In addition, there are four specimens, roughly blocked out,

which apparently represent unfinished celts. Two are of slate,

one of mica schist, and one of limestone.

Hammerstones: Sixty-three   pitted  hammerstones  were

found at this site (Fig. 7, No. 10). They were made from

water-worn stones of various materials, and, hence, vary con-

• 14
 

FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE           17 siderably in size and shape. The majority of them are pitted on both sides, but some are pitted on one side only, while others have several pits on a side. They average 96.5 mm. in length, 74.6 mm. in width, and 44 mm. in thickness.

Fifteen faceted hammerstones made of diorite are present in the collection (Fig. 7, No. 9). These artifacts were originally water-worn stones of a more or less uniform size to fit the hand. They have been ground down around the edges to form a bevelled ridge completely encircling the object. The portions of the sur- face which have not been modified form flat facets which are pol- ished. The polished effect is evidently partly natural and partly due to continued use. They average 63.3 mm. in length, 59 mm. in width, and 49 mm. in thickness. In addition, there are two hammerstones which show no evi- dence of pitting but are merely water-worn stones that were used as hammers.

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18     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

"Net-sinkers": Nineteen flat water-worn stones, largely

unworked except for two rough notches on opposite sides, were

found in the site (Fig. 7, No. 8). These forms have been called

"net-sinkers" by some writers. Slate was the most commonly

used material for them, however, three are of sandstone, three

of limestone and one of a granitic material. The stones are of

more or less the same general size, averaging 77.5 mm. in length,

66 mm. in width, and 17.5 mm. in thickness.

Pestles: Two pestles made of igneous rock were found

(Fig. 7, No. 7). One is 76 mm. in length and 50 mm. by 55 mm.

in diameter at the base; the other is 96 mm. in length and 60 mm.

in diameter at the base. They are both roughly made and are not

polished.

Stone Disks: Two micaceous sandstone disks, roughly

chipped, were recovered (Fig. 7, No. 6). One is 85 mm. by 77

mm. in diameter and 5 mm. in thickness; the other is 65 mm. by

59 mm. in diameter and 10.5 mm. in thickness.

Abrading Stones: There are two abrading stones made of

fine sandstone which have grooves on both sides (Fig. 7, No. 5).

The stones are irregularly shaped; the greatest diameter of one

being 77 mm., of the other 65 mm. and both are 14 mm. in thick-

ness.

Tobacco Pipes: Seven stone tobacco pipes, most of them

fragmentary, were found in the site. Several different types are

represented among them. One is a black slate pipe (Fig. 8, No. I)

of the keeled type similar in form to bird-effigy pipes found in

New York.¹ The front of this pipe evidently had a perforated

projection at one time which was broken off and the broken

surface refinished. The dimensions of this pipe are as follows:

height 65 mm., width at top of bowl 33 mm., width at base 16 mm.,

diameter of bowl 15 mm., and diameter of stem-hole 10.5 mm.

There is a broken effigy pipe of the keeled type made of a

brownish-black slate (Fig. 8, No. 7). It is 57 mm. in height.

The stem portion is missing as well as part of the bowl. Project-

ing forward from the bowl is a representation of a bird's head

1 A. C. Parker, "The Archaeological History of New York," New York State

Museum  Bulletin (Albany, N. Y.) nos. 235-6, part I (1922), pl. 48.

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FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE with the eyes indicated by holes. The mouth is represented by incised lines and there are scratches or cutting marks on various portions of the surface. This specimen is similar to pipes found at the Reeve Village Site.2 A fragment of a slate effigy pipe was found which evidently represents the bill of a bird (Fig. 8, No. 5). It retains a small portion of the bowl. Although this may be a part of a keeled effigy pipe similar to the one previously described, it may corre- spond to the one figured by West.3

A plain elbow pipe of flint clay was found (Fig. 8, No. 2). It is highly polished but has numerous scratch marks on the stem and tiny incised lines around the lip of the bowl. The bowl, which is broken on one side, is 42 mm. high and 23.5 mm, in diameter on the outside; the inside diameter of the bowl is 15.5 mm.; and the stem is 17 mm. in length and has an opening 4 mm. in diameter. One pipe is of the conoidal type and is made of limestone (Fig. 8, No. 3).    Its dimensions are as follows: height 37.5 mm., 2 E. F. Greenman, "Excavation of the Reeve Village Site, Lake County, Ohio," Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly (Columbus), XLIV (1935), fig. 26. 3 G. A. West, "Tobacco, Pipes and Smoking Cutsoms of the American Indians." Public Museum of the City of Milwaukee, Bulletin (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), XVII (1934), pl. 40, no. 5.

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20     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

diameter at top of bowl 17.5 mm., diameter of bowl opening 15

mm., and diameter of stem-hole about 9 mm.

The bowl portion of a pipe made from calcite was recovered

(Fig. 8, No. 4). The bowl has a slightly flaring lip with an out-

side diameter of 47 mm. The diameter of the bowl opening is

14 mm. The top of the bowl is polished but the rest of the sur-

face is covered with rough peck marks.

A small cut fragment of pipe stem, measuring 17 mm. in

length and 11.5 mm. in diameter, was found (Fig. 8, No. 6). It

is cut squarely on one end, while the other, evidently the bit,

is somewhat rounded. It is possible that this broken pipe stem

was reworked and used as a bead.

In addition, a large rough block of limestone was found which

was partly worked as if intended for a pipe.

Ornaments: The only complete stone ornament found was a

pendant made from a flat, reddish-colored pebble (Fig. 7, No. 3).

Near one margin there is a small perforation which was drilled

from both sides. On one side there are five finely incised lines

fanning out from a point just below the hole to the margin of the

object. The specimen is nearly circular, measuring 28 mm. from

top to bottom, 29.5 mm. across, and 10 mm. in thickness.

A fragment of a black slate gorget is shown in Fig. 7, No. 2.

It is decorated on both surfaces by zig-zag and other short parallel

incised lines. The edges are rounded and the specimen shows tool

marks from grinding operations. It is 65 mm. in length and 6 mm.

in thickness.

Another broken gorget is illustrated by Fig. 7, No. 4. This

object, which is made of banded slate, has tapering sides. It is

62.5 mm. in length and 14 mm. in thickness.

There is a gorget or pendant made of black slate which has

two perforations (Fig. 7, No. 1). One of the holes, which is at

the broken end, is only partly represented. When this end was

broken or worn through, a second hole was drilled to take the

place of the original hole. The holes were drilled from one side

only. This specimen is 57 mm. in length and 41 mm. in width

at the unbroken end.

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FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE          21

In addition, there are four fragments of black slate which may be pieces of broken gorgets. Natural objects: Two fossils were found in the site; one is a crinoid stem, the other a horn or cup coral. These were apparently carried in and used in some manner by the occupants of the site. A flat, ovoid, apparently unmodified ironstone con- cretion was also found. It has a shallow oval depression on one surface which could have served as a container. BONE ARTIFACTS Awls: One hundred and twenty-five bone awls of various types were found, including both complete and broken specimens. Eleven of them were made from animal ulnae, six being from rac- coon, three from wildcat (Fig. 10, No. 1), and two from deer. There are thirteen awls made from wild turkey leg-bones (Fig. 10, No. 2). Two awls were made from the fibulae of the raccoon (Fig. 10, No. 4) and ten from the fibulae of unidentified animals. Two awls were fashioned from the femorae of the wildcat (Fig.

• 19
 

22     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY 10, No. 6) and one from the radius of that animal (Fig. 10, No. 7). Thirty-three awls were cut from the split bones of animals; of these thirty-one are single-pointed (Fig. 10, No. 3) and average 52 mm. in length. The remaining two specimens are double- pointed; one is 127.5 mm. in length, flattened and highly polished (Fig. 10, No. 8); the other is 87 mm. in length, roughly cut and with the points rounded.

There are forty-seven awls made from the split bones of birds (Fig. 10, No. 5). These range in length from about 45 mm. to 87 mm. Six awls or pins made of deer antler were found at the site; of these only two are complete specimens. One of the whole

• 20
 

FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE            23

specimens (Fig. 10, No. 10), which is somewhat pointed at one

end and rounded at the other, measures 210 mm. in length, and

6.5 mm. in diameter; the other (Fig. 10, No. 9), which is similar

in form to the first, is 130 mm. in length and 6 mm. in diameter.

One of the broken specimens (Fig. 13, No. 5) has been slightly

grooved around its circumference 4 mm. from the end, leaving

a knobbed effect, the knob having been cut into a slight point at

the extreme end.

In addition, there is an effigy awl or pin (Fig. 10, No. 12)

made of deer antler. One end has been carved to represent the

head of an animal, the other end is rounded. This specimen is

119 mm. in length, 7.5 mm. in width and 4 mm. in thickness.

Another awl-like object is represented by Fig. 10, No. II. It

has one end square and flattened, and the other end rounded and

polished. It is 165 mm. in length, 9 mm. in width and 5 mm. in

thickness.

Projectile Points (Antler) : There are three projectile points

made from the tips of deer antler (Fig. II, No. 7). These have

been shaped by cutting and the basal portion of each has been hol-

lowed out for the reception of a shaft. They average 55 mm. in

length, and 13.5 mm. in diameter at the base. There is another

object which may also be a projectile point (Fig. II, No. 6);

it is an elongated triangular point of antler with a concave base

and a broad shallow groove on each side. This object, which

is well-made and highly polished, measures 45 mm. in length,

8 mm. in width at the base, and 4 mm. in thickness.

Flint-chipping tools: Sixty-eight flint-chipping tools of the

cylindrical type (Fig. II, Nos. 2-5) were found, of which thirty-

three are complete specimens. They were cut from sections of

deer antler and are rounded bluntly at each end. Their average

length is 39 mm. and average diameter 10 mm.

