Two Rivers Site (23SH101), 2016
This year the Odyssey field crew, under the direction of Dr. Jack Hofman (KU Department of Anthropology) and Jack Ray (Center for Archaeological Research, Missouri State University) investigated the Two Rivers site (23SH101), a previously recorded Paleoindian occupation at the confluence of the Current and Jacks Fork rivers within the National Park Service's Ozark National Scenic Riverway (Photo 1). Many high discharge springs and abundant chert deposits in the area must have made this an attractive location for Paleoindian people. Excavations at Two Rivers focused on deposits associated with a buried soil and underlying alluvium (Photo 2). Dr. Rolfe Mandel, Executive Director of the Odyssey research program, investigated the complex stratigraphy of the site (Photo 3). The Odyssey crew excavated and screened through the multiple cultural levels (Photo 4 and Photo 5), and chipped stone artifacts were collected from the screens (Photo 6) and piece-plotted. Diagnostic artifacts recovered from the site span about 10,000 years, indicating that people repeatedly occupied Two Rivers.
Photo 1: The Odyssey crew at Big Spring in the Ozark National Scenic Riverway. From left: Laura Krische, Barb Crable, Bradley Saint, Josh Collins, Jack Hofman, Steven Dyle, Jeff Shelton, Jack Ray
Photo 2: Test units at Two Rivers.
Photo 3: Rolfe Mandel (left) and Jack Hofman (right) discuss the stratigraphy at Two Rivers.
Photo 4: Excavations into the previously un-tested alluvium beneath the buried soil at Two Rivers.
Photo 5: Profile exposed in excavation unit with buried soil at Two Rivers.
Photo 6: Sorting material recovered from the screen at Two Rivers.
Text by Kale Bruner