There are twenty-four pieces of antler tines of varying

length which have been definitely worked and polished. These

may also have been used as flint-chipping tools.

"Gouges": Ten gouges of elk antler were found, all of which

were broken to some extent. One of the more complete specimens

• 21
 

24    OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

• 22
 

FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE            25

 

(Fig. II, No. 9) measures 107 mm. in length and 50 mm. in its

greatest width; it is also notched near its basal portion for hafting.

Another specimen measures 157 mm. in length and 77 mm. in

width. The cutting edges of these implements have been ground

and in most cases are polished from use. It is possible that these

artifacts were used as hoes or digging tools.

Split Antler:  There are twelve fragmentary pieces of antler

showing evidence of cutting and working. These do not seem

to be broken fragments of specific implement types.

Bone Beads (Animal): There are thirty-one beads made

from the bones of small, unidentified mammals (Fig. II, Nos.

10-12). These range in length from 29 mm. to 46 mm., and in

diameter fron 5 mm. to 12.5 mm., the averages being about the

same as for the bird bone beads. Most of the specimens are

highly polished. Four beads were made from wildcat bones. In

addition, there are three beads, one unfinished, made from highly

polished sections of deer mandible. One of these, which is 34 mm.

in length, has four fine notches on its upper edge; another (Fig.

12, No. 13, left), 42 mm. in length, is deeply notched seven times

on its upper edge. The unfinished specimen is a bead which has

not been detached from a large section of mandible; it has ten

notches along its upper edge (Fig. 12, No. 13, right).

Bone Beads (Bird): Two hundred and twenty-nine beads,

cut from hollow leg and wing bones of birds, were found at the

site (Fig. II, Nos. 14-16). One hundred and eighty-seven are

complete specimens, the remainder broken. The ends of the

beads have been smoothed off and the surfaces are highly polished.

They vary in length from 19 mm. to 55 mm. and in diameter from

4 mm. to 13 mm., the average specimen being about 35 mm. in

length and 8 mm. in diameter. In addition, there are two extremely

large beads, one of which is 148 mm. in length and 12 mm. in

diameter (Fig. II, No. 13); the other, which has thirty-six notches

cut along the sides, is 116 mm. in length and 6 mm. in diameter.

Pendants: Thirty-five animal teeth which have been drilled

at the root end for suspension were found at the site. In this

group are included two wildcat canines (Fig. 12, No. 7, left),

• 23
 

26     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY sixteen raccoon canines, three bear canines (Fig. 12, No. 1), and two bear molars (Fig. 12, No. 5), two dog canines (Fig. 12, No. 7, right) two opossum canines, seven elk canines (Fig. 12, No. 4), and one elk incisor. In addition, there is an elk incisor which has a groove around its root end (Fig. 12, No. 8). A single bear claw, perforated at the base, was also found (Fig. 12, No. 3), as well as, two pendants made from otoliths of the drum-

fish, each with a single perforation near one end (Fig. 12, No. 6). Another pendant was made from a cut and polished section of deer leg-bone (Fig. 13, No. 4). The articular end is perforated while the other end has been cut off square. This object meas- ures 50 mm. in length and 8 mm. in width at the lower end. Beaver Teeth Implements: The incisor of the beaver was ground down to a cutting edge on its root end thus giving a tool

• 24
 

FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE            27

 

with a cutting edge on both ends (Fig. 12, No. 10). Twenty-

four of these artifacts were found but most of them were frag-

mentary.

Fish-hooks: Seven fish-hooks made from animal bone were

found. The four complete specimens, which were found together,

are very similar in size and shape (Fig. 12, No. II). The hooks

are plain, having no groove or perforation at the top of the shaft

for fastening the line, and the points are barbless. Their average

length is 57.4 mm., length of hook 42.7 mm., and width at base

21 mm.

Miscellaneous Bone Artifacts: There is one broken orna-

ment made of split deer antler or the rib of a large animal (Fig.

II, No. 8). The sides are parallel and the unbroken end is

slightly rounded with two perforations, 2.5 mm. in diameter,

side by side near the margin. The specimen, which is curved, is

59.5 mm. in length, 16.5 mm. in width and 2 mm. in thickness.

There are two awl-like objects made from animal bone, one com-

plete and one broken. The complete specimen is 71 mm. in length

and 3.5 mm. in diameter at the middle, tapering to rounded

points at each end. Near the ends are several distinct and in-

distinct grooves encircling the object. The other specimen is 43

mm. in length, 4.5 mm. in diameter, and has an indistinct groove

near the point. Both of these artifacts are polished as if from use.

There is one chisel made from a section of large mammal

bone (Fig. 13, No. 7). One end has been ground off and pol-

ished to make a cutting edge, and the other end is broken. The

implement measures 88 mm. in length, and 15 mm. in width at the

bit.

Two spatula-shaped objects made from flat sections of ani-

mal bone are in the collection. They were ground into shape and

polished. The complete specimen (Fig. 12, No. 12) is 72.5 mm.

in length, 13 mm. in width and 3.5 mm. in thickness; and is

slightly pointed at one end and rounded at the other. The broken

specimen is 38 mm. in length, 7 mm. in width, and 3 mm. in

thickness.

Seven worked and polished penis bones, including five of

• 25
 

28     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

the raccoon (Fig. 12, No. 9), and two of the black bear (Fig.

13, No. 3), were found at the site. There is a section of a rib

of a large mammal with nine notches along one edge (Fig. 13,

No. 6); the notches are about I mm. in depth and are unevenly

spaced.  This object represents one of the so-called musical

rasps and corresponds to one found at the South Park Village

Site.⁴

In addition, a number of cut and worked fragments of animal

(Fig. II, No. I) and bird bones were found, including worked

sections of beaver (Fig. 13, No. 1) and deer mandibles (Fig. 13,

No. 2). One worked fragment of human skull, 56 mm. in length

and 35 mm. in width, was also identified.

 

SHELL ARTIFACTS

Very few objects made of shell were found at the site. There

are two fragmentary shell hoes with perforations for hafting (Fig.

9, Nos. 1-2); one small disk bead 16 mm. in diameter with a

central hole (Fig. 9, No. 4); and a small freshwater snail shell

which may have been used as a bead (Fig. 9, No. 3).

 

COPPER ARTIFACTS

One bead made of rolled sheet copper was found at the site.

It measures 25 mm. in length and 7 mm. in diameter (Fig. 9,

No. 5).

POTTERY

POTTERY VESSELS

The occupants of the Fairport Harbor Village Site made ex-

tensive use of pottery vessels in their household economy. Eleven

thousand six hundred and three potsherds were found scattered

through the back top-soil of the village site deposit. No entire

vessels were found, but it was possible partially to reconstruct

one of them  (Fig. 15) which gives a good conception of their

size and form.

The procedure used in classifying the pottery was as follows:

the seven hundred and seventy-four rim-sherds were divided into

categories on the basis of the combination of design elements;

4 E. F. Greenman, "Two Prehistoric Villages Near Cleveland, Ohio," O. S. A. H.

Quart., XLVI (1937), fig. 20, J.

• 26
 

FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE             29

 

within these groups the sherds were separated by levels and a study

made to determine whether or not significant differences appeared

in the distribution of the sherds within the site by levels; since

there were no distributional differences, the sherds were lumped

together within their decorational groups and a comparison made

to determine possible differences between these groups in paste,

surface-finish and form; the last comparison indicated that the

three factors mentioned could be discussed generally for the

groups as a whole; and that the only logical break-down into

types was on the basis of design elements. All of the pottery

may be considered as a single ware (Group A) with the excep-

tion of the few sherds in Group B.

Paste: The tempering material used in the pottery is of

two types, grit and shell, or a combination of the two. The grit

consists of tiny irregular particles of crushed granitic rock with

such constituent minerals as hornblende, mica, feldspar and quartz

being readily visible. The shell consists entirely of crushed fresh-

water mussel shells. Seventy-one per cent of the sherds are grit-

tempered, four per cent are shell-tempered, and twenty-five per cent

are tempered with both grit and shell. Analysis of the sherds

according to the percentages of tempering materials by levels

disclosed no significant differences from top to bottom of the

deposit.

The texture of most of the sherds is medium to medium

coarse, with the tempering material distributed uniformly through

the paste. In the case of Group B, however, the texture is mainly

fine. Some of the sherds show a distinct lamination, the inner

portion being uniformly of somewhat finer texture and darker

color. The sherds have a tendency to split along these lamination

planes. The ware ranges in hardness from 2 to 3 (Moh's Scale).

The color of the pottery ranges from a dark bluish-gray to

a light brown, with a very few reddish-brown sherds. The ma-

jority of the sherds, however, are gray in color, the inner surface

being darker than the outer, and the core darker than either

surface.

The clay used in the making of this pottery was probably of

local origin and more or less homogeneous. After a careful ex-

• 27
 

30     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

amination it was concluded that the small particles of grit in the

shell and grit-tempered sherds were intentionally added to the

clay and were not present in the clay originally. There is no

evidence to indicate the method of manufacture except for occa-

sional finger impressions on the inner surfaces. No signs of the

coiling technique were observed.

Surface Treatment: The majority of the sherds have a

cord-marked outer surface or a surface that has been somewhat

smoothed over cord-marking. Smoothing without cord-marking

was restricted to very small areas, and there is not a single sherd

with a polished outer surface. The cord-marks are usually ver-

tical and in most cases extend up to the lip. The designs, which

occur only on the rim area, were superimposed on the roughened

cord-marked surface. The inner surfaces of all the sherds are

smoothed but some of them show shallow depressed areas re-

sulting from modeling with the fingers. A few of the sherds have

a fairly thick layer of carbonized material on their inner surfaces.

Form: The height of the only reconstructed vessel is 396

mm. which is probably indicative of the size of many of the

vessels represented. The mouth of this vessel is 285 mm. in

diameter. The average thickness of the sherds is about 7 mm.

It should be noted that the sherds in Group B are from much

smaller vessels and have an average thickness of only 4 mm.

Most of the lips are flat with angular edges; however, some of the

lips are flattened with rounded edges. There are a few with

distinctly rounded lips. The rim  shapes range from  slightly

flaring to straight with the majority of the sherds falling in the

latter class.

Sub-group 3 has rims ranging from distinctly incurving to

those only slightly incurving or straight. The vessels from this

site were all apparently globular or elongated-globular in form

with sloping shoulders and rounded bases.

Handles or other appendages are extremely rare on the Fair-

port Harbor pottery. There are five sherds which have small lugs

on the upper rim portion (Fig. 18, Nos. 1, 2, 16) and there are

two sherds showing loop handles.

• 28
 



• 29
 

32     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

Decoration: The techniques used in the decorating of the

pottery may be divided into two types, impressing and incising.

The impressed designs include punctates, notch-like impressions

and cord-wrapped stick impressions. The incised lines are, as a

rule, wide, of medium depth, and were apparently made with the

end of a stick or bone.

Two distinct major groups have been set up for the pottery

from this site, Group A and Group B. These groups have been

differentiated on the basis of texture, size, thickness and decora-

tion. Ninety-nine percent of the sherds fall within Group A.

Group A has been divided into the following sub-groups on the

basis of the combination of design elements:

Sub-group I (Fig. 14, Nos. 1-4): This sub-group is rep-

resented by fifty-eight rim-sherds. The design consists of notches

and incised lines, the former being vertical or slightly oblique,

about 3.5 mm, wide, relatively deep, and spaced 7 mm. apart along

the outer edge of the lip. The incised lines are horizontal, five

in number, except for one sherd which apparently has only four

(Fig. 14, No. 2), and occupy most of the rim area. These lines

vary in width from 2.5 mm. to 3 mm. and are of medium depth;

the bottom line usually being about 55 mm. below the lip. A

single sherd has slightly oblique, narrow, parallel notches, 12 mm.

in length and 6 mm. apart, placed just below the lip (Fig. 14,

No. 4).

Sub-group 2 (Fig. 14, Nos. 5-7): The decoration of the

thirteen sherds in this sub-group consists of a combination of

punctates and incised lines. Typical of this division is a horizon-

tal row of circular or hemi-conical punctate marks, 3.5 mm. to

5 mm. in diameter, spaced from 5 mm. to 10 mm. apart, and placed

approximately 5 mm. below the lip surface. Below these punc-

tates are from two to six, broad and medium deep, horizontal

incised lines varying in width from 2.5 mm. to 4.5 mm. Beneath

the bottom incised line is a second row of punctates similar to

the first, and usually impressed from right to left. Two sherds

placed within this division lack the horizontal row of punctates

beneath the lip (Fig. 14, No. 6). One specimen, with two horizon-

• 30
 

FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE             33

tal incised lines, lacks the lower row of punctates, but has the

additional feature of punctate marks on the lip surface (Fig. 14,

No. 7).

Sub-group 3 (Fig. 14, Nos. 8-15): The third sub-group

contains forty-three rim-sherds which have a horizontal row of

vertical or oblique notches on an added rim-strip. The notches

range from narrow and deep incisions to broad and deep im-

pressions. One sherd has deep punctate marks instead of notches

(Fig. 14, No. 9), while another has, in addition to the features

already mentioned, punctate impressions 4 mm. in diameter on

the lip surface (Fig. 14, No. 13). On all the specimens the rim

is bevelled between the edge of the lip and the crest of the rim-

strip, the bevelled area ranging in width from 10 mm. to 13 mm.

Many of the sherds in this group have incurving rims.

Sub-group 4 (Fig. 15): One hundred and eight rim-sherds

make up Sub-group 4. These sherds have a row of vertical or

oblique notches on an added rim-strip. The notches are narrow

and deep, and average 9 mm. in length. The space between the

notches varies from 4.5 mm. to 7 mm. Below the added rim-

strip are five wide and medium deep horizontal incised lines, the

lines and the rim-strip occupying a space about 50 mm. in width

from the lip surface to the bottom line. Beneath the last line

is a horizontal row of hemi-conical punctates made from right

to left, from 3 mm. to 3.5 mm. in diameter and spaced from 3.5

mm. to 5 mm. apart. The only vessel which could be partially

reconstructed falls within this group, but it has, in addition to

the other features, small notches along the outer edge of the lip

There is also a single sherd of this type which may belong to the

reconstructed vessel. In addition, there are fifty-two smaller

rim-sherds, having parallel, wide and medium deep incised lines,

which could fall into this group or into sub-groups 1 or 2 equally

well.

Sub-group 5 (Fig. 16, Nos. 1-9): There are seventy-one

rim-sherds in Sub-group 5. These are decorated with a row of

vertical or oblique notches on an added rim-strip, the notches

as a rule being broad and deep, although there is a considerable

• 31
 

34    OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

variation in their size and spacing. The bottom of the added rim- strip is, in most cases, within 20 mm. of the lip surface. There are several variants in this sub-group which may be given brief

• 32
 



• 33
 

36     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

mention: one sherd has small incisions on the outer edge of the

lip of a raised rim (Fig. 16, No. 6); two sherds have a row of

vertical punctate marks on the added rim-strip, simulating the

appearance of the notches on the other specimens (Fig. 16,

No. 8); and two sherds have small vertical notches on the outer

edge of the lip, in addition to the notches on the added rim-strip.

Sub-group 6 (Fig. 16, Nos. 10-15): This sub-group con-

tains the largest number of specimens, four hundred and forty-

nine rim-sherds in all. The decoration consists of a row of small

to large vertical or oblique notches on the outer edge of the lip.

These notches are, in general, less than 12 mm. apart and about

7 mm. in length. Many of the notches appear to be dentate-stamp

impressions. Within this sub-group are eight sherds which have

slightly raised rims, the raised portion being notched in the same

manner as the rest of the rim (Fig. 16, Nos. 10-11). There

are also ten additional specimens which may be placed within

this division having narrow and deep, vertical or oblique incisions

on the other edge of the lip, the incisions being approximately

5.5 mm. apart (Fig. 16, No. 15).

Sub-group 7 (Fig. 17, Nos. 1-9): The majority of the thirty-

five rim-sherds in this sub-group are decorated on the lip surface

only, the decoration taking the form of punctate marks, except

for a few sherds having incised notches. Three of the sherds

have large, roughly rectangular punctate marks, ranging from

6.5 mm. to 8 mm. in length, around the outer edge of the lip

(Fig. 17, No. 1). Seven sherds have hemi-conical punctates,

5 mm. to 7 mm. apart, around the lip surface: on all but one the

marks were made from right to left. (Fig. 17, No. 3). There are

five sherds with circular or oval punctate impressions around

the lip surface (Fig. 17, No. 4); on four of the sherds the punc-

tates are from 5 mm. to 6 mm. in diameter, on the fifth 3.5

mm. in diameter; all of the impressions are spaced from 2.5 mm.

to 4 mm. apart. Seven sherds in this sub-group have elongated

punctate marks extending diagonally across the lip surface (Fig.

17, No. 2); the impressions are 3 mm. to 4 mm. in width and are

spaced from 4 mm. to 8 mm. apart; all except one have the im-

• 34
 



• 35
 

38     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

pressions slanting from the inner surface to the right. Two sherds

have narrow, shallow punctate marks arranged at right angles to

the edge of the lip and spaced from 4 mm. to 6 mm. apart; they

appear to have been made from right to left; one of the specimens

has a narrow and shallow horizontal incised line 17 mm. below

the lip (Fig. 17, No. 5). There are eight sherds having narrow

notches or incisions on the lip surface at right angles to the lip

edge (Fig. 17, Nos. 7-9); all of the sherds appear to be frag-

ments of vessels with raised rims; two of the specimens have fine,

parallel, incised lines on the rim arranged at right angles to one

another in a sort of chevron design (Fig. 17, No. 7); two of the

sherds have a horizontal row of hemi-conical punctates below the

lip, spaced from 8 mm. to 9 mm. apart (Fig. 17, No. 8). Three

sherds have small, indistinct punctate marks around the lip sur-

face; and one of these has two narrow incised lines on the rim

(Fig. 17, No. 9).

Sub-group 8 (Fig. 17, Nos. 10-12): This sub-group con-

tains 78 rim-sherds which are entirely without decoration, except

for cord-marking on the outer surface.

Miscellaneous Sherds (Fig. 18):   Four rim-sherds have

broad shallow scallops on the lip surface which are spaced about

26 mm. apart. Two of these sherds (Fig. 18, Nos. 1-2) have

small lugs which slope down from the lip; the lugs are about

40 mm. in height and about 20 mm. in width at the base. One

of the sherds has a perforation 5 mm. in diameter which was

evidently used in repairing a break (Fig. 18, N0. 3).

One of the sherds has a broken lug beneath which are two

elongated punctate impressions (Fig. 18, No. 16). Another sherd

has a lug which is flush with the lip; it is 15 mm. long and is

vertically flattened. A third sherd has a lug which is 19 mm.

in length and which has three small, horizontal notches on its

surface. There is one fragmentary detached loop handle which

is 20 mm. in length and 24 mm. in width; it is decorated with

four vertical elongated punctate marks. Another rim-sherd is

present which shows the point of attachment for a loop handle.

Two rim-sherds have a row of small notches on the outer

edge of the lip of a slightly flaring and thickened rim; the thick-

• 36
 



• 37
 

40     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

ened rim area is 10 mm. in width (Fig. 18, No. 6). Four rim-

sherds have oblique notches on the outer edge of the lip; the

notches are wide and deep and slant from left to right; on the

rim area of one are two horizontal incised lines with a row of

hemi-conical punctate marks between them which were made

from left to right (Fig. 18, No. 4). One sherd has a row of

vertical hemi-conical punctate marks (Fig. 18, No. 5). Another

sherd has a slight collar 9 mm. wide, below which is a band 19

mm. in width covered with oblique cord-marked impressions;

this band is bounded on the bottom by two or possibly three

horizontal incised lines (Fig. 18, No. 7). There is a single rim-

sherd with small deep notches around the edge of the lip and on

the lip surface (Fig. 18, No. 8). One fragmentary rim-sherd

is decorated with four circular punctate marks (Fig. 18, No. 9).

Another rim-sherd has punctate impressions on the lip surface and

on an added rim-strip (Fig. 18, No. 10); below the rim-strip are

oblique incised lines. One rim-sherd has five shallow incised

lines on the outer surface (Fig. 18, No. 11); a second has three

elongated punctates giving the appearance of vertical grooves (Fig.

18, No. 12); a third has a series of twelve narrow incised lines

running across the surface (Fig. 18, No. 13); a fourth has a

vertical punctate mark made from bottom to top (Fig. 18, No.

14); a fifth has two incised lines spaced 6.5 mm. apart with a

horizontal row of vertical impressions slightly overlapping the

bottom line (Fig. 18, No. 15); and a sixth has a design consisting

of narrow incised lines arranged in parallel groups of three set

obliquely (Fig. 18, No. 17).

Eight sherds in this miscellaneous category are perforated.

The holes were drilled from the exterior and hence have their

greatest diameter on that surface; the diameters ranging from

6 mm. to 1O mm. Two of the sherds fit together with the break

about midway between the two holes, the holes being 53 mm. apart

(Fig. 18, No. 18). These holes were made in the vessels to

repair them by binding with a thong or cord.

Group B (Fig. 19), which seems to be an entirely different

ware than Group A, is made up of only eleven sherds. The

• 38
 

FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE             41 sherds in this group are thin, approximately 4 mm. at the lip, of fine texture, of light color, and all but one have smooth sur- faces. One specimen has a raised rim with very fine incised lines on the lip at right angles to the lip edge, and the rim is decorated with a horizontal row of inverted v-shaped figures (Fig. 19, No. 1). Another rim-sherd has small notches on the lip surface at right angles to the lip edge; just below the lip and extending down about 13 mm. are shallow, oblique, incised lines termi- nated by an indistinct horizontal line; beneath the horizontal line are several vertical lines cutting across another horizontal line (Fig. 19, No. 2). The third rim-sherd also has small notches on the lip at right angles to the lip edge; on the rim are two horizontal incised lines spaced 15 mm. apart with an oblique row

of small hemi-conical punctates between the lines and indications of two other rows at right angles to the first (Fig. 19, No. 3). The fourth rim-sherd has small vertical notches on an added rim- strip; below the rim-strip are groups of three parallel incised lines extending diagonally from left to right with an interval of 37 mm. between the groups (Fig. 19, No. 4). The fifth rim- sherd has an added rim-strip with small hemi-conical punctates around it which were made from bottom to top (Fig. 19, No. 5).

• 39
 

42     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

The last rim-sherd has small notches around the outer edge of

the lip and several obscure lines on the lower rim area (Fig. 19,

No. 6). The five bottom sherds, which are small curved frag-

ments, range from 6 mm. to 9 mm. in thickness (Fig. 19, Nos.

7-9). It is apparent that the sherds of Group B are from much

smaller vessels than those of Group A.

 

POTTERY PIPES (Fig. 8, Nos. 8-15).

Nine fragmentary tobacco pipes, made of baked clay, were

found at the site. All of them were tempered with a finely crushed

grit. Only one of the pipes (Fig. 8, No. 8) was complete enough

for a determination of its original size and shape; it is an elbow

type of pipe with a thick rounded stem tapering toward the stem-

opening; the stem is 40 mm. in length, the stem opening 5 mm.

in diameter, and the bowl 52 mm. high; the stem and the portion

of the bowl below the rim are encircled with fine, irregular,

incised lines; one side of the stem has been flattened by

abrasion and there is a collar around the top of the bowl extend-

ing 15 mm. down from the lip.

One of the bowls (Fig. 8, No. 13) has a slight collar ex-

tending 14 mm. below the lip; encircling this collar are three

medium deep incised lines spaced 3 mm. apart; the lip is flat and

10 mm. in thickness. Another fragment of pipe bowl (Fig. 8,

No. 12) has a collar extending down 6 mm. below a flat lip

which is encircled by two medium deep incised lines; just beneath

the bottom line is a horizontal row of short oblique incisions.

This type of incised line design is common on pottery pipes from

New York state.⁵

A third fragment of a pipe bowl has a slight collar extending

down 5 mm. below a flat lip; this bowl is without decoration.

In addition, there are two other fragments of pipe bowls which

are too incomplete to furnish much information. There are three

fragments of pipe stem ranging in greatest diameter from 10 mm.

to 19 mm. (Fig. 8, Nos. 9-11).

 

 

 

 

5A. C. Parker, "Archaeological History of New  York," part I, fig. 24, no. 3.

• 40
 

FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE             43 HISTORIC MATERIAL In addition to the Indian artifacts occurring at the site, a few objects were found belonging to the historic period. This material of white man's provenience includes fragments of clay tobacco pipes, a portion of a flintlock gun, a knife blade, iron nails, pieces of chinaware and stoneware, and fragments of pig teeth. Fifty-six fragments of white-clay tobacco pipes were re- covered during the course of the excavating (Fig. 20, Nos. 5-12); supplementing these are other fragments in Fairport Harbor col- lections, three of which are illustrated in Fig. 20, Nos. 5-7. The pipe fragments were found at various levels in the village deposit and from all indications may be considered as belonging to the Indian occupancy of the site. Forty-eight of the fragments are portions of stems and eight are pieces of bowls. The pipes had relatively small bowls and slender stems and were made in a two-piece mold. The three bit ends of stems in the collection

• 41
 

44     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

average 5 mm. in diameter at their terminal portions. The stems

at the bowl end are slightly flattened, averaging (six specimens)

7 mm. in diameter on the short axis and 8 mm. on the long axis.

The length of the stems cannot be determined as there are no

complete specimens, but they may have been about 120 mm. in

length judging from their diameters and degree of tapering. The

bowls were around 33 mm. in height (Fig. 20, No. 5) and per-

haps somewhat over 16 mm. in their greatest diameter. The

thickness of the bowls at the lip is around 2 mm. On the bot-

toms of the bowls are short tapering spurs which project down-

ward about 5 mm. (Fig. 20, Nos. 6, 7, and 12, right). All of

the bowl fragments show some form of decoration. The largest

fragment of bowl (Fig. 20, No. 5) is decorated with a branching

plant design with asterisks at the ends of the branches. The

bowl shown in Fig. 20, No. 6, has on its front surface a fluted

shield with an asterisk above it and other asterisks around it.

The fragments illustrated by Nos. 7, 9 and II of Fig. 20 exhibit

vertical fluting only. No. 8 of Fig. 20 shows a herring-bone pat-

tern as well as fluting. The design on No. 10, Fig. 20, may be

a floral pattern.

The portion of the iron flintlock gun consists of the lock

plate and the pan (Fig. 20, No. 1). The knife blade is apparently

a portion of a pocket knife (Fig. 20, No. 4). Both of these ob-

jects are heavily rusted. While these two specimens may date

from the Indian occupancy, the possibility must be considered

that they may be intrusive. The three iron nails (Fig. 20, Nos.

2-3), which are of the square type, the fragments of chinaware

and stoneware, and the pig teeth are all evidently relics of pioneer

times.

• 42
 

FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE                 45

ANIMAL REMAINS6

By ROBERT M. GOSLIN

Animal remains were found in great abundance at this site

scattered through the black earth of the village deposit. They in-

clude the bones of various mammals, fishes, birds and reptiles, as

well as the shells of mussels and snails. Most of the bones are

in a fragmentary condition but on the whole they are in an ex-

cellent state of preservation. All of the animal skeletal material

was saved and carefully studied in order to determine the number

of species which were used by the Indian group occupying the

site. Such information not only enlightens us as to their food

habits and the use they made of certain bones for tools and orna-

ments, but is also of value to the biologist in checking the occur-

rence of different species and the changes which have taken place

in the fauna in historic times.

The total number of bone and shell fragments recovered from

the area excavated was approximately five thousand four hundred.

 

MAMMALS.

The twenty-one different species of mammals represented will

be discussed in the order of their abundance as indicated by the

total number of bones present for each form.

Virginia Deer: The bones of the deer are the most numerous

of any of the mammals found on the site. One thousand, one

hundred and sixty specimens were identified. We may infer from

this that the deer was the most important single meat source for

the inhabitants of the village. The bones of the deer were used

for the manufacture of awls, projectile points, flint-chipping tools

and ornaments; and it may be safely assumed that deer hides

were used for clothing and other household purposes.

Raccoon: The raccoon is represented by seven hundred and

ninety-four bones, among which are many jaw and leg bones.

 

6The writer is indebted to the following individuals for assistance in the identi-

fication of faunal remains: Birds, Dr. Alexander Wetmore, Assistant Secretary,

Smithsonian Institution; Shells, Dr. Frank C. Baker, Curator, Museum of Natural

History, University of Illinois; Fishes, Mr. Milton B. Trautman. Assistant Curator

of Fishes, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan; and Dr. Carl L. Hubbs,

Curator of Fishes, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan.

• 43
 

46     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

From the number of bones present it was concluded that the rac-

coon was one of the most important small game animals. Raccoon

leg-bones were made into awls, its teeth were drilled for pendants

or beads, and penis bones of this animal were fashioned into arti-

facts.

Elk: The bones of the elk are fairly common as indicated by

the three hundred and twenty-four specimens which were found.

The bones in the collection consist primarily of leg bones, verte-

brae, antler and teeth. This mammal may be considered as one of

the significant food animals used by the villagers. Its teeth were

drilled for pendants, and "gouges" and flint-chipping tools were

made from its antler. Furthermore, it may be assumed that elk

hides were used for domestic purposes.

Beaver: The beaver is represented by three hundred and

four specimens, which rank it next to the raccoon among the

smaller game animals used for food. Incisor teeth of the beaver

were made into cutting implements and there is one jaw which

may be an ornament. The pelt of the beaver was also undoubtedly

used for its fur.

Black Bear: The black bear ranks third among the large game

animals in the number of bones present with a total of two hun-

dred and eighty-five specimens. It was an important meat source

and its hide was probably used for robes. The canine and molar

teeth of the bear were made into pendants, a claw was drilled for

a pendant, and penis bones were worked into artifacts.

Gray Squirrel: One hundred and forty-nine bones of the

gray squirrel were identified, indicating that this species was ap-

parently abundant and evidently commonly hunted for food.

Dog: The Indian Dog is represented by ninety-five speci-

mens. The fragmentary bones of this animal were found scat-

tered through the debris of the village deposit just as were those

of the wild game animals. It cannot be stated definitely, however,

that the flesh of this domestic animal was used for food by the

occupants of the site. One canine tooth was drilled for a pendant.

Porcupine: Eighty-six porcupine bones were identified in the

collection. In addition to the use of this animal for food, it is

• 44
 

FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE             47

probable that the quills were used for decorating household

objects.

Wildcat: The wildcat is represented by forty-seven bones.

Artifacts made from the bones of this species include awls, beads,

canine tooth pendants, and worked fragments.  Since its bones

were used commonly for artifacts this animal may have been

hunted more for this purpose than for food.

Otter: Only eighteen bones of the otter were found. This

mammal may have been hunted primarily for its fur.

Gray Fox: The gray fox is represented by twelve speci-

mens. One awl among the bone artifacts was made from the leg

bone of a gray fox and two canine teeth of this animal were

drilled for pendants.

Mink: Eight bones of the mink were identified. It evidently

was not used to any appreciable extent for food, but may have

been secured principally for its fur.

Cotton-tail Rabbit: The rabbit, judging from the eight bones

found, was either not abundant in the vicinity or else it was not

hunted to any great extent.

Chipmunk: The chipmunk is represented by only seven

bones.

Woodchuck: Six bones of this species occurred in the col-

lection.

Muskrat: Four bones of the muskrat were identified.

Opossum: The opossum is represented by three bones.

Meadow Mouse: The presence of the meadow mouse, in-

dicated by three bones, may be merely fortuitous.

Cougar: Only one fragment of a leg bone of this large cat

was found on the site.

Fox Squirrel: The Fox Squirrel is indicated by one lower

jaw bone. This record is of interest in view of the fact that some

mammalogists have believed fox squirrels to have been very rare

or absent from the region in prehistoric times. The possibility

exists, of course, that the remains of this species on the site could

have been introduced in later times, although there is nothing with

reference to the specimen which would support such an opinion.

• 45
 

48      OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

MAMMALS

 

OCCURRENCE AT VARIOUS SITES

FH        R    TH      SP

(No. of

bones)

Didelphis virginiana, Opossum ..............  3

Euarctos americanus, Black Bear ............ 285                                                          x                  x                  x

Procyon lotor, Raccoon ..................... 794                                                 x                                    x                  x

Mustela  vison,  Mink ........................                                                           8

Lutra canadensis, Otter.....................                                                           18

Mephitis nigra, Skunk .......................                                                                                                x      x

Urocyon cinereoargenteus, Gray Fox........ 12       x                                                 x

Canis familiaris, Dog ........................ 95                                                                      x                  x

Felis couguar, Cougar .......................  1                                                                                            x

Lynx rufus, Bobcat, Wildcat................ 47       x                                                           x                                     x

Marmota monax, Woodchuck ................                                                   6                                    x                  x

Tamias striatus, Chipmunk ...................                                                    7     x                             x

Sciurus carolinensis, Gray Squirrel........... 149          x                          x

Sciurus niger rufiventer, Fox Squirrel.......  1

Castor canadensis, Beaver ................... 304    x      x      x

Microtus pennsylvanicus, Meadow Mouse.....                                       3

Ondatra zibethica, Muskrat ..................                                                    4                                                       x

Erethizon dorsatum, Porcupine .............. 86      x                                   x      x

Sylvilagus floridanus mearnsu, Cotton-tail

Rabbit .................................  8                                                                                                     x

Cervus canadensis, Elk ...................... 324                                                x      x         x

Odocoileus virgianianus, Virginia Deer .......1160                                                x                                              x

 

3315

BIRDS.

Fifteen different species of birds were identified from their

skeletal remains found on the site. Altogether, one hundred and

twenty-nine bird bones were classified according to the species

represented. The list of species from the site is as follows: Com-

mon Loon, Trumpeter Swan, Canada Goose, Mallard, Blue-winged

Teal, Wood Duck, Lesser Scaup Duck, Hooded Merganser, Bald

Eagle, Wild Turkey, Herring Gull, Passenger Pigeon, Great

Horned Owl, and Snowy Owl.

The Wild Turkey stands out among the birds represented as

the most important in the economy of the Indians. Ninety-eight

bone fragments of this bird were identified. The turkey was not

• 46
 

FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE                    49

 

only used for food but its bones were fashioned into artifacts.

including awls and other worked specimens. It may be assumed

that its feathers were used for decorative purposes.

The other birds present are represented by from one to eight

bone fragments each, hence, little can be said concerning their

archaeological significance.  Many beads were made from cut and

polished sections of leg and wing bones. These bones could not

be identified but their different sizes indicate that a number of

different species were utilized. It is also safe to assume that the

feathers of various birds were used for decorative purposes.

The Passenger Pigeon, the Herring Gull and the Snowy Owl

are here reported for the first time from Ohio archaeological sites.

More detailed work, however, should reveal their presence at other

sites. The Passenger Pigeon record is of interest for this is the

only species of bird on this list that is now extinct. In pioneer

times great flocks of these birds were present in Ohio. The Her-

ring Gull is common in the area today and was probably equally

so in prehistoric times. The Snowy Owl is rare for the region

being known as an occasional visitor from the north.

The other species of birds, most of which are migratory, are

still found in the area, ranging from     common to rare in their

occurrence.

BIRDS

NUMBER

OF BONES

Gavia immer, Common  Loon ...............................            1

Cygnus  buccinator, Trumpeter Swan ........................              1

Branta canadensis, Canada Goose ............................                              2

Anas platyrhynchos, Mallard...............................                                                                                 1

Querquedula discors, Blue-winged Teal .....................                             3

Aix sponsa, Wood Duck ...................................                                                                                    2

Nyroca affinis, Lesser Scaup Duck .........................                                                                           5

Charitonetta albeola, Buffle-head Duck ......................                                                                    2

Lophodytes cucullatus, Hooded Merganser ...................                                                                 1

Haliaectus leucocephalus, Bald Eagle ........................                                                                     2

Meleagris gallopavo, Wild Turkey ..........................                                                                         98

Larms argentatus, Herring Gull .............................                                                                            1

Ectopistes migratorius, Passenger Pigeon ....................                                                                 8

Bubo virginianus, Great Horned Owl .......................                                                                       1

Nyctea nyctea, Snowy Owl ................................                                                                                   1

 

129

• 47
 

50     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

FISHES.

Fish was evidently an important food item for the inhabitants

of the village judging from the twelve hundred and seventy-three

fish bones found on the site. They were secured both from the

Grand River and Lake Erie. The bone fishhooks found on the

site reveal that the hook and line was used and it is probable that

they also used nets and spears. The only fish bones used for arti-

facts were the otoliths of the Sheepshead. These were perforated

and used for pendants.

The species identified, in the order of their abundance, are

as follows: Northern Channel Catfish, Sheepshead, Yellow Pike-

Perch, White Bass, Yellow Perch, and Pavement Tooth Sucker.

In addition, the Fine-scale Sucker and the Redhorse Sucker were

tentatively identified. Many fragments could not be identified.

 

FISHES

Aplodinotus grunniens, Sheepshead, Drum Fish

Stizostedion vitreum, Yellow Pike-Perch

Ictalurus lacustris, Northern Channel Catfish

Lepibema chrysops, White Bass

Perca flavescens, Yellow Perch

Placopharynx carinatus, Pavement Tooth Sucker

Catostomus or Placopharynx, Fine-scale Sucker or Pavement Tooth

Sucker

Moxostoma or Placopharynx, Red Horse Sucker or Pavement Tooth

Sucker

 

REPTILES.

The only reptile bones found were those of the Box Turtle

and the Snapping Turtle. The former is represented by eleven

fragments and the latter by twelve. The Snapping Turtle was

evidently used for food but it is doubtful if the Box Turtle was

so used.  The carapace of the latter may have been used for

containers and rattles.

TURTLES

NUMBER OF BONES

Terrapene  carolina, Box  Turtle .......................                              11

Chelydra serpentina, Snapping Turtle .................                                                                  12

• 48
 

FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE                   51

 

MOLLUSKS.

The Mollusks are represented by one hundred and fifty-three

shell fragments. Of this number one hundred and thirty are

mussel shells and twenty-three are snail shells. The following

species of Freshwater Mussels were identified: Maple-Leaf,

Pimple-Back, Mucket, Three-Ridge, Spike or Lady-Finger, Black

Sand Shell, and Pink Heel-Splitter. All of these forms were

probably used for food. The shells of the Maple-Leaf and Black

Sand Shell were used for making hoes. There is also one small

disk-shaped bead which was cut from a mollusk shell. All of the

species represented are found in the present mollusk fauna of the

region.

Two species of Freshwater Snails were identified for the

site, the Green River Snail and the Slender River Snail. The

former may have been used for food and one perforated speci-

men of the latter was found which was probably used for a bead.

There were also two species of Land Snails in the collection,

Polygyra profunda and Anguispira alternata. Both of these forms

may have been used for food.

 

MOLLUSKS

FH     R   TH   SP

Freshwater Mussels

Quadrula quadrula, Maple-Leaf ................. x

Quadrula pustulosa, Pimple-Back .............. x

Actinonaias carinata, Mucket ................... x

Amblema costata, Three-Ridge .................. x7      x⁷                                    X7

Elliptio dilatatus, Spike, Lady-Finger ........... x⁷   x⁷ x⁷      x7

Ligumia recta latissima, Black Sand Shell.......   x7

Ligwnia nasuta ............................... x

Proptera alata megaptera, Pink Heel-Splitter...          x⁷   x7

Lampsilis siliquoidea, Fat Mucket ............... x

Freshwater Snails

Campeloma rufum, Green River Snail........... x

Pleurocera acuta, Slender River Snail ........... x7

Land Snails

Polygyra    profunda .............................                        x

Anquispira  alternata ............................                         x

7Species made into artifacts.

• 49
 

52      OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

CULTURAL AFFILIATIONS

The traits present at the Fairport Harbor Site were compared

with the traits present at the Reeve, Tuttle Hill and South Park

village sites.   The three latter sites are the major components

making up the Whittlesey Focus of the Iroquois Aspect which was

established by Greenman.8       Three additional components9 were

included by Greenman in the focus but these were omitted from

this treatment because of their paucity in traits. The traits pres-

ent at the four sites are shown in the accompanying Comparative

Trait List (pp. 55-58).10     Pottery traits which have been omitted

from the list will be discussed separately.

The total number of individual traits present at the four sites

is one hundred and twenty. Fifty-two of these are universal traits

which all four sites have in common. Fairport Harbor has ninety-

seven traits, Reeve eighty-five, Tuttle Hill seventy-eight, and

South Park seventy-seven. A comparison of the four sites on

the basis of the traits they have in common is given in the fol-

lowing table.11

% in

Total Traits    Common      Common

Fairport Harbor-Tuttle Hill..........   107                           68                   64

Fairport Harbor-South Park.........   107                           67                   63

Fairport Harbor-Reeve ...............    113                           69                   61

Tuttle Hill-South Park.............. 92                       63              68

Tuttle Hill-Reeve ....................  103                                 60                   58

South Park-Reeve...................   97                       65              67

A  comparison made by the four-cell method using the for-

mula Z=      (a--b--c+d)      /   (a+b+c+d)12       gives the following

results:

Tuttle          South

Hill                Park          Reeve        Fairport

Tuttle Hill..............                          1.0                .15       --   .27            --            .15

South Park.............                          .15            1.0           --   .06            -- .18

Reeve ..................                      --   .27                .06       -- 1.0               -- .30

Fairport ................                     --   .15      --        .18       --  .30              --            1.0

 

8Greenman, "Two Prehistoric Villages," 348-51.

9Ibid. 357.

10The following traits were furnished by Mr. Raymond Baby, Department of

Anatomy, Western Reserve University: South Park--beaver incisor chisels, Os penis

of raccoon, beamers, antler gouges, and bear molar pendants; Tuttle Hill--abrading

stones, ovoid scraper, Os penis of raccoon, fishhooks and elk canine pendants.

11The following traits were not counted in the statistical treatments: stone beads,

pointed-poll celts, flake knives, "turtle backs," elk incisor pendants, and wildcat

canine pendants; historic material was also omitted from the count.

12A. L. Kroeber, "Statistical Classification," American Antiquity (Menasha, Wis-

consin), VI (1940), 34.

• 50
 

FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE             53

It is evident from the two comparisons made that these four

components are essentially alike and that they may be placed

together in a common focus. It may be noted that in these com-

parisons South Park and Tuttle Hill show the highest degree of

relationship.

An analysis of the pottery from the four sites revealed a

basic similarity. There are, however, certain differences which

will be pointed out. All of the groups and sub-groups present

at Fairport Harbor were present at Reeve, although the frequency

of sherds in some of the sub-groups varied considerably. Sub-

group 3, a very distinct type with forty-three sherds at Fairport

Harbor, contains only four sherds at Reeve. Sub-group 6, the

most common type at Fairport Harbor, is present but not com-

mon at Reeve. Sub-group 7, decorated on the lip surface, con-

tains thirty-five sherds from the Fairport Harbor site but only

nine from  Reeve.  Sub-group 8, another prominent group at

Fairport Harbor, is present but not common at Reeve. There

are several groups of sherds from the Reeve site which are barely

suggested or not represented at all at Fairport Harbor. The most

prominent of these groups is that decorated with parallel lines

at angles.¹³  This group at Reeve is as common as any other

group but at Fairport Harbor it is represented by a single sherd.

Another group, resembling Sub-group 4, but with the addition of

elongated punctates below the added rim-strip, is represented by

six sherds at Reeve but is not found at Fairport Harbor. In

addition, there are several minor variations in decoration in the

Reeve pottery which are not present in the Fairport Harbor pot-

tery. The appendages of the pottery at both sites are more or less

the same, consisting of small loop handles and lugs. Group B

is represented by nine sherds at Fairport Harbor and seven sherds

at Reeve.

Since the pottery from Tuttle Hill and South Park is very

similar it will be discussed as a unit in comparing it with the

material from Fairport Harbor. The essential differences between

the sherds of these two sites and those from Fairport Harbor lie

in a different series of combinations of the same decorational ele-

 

13Greenman, "Reeve Village Site," 51.

• 51
 

54     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

ments. The main similarities are within Sub-groups 3, 5, and 6.

Sub-group 5 is common in the South Park-Tuttle Hill material

but the notches on the added rim-strip tend to be restricted to the

lower edge of the rim-strip while those on the Fairport Harbor

pottery extend clear across the rim-strip. In addition, many of

the South Park-Tuttle Hill sherds have scalloped lip surfaces as

well as plain, often both on the same sherd. Sherds of Sub-group

6 are common at all three sites and those of Sub-group 3 are

present at all three. Group B is represented by only three sherds

at Tuttle Hill-South Park. Loop handles and lugs are present

in the Tuttle Hill-South Park material but the "knob" type of

appendage at these sites is not found at all at Fairport Harbor.

For decorational types not present at Fairport Harbor but occur-

ring at the other two sites the reader is referred to Greenman's

report.14

Grit tempering predominates at all four sites; however, at

all sites, there are also shell-tempered sherds and sherds contain-

ing both grit and shell. Reeve apparently has a larger percentage

of shell-tempered sherds than Fairport Harbor, but a re-analysis

of the material might show that many of the so-called shell-tem-

pered sherds also contain grit.

As has been indicated, the Fairport Harbor pottery shows

a greater resemblance to the Reeve pottery than it does to the

Tuttle Hill-South Park pottery. The main differences exhibited

in the pottery from the four sites lie in the varied combinations

of the same decorational techniques.

On the basis of the comparative study that has been made

the Fairport Harbor site may be classed as a component of the

Whittlesey Focus of the Iroquois Aspect of the Upper Mississippi

Phase.l⁵

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14 Greenman, "Two Prehistoric Villages," 351-6.

15 Ibid., 348-51.

• 52
 

FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE                        55

 

COMPARATIVE TRAIT LIST

LOCATION AND STRUCTURES

R SP TH FH

On bluff........................................       x                                                                            x            x

Village site over long period, black soil............. x                                                 x            x    x

Post holes indicating stockade    ......................

Walls indicating fortified enclosures ................                                                                                  x

Refuse  and  storage  pits ............................                                                                               x            x    x

Burials found ......................................                                                                            x            x            x

Ash beds present ...............................                                                                            x               x

 

STONE ARTIFACTS

Abrading   stones .................................                                                                         x                          x            x

A dzes       ........................................                                                                                  x     x                   x            x

Beads        ........................................                                                                                                                            x

Blades,      unnotched  .................................. x                                                                            x            x

Elliptical ......................................x                                                                        x            x

Leaf-shaped   ..............................x                                                              x            x

Ends       pointed............................... x                                                                                  x

Ends       rounded  ..............................                                                                     x     x     x

Lanceolate      ...................................                                                                    x            x

Celts ..........................................                                                                                        x            x            x            x

Ground or pecked.............................                                                                   x            x            x            x

P ointed   poll ............................... x

Flat or rounded poll .......................                                                         x    x                    x

Chipped           ......................................                                                                 x                                        x       x

Slate       ..................................... x     x                                                                      x            x

Diorite   spalls .............................                                                                                          x            x

Notched           or                                                                                                   grooved ............................                                                      x                                              x

Chisels .................................... x                                                                                                    x            x

Disks,       roughly  chipped  slate ........................                                                     x                                        x

Drills        ........................................                                                                                  x                          x                     x                                              x

Straight  ......................................                                                                           x                          x                     x                      x

Expanded base................................. x                                                                  x            x            x

Flake  knives.......................................                                                                                                                       x

Fossils ..........................................                                                                                    x                                        x

Gorgets  ..........................................                                                                                 x                          x                     x                                              x

Hammerstones    ....................................                                                                                        x                          x                               x

Spherical, faceted ............................                                                                    x                                        x       x                      x

Pitted, asymmetrical ..........................                                                                 x    x                    x            x

Incised designs on stone ...........................                                                                 x                                        x

Mortar, shallow ...................................                                                                           x

Net sinkers, notched ...............................                                                                     x    x     x             x

Pendants .........................................                                                                                 x                                        x

• 53
 

56       OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

R SP TH FH

Pestles,    rough,  bell-shaped ..........................                                                                                      x            x

Pipes        .........................................   x    x      x                                                              x

Effigy  ........................................             x                                                                                          x

Conoidal ......................................         x                                                              x     x

K eeled     .......................................        x                                                              x

Elbow       .......................................        x                                                              x                          x

Projectile            points..................................                                                                x            x            x            x

Triangular, unnotched..........................                                                              x            x            x            x

Notched    .....................................          x                                                              x                          x

Scrapers              .........................................                                                                     x            x            x

Circular     ......................................                                                                        x            x            x

Ovoid        ........................................                                                                      x            x            x

Rectangular         ..................................                                                                x            x                          x

Triangular             ....................................                                                              x                          x                     x

 

BONE ARTIFACTS

Awls         .............................................                                                                                           x            x

Bird            bone  (leg              and  wing) ...................... x                                             x                          x       x

Unnotched        ................................                                                           x            x                          x

N otched    ..................................                                                                              x            x

One articular end unmodified ...............                                                              x                          x                               x

Split            .....................................                                                             x                          x                     x                      x

Animal      bone   ..................................                                                                x                          x                     x                                              x

Cross-section   round........................                                                       x                          x                     x                                              x

P la in                   .................................                                                                                       x

Incised     ...............................                                                                                        x

Long, slender, curved antler...........   x                                                      x                          x                               x

Knobbed   base      .....................                                                         x                                   x

Pointed  at           both     ends ...................  x

Flat  in         cross-section ........................    x                                                        x                          x

Plain         .................................                                                                                      x                     x

Effigy        .................................x                                                                      x

Expanded head or spatulate .............             x                                          x

Pointed  at  both  ends...................                                                                                         x

Deer dewclaw ............................                                                                x

Scapula        ...................................                                                               x

Two-tined          ................................                                                           x

Beads  .........................................          x                                                                            x                          x                     x

Bird bones            ....................................                                                              x                          x                     x                                              x

Notched      .................................                                                                 x                          x                     x

Unnotched ................................   x                                                                           x                          x                               x

Animal bones .................................. x                                                                                               x

Beamers, deer leg-bone ..........................           x     x

• 54
 

FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE                        57

 

R SP TH FH

Bones, deer phalanges, hollow ......................                                                           x    x

Bones, bird leg, incised cross-hatch ..................                                                     x

Bones, animal ribs, notched ........................                                                                                                         x

Bones, os penis of raccoon, polished ................. x   x     x                                      x

Bones, os penis of black bear, polished ..............                                                                                              x

Bones, bird scapula, polished .......................                                                                                                      x

Bones, worked human skull fragment................                                                                                                 x

Chipping   tools .....................................  x                                                                   x            x            x

Antler, cylindrical, ends blunt ................... x                                                 x            x            x

A ntler            tine           ....................................                                                   x            x                          x

Os      penis    raccoon ...............................                                                          x            x     x     x

Chisels,      antler .....................................                                                                      x

Chisels, beaver  incisor ..............................                                                                 x  x    x    x

Combs  ........................................                                                                                      x

Fish-hooks  ........................................        x                                                                   x            x

Unbarbed, shaft round..........................                                                                                          x            x

Knobbed     end..............................                                                                                        x

Unknobbed          end............................                                                                                x            x

Unbarbed,  shaft   flat ...........................                                                                             x                          x

Flutes,  bird  bone ...................................                                                                       x            x            x

Gouges, antler .....................................                                                                           x                          x            x    x

Handles, antler tine, socketed ......................                                                                                         x

Jaws,            animal, worked ..............................                                                                                                     x

Musical      rasps,    bone ................................                                                                            x                          x

N eedles      ...........................................                                                                                          x

Pendants ........................................                                                                                  x                          x            x                               x

Teeth  ........................................                                                                              x                          x                     x                                              x

Bear canine, perforated ..................... x                                                                                x                     x

Bear molar, perforated .....................                                                                       x                          x

Elk canines, perforated ..................... x                                                                  x     x                   x

Elk  incisor,  perforated .....................                                                                                                x

Wildcat canines, perforated ................                                                                                             x

Small animal, perforated ....................  x                                                                                            x

Bear  claws,  perforated .........................                                                                                                       x

Turtle leg-bone, perforated .....................      x

Flat, thin, rectangular, perforated..............                                                                                                x

Projectile points, antler, socketed .................. x   x     x                                                         x

Projectile points, flat, concave base..................                                                                                                  x

Punches,  large .....................................  x   x     x                                                                        x

SHELL ARTIFACTS

Bead,  disc,  flat.....................................                                                                                                                     x

Hoes, mussel shell ..................................                                                                       x                          x                     x                                              x

M ussel shell, edge  ground ..........................                                                              x                          x                     x

Pendant,  perforated ................................                                                                       x

• 55
 

58     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

R SP TH FH

COPPER ARTIFACTS

Beads,  tubular .....................................  x    x

 

TRADE OBJECTS

Miscellaneous  material .......... .. ..........x.

 

CONCLUSIONS

The Fairport Harbor Village site is one of a number of sim-

ilar sites located on the south shore of Lake Erie. Culturally it

is closely related to the Reeve, Tuttle Hill and South Park vil-

lage sites as well as other sites in the area. The four sites are

located on major streams and are characterized by thick deposits

of black earth resulting from long occupation. Implements, orna-

ments, potsherds and animal bones are found scattered through

the black earth and also in storage or refuse pits. Burials were

made in the village area at South Park, Tuttle Hill and Reeve,

but no burials were found at Fairport Harbor.    No structural

features were recognized at any of these sites which would indi-

cate the type of houses used by the inhabitants. Several series of

post-molds at Fairport Harbor may be interpreted, with a rea-

sonable degree of certainty, as remnants of stockades which once

enclosed the village area.

No evidence of stockades was found at the other three sites,

but according to Whittlesey, the village area at Tuttle Hill, which

occupied a promontory, was originally set off by two parallel

earthen walls with outer ditches.l⁶  It is probable that Reeve

and South Park were also enclosed by stockades or palisades.

In the same region are hill-top fortifications characterized by one

or more parallel earthen walls.l⁷  Some of these have been corre-

lated with the same people responsible for the village sites under

discussion. Since the ones examined revealed little evidence of

occupation it is likely that they served as places of defense rather

than occupation sites.

 

16 C. C. Whittlesey, "Ancient Earth Forts of the Cuyahoga Valley, Ohio,"

Western Reserve and Northern Ohio Historical Society, Tracts (Cleveland), no.5

(1871), 11.

17 E. F. Greenman, "Seven Prehistoric Sites in Northern Ohio," O. S. A. H.

Quart., XLIV (1935), 220-7.

• 56
 

FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE                    59

 

Sites of the Whittlesey Focus have been attributed to the

Erie Indians by some writers because the Erie are known to have

lived in the area and due to the similarity of the remains to

Iroquoian remains in the East.¹⁸ In the Jesuit Relations of

1647-48 it is recorded that the Erie lived along the southern

shores of Lake Erie, that they tilled the soil, and that they spoke

the same language as the Huron.l⁹         Available evidence indi-

cates that the Erie were, linguistically, an Iroquoian people.²⁰

It is also recorded that the Erie made use of palisades.²1 While

there is no direct evidence that the Erie were the occupants of

the various sites of the Whittlesey Focus, the archaeological

material and the historical records seem to bear out that con-

clusion. Greenman has pointed out the similarities between the

northern Ohio sites and the Ripley site of New York which

Parker assigned to the Erie.²²

In attempting to establish the time of occupation of the Fair-

port Harbor site there are several factors to be considered.      In

the first place, the historic material found in the site must be

evaluated. The clay tobacco pipes, judging from the number

of fragments and their distribution in the site, are assumed to

belong to the period of occupancy. The gun fragment and the

knife blade may or may not belong to the Indian occupation.

Clay tobacco pipes were common articles of trade and were

among the first objects to be introduced by the white man.

According to McGuire, clay pipes decorated with shields and

branches of the tobacco plant were apparently made in England

at the beginning of the seventeenth century.²³

If one attributes the site to the Erie, the probabilities are

that it was occupied before the middle of the seventeenth cen-

tury for the Erie are reported to have been defeated and their

18 H. C.  Shetrone, The Mound Builders (New York, 1931), 277-8; Greenman,

"Reeve Village Site," 9.

19 Reuben Gold Thwaites, ed., Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents (Cleveland,

1896-1901), XXXIII, 63.

20 A. C. Parker, "Excavations in an Erie Indian Village and Burial Site at Ripley,

Chautauqua Co., N. Y.," New York State Museum Bulletin (Albany, N. Y.), no. 117

(1907), 528.

21 Jesuit Relations, XLII, 179, 181.

22 Greenman, "Two Prehistoric Villages," 350.

23 J. D. McGuire, "Pipes and Smoking Customs of the American Aborigines,

Based on Material in the U. S. National Museum," U. S. National Museum Report,

1897 (Washington, D. C.), part I (1899), 452-3.

• 57
 

60     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

villages destroyed by the Iroquois in 1654.24 The scarcity of

trade material at the site also favors this conclusion, for if the

site was later, one would expect more trade objects and a greater

variety of types. In their earlier conflicts with the Iroquois the

Erie did not have fire-arms,²⁵ but by the time of their final

defeat they apparently had acquired a few guns.²⁶ Hence, the

rifle at the site could have belonged to the inhabitants and need

not be attributed necessarily to a later period. No historic ma-

terial has been reported found at other sites of the Whittlesey

Focus. This fact would also support the idea that the Fairport

Harbor site was occupied early in the seventeenth century. In

this connection it should be noted that at the South Park site

a pottery vessel was found that has been termed a trade piece

from  the Oneota culture of Iowa and adjacent states.²⁷   The

Oneota Aspect has been attributed by Griffin to the Chiwere

Sioux who are known to have lived in that area in the seven-

teenth century.²⁸  Historic trade material has also been found

with this culture in Iowa. In other words, both of these cultures

were transitional from the prehistoric to the historic period.

In summary, the Fairport Harbor site has been classified as

a component of the Whittlesey Focus of the Iroquois Aspect of the

Upper Mississippi Phase. The occupants of the site are thought

to have been members of the Erie tribe, a group related to the

Iroquois peoples of New York. The village was probably estab-

lished toward the close of the sixteenth century and perhaps oc-

cupied up to the middle of the seventeenth century.

In studying the Iroquois culture, as it is represented in Ohio

by the Whittlesey Focus, it is well to see it in relation to the

other archaeological cultures which have been recognized for

the Ohio area. The relations to be considered are those of cul-

tural connection, chronological position and geographical dis-

tribution. In presenting this generalized outline no attempt is

 

24 Jesuit Relations, XLII, 177-83.

25 Ibid., XLI, 83.

26 Ibid., XLII, 181.

27 Greenman, "Two Prehistoric Villages," 346.

28 J. B. Griffin, "The Archaeological Remains of the Chiwere Sioux." American

Antiquity, II, no. 3 (1937), 180-1.

• 58
 

FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE                  61

made to present all the evidence which has been considered in

arriving at the various conclusions.    The interpretations seem

to be the most logical ones on the basis of the present evidence

and are subject to revision as new facts come to light.

The more recent cultures will be considered first--those

which bridge the gap between prehistoric and historic times. The

year 1600 A. D. has been chosen arbitrarily as marking the be-

ginning of historic times. Two cultures have been established

as extending up into the historic period, the Iroquois and the

Fort Ancient.    The evidence concerning the Iroquois (Erie)

has already been discussed. The remains of the Fort Ancient

peoples are found distributed through southern Ohio and portions

of the adjacent states.  The material comes largely from    village

sites and burial grounds.   Culturally, the material traits of this

group show a basic resemblance to those of the Iroquois, hence

these two cultures have been placed together in a larger division

known as the Upper Mississippi Phase.²⁹ The Fort Ancient peo-

ples were evidently contemporaneous, at least in part, with the

Iroquois, for trade objects secured from the white man have

been found at several of their sites.³⁰ The length of time these

two cultures existed as distinct entities cannot be determined,

but they must have been functioning through most of the six-

teenth century.

Leaving behind the Iroquois and the Fort Ancient cultures,

which are transitional from prehistoric to historic times, and

entering the purely prehistoric period, the chronological prob-

lems become more difficult. The time sequence that has been set

up for the older cultures is entirely relative.  It is not known

how far back the oldest of these cultures began or how close to

the historic period the youngest of them     existed.  Hence, the

chronology is not only relative but the total amount of elapsed

time is also unknown. The time sequence is based on stratigraph-

 

29 J. B. Griffin, in National Research Council, Division of Anthropology and

Psychology, Committee on State Archaeological Surveys, The Indianapolis Archaeo-

logical Conference (Washington), 1935, p. 48.

30 E. A. Hooton and C. C. Willoughby, "Indian Village Site and Cemetery near

Madisonville, Ohio," Peabody Museum of American Archaeology and Ethnology, Har-

vard University, Papers (Cambridge), VIII, no. 1 (1920), 135. Reported also from a

Kentucky site.

• 59
 

62      OHIO ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

ical and typological evidence that has been discovered in Ohio and

other areas. There are four cultures in Ohio which are com-

pletely prehistoric, i. e., no evidence has come to light showing

that the peoples of these groups had any contact with the culture

of the white man. These cultures, known as "Intrusive Mound,"

Hopewell, Adena, and "Gravel Kame," had apparently reached

their climax and had passed out of existence as functioning units

before the discovery of the New World.

The "Intrusive Mound" culture is represented by several

mounds in Scioto County and by burials and artifacts intrusive in

mounds of the Hopewell culture at Mound City in Ross County.³¹

Culturally, it is apparently the equivalent of the Point Peninsula

culture of New York.³² Since burials of this culture were found

intrusive in Hopewell mounds it is considered to be post-Hope-

wellian in age.

The Hopewell culture is known from many sites distributed

throughout the Mississippi Valley and its tributaries, but one of

its most important centers is located in southern Ohio.           The

peoples of this culture were good craftsmen and made fine tools

and ornaments. They possessed an elaborate burial cult which in-

cluded the building of complicated earthworks and mounds and

the practice of placing large ceremonial offerings with their bur-

ials. Many of the Hopewell sites in Ohio were contemporaneous

with sites of the same culture in the Illinois River Valley and of

certain other areas.³³   Likewise the Copena culture of Alabama

and Tennessee evidently dates from the same time period.³⁴

Certain Copena-type artifacts, apparently representing trade pieces,

have been found in Ohio sites.35 As has been indicated, the Hope-

well culture antedates the "Intrusive Mound" culture.

 

31 W. C. Mills, "Exploration of the Mound City Group," O. S. A. H. Quart.,

XXXI (1922), 563-84.

32 W. A. Ritchie, "Culture Influences from Ohio in New York Archaeology,"

American Antiquity, II, no. 3 (1937), 188-93. See also, "A Perspective of North-

eastern Archaeology," ibid., IV, no. 2 (1938), 100-2.

33 J. B. Griffin and R. G. Morgan, eds., "Contributions to the Archaeology of

the Illinois River Valley," American Philosophical Society, Transactions (Philadel-

phia), New Series, XXXII, part I (1941), 47-9.

34 W. S. Webb, "An Archaeological Survey of Wheeler Basin on the Tennessee

River in Northern Alabama," Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of American Ethnology,

Bulletin (Washington), no. 122 (1939), 188-99.

35 H. C. Shetrone and E. F. Greenman, "Exploration of the Seip Group of Pre-

historic Earthworks," O. S. A. H. Quart. XL (1931), 416-24.

• 60
 

FAIRPORT HARBOR VILLAGE SITE                63

The Adena culture is represented by many mounds in the

southern half of the State. Mounds of this culture are present

in greater abundance than those of any other. Adena mounds

are also common in Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia. It

has been recognized that almost all of the Adena traits have their

counterparts in the Hopewell culture.³⁶ Furthermore, Hope-

wellian-type artifacts have been found in some of the Adena

mounds of Kentucky.³⁷ Evidence of this nature has supported

the view that the Adena culture may have preceded the Hopewell

culture and that it may have evolved into the Hopewell culture.38

In any case, it is apparent that they are definitely related to each

other and that they belong to the same general time period.

The "Gravel Kame" culture is known from burials in gravel

deposits in northwestern Ohio, southern Michigan and north-

eastern Indiana. The culture has not been well-defined but there

is a recurring complex including such objects as mocassin-shaped

shell gorgets, circular shell gorgets, shell beads, birdstones and

massive copper beads.³⁹ Chronological evidence is almost en-

tirely lacking but on typological grounds the "Gravel Kame"

culture has been placed tentatively in the general Adena-Hope-

well time period.

In addition to these four prehistoric cultures which have

been definitely delineated, there remains a large mass of archaeo-

logical material which has not been classified culturally. In the

main, the material in this category consists of surface finds,

although some of it is from the rock-shelters of eastern Ohio. The

rock-shelter material does not represent a distinct cultural unit

for it is evident that the shelters were occupied at various times

by different groups. A part of the shelter material can be as-

signed to several of the established cultures.

There are hundreds of specimens in Ohio collections which

fall into the so-called Bannerstone class. This type of material

is usually thought to belong to an early Woodland horizon. Some

38 E. F. Greenman, "Excavation of the Coon Mound and an Analysis of the

Adena Culture," loc. cit. XLI (1932), 493.

37 W. S. Webb, "The Wright Mounds," University of Kentucky, Reports in An.

thropology (Lexington), V, no. 1 (1940), 53-74.

38 Greenman, "Excavation of the Coon Mound," 487-502.

39 Field Notes, Department of Archaeology, Ohio State Museum.

• 61
 

64     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

of it may belong to the Adena-Hopewell time period but it is

probable that part of it may date from still earlier times. The

fluted-blades or Folsom-like points found in Ohio may be very

old, but it has not been demonstrated that they tie in with the

Folsom culture of the High Plains. No evidence is available to

classify the fluted-blades either culturally or chronologically.⁴⁰

Archaeological explorations in the Ohio area over a period

of years have added much to the archaeologist's knowledge of

the prehistoric Indian groups of the region. A number of dis-

tinct cultures have been recognized and characterized and a gen-

eral time sequence has been established for them. Investigations

in other areas have shown that some of these cultures had a wide

distribution. It is now possible for the archaeologist to make

larger comparisons and to view the Ohio cultures in relation

to the general prehistory of the eastern portion of the United

States.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

40 H. C. Shetrone, "The Folsom Phenomena as Seen from Ohio," O. S. A. H.

Quart., XLV (1936), 240-56.

• 62