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Title
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A Phase I Cultural Resources Assessment of Project Compass on Nannahubba Bluff, Mobile County, Alabama
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Date
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2006
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Bibliographic Citation
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Stowe, Noel Read, Rebecca Stowe, and Jason Gardner. 2006. A Phase I Cultural Resources Assessment of Project Compass on Nannahubba Bluff, Mobile County, Alabama. Report submitted to Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce. Archaeological Services, Inc., Lucedale.
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annotates
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• The project area (both the 1974, 2000, and 2006 surveys) is on the Naniaba Bluff/Seaboard Bluff/Beaufort aka Blue Ford which roughly based on various colonial maps of the upper Delta, would be in the area of the Tome/Naniaba. The Taitt map shows Naniaba Island, “Old Indian Fields” and other Native American habitation sites in the area of this cluster of sites. Hamilton reported that the mounds [of the Naniaba] could still be seen at Seaboard wharf.
• The site forms for sites 1MB83-91 are confusing, the sites were apparently documented by Stowe in 1974/1975, but the forms were never turned in. A resurvey of the parcel was completed in 2000 (no citation provided) and no update to the forms, or rather no new information other than they could see the outlines of the 70s test units.
• The 2006 survey did conduct shovel tests, however they also refer back to shovel tests from the 2000 survey—these reports are not in the ASSF mapper.
• It appears that the forms were never submitted so in 2006 for the project cited above they were submitted and became:
o 1MB83 = 1MB401
▪ Seventeen 5-x-5 ft units dug in 1974, which found features but no artifacts, yet they state the site has a Gulf Formational, Bayou la Batre, and Alexander and Tchefuncte sherds. The site form includes “Pine Tree” and “19th century nonaboriginal” as components.
▪ Unclear what was completed at the site in 2006, but it does not appear any additional artifacts were found?
o 1MB84 = 1MB402
▪ Recorded as a Late Woodland site, or Baytown?
▪ Seven 5-x-5 ft units were excavated in 1974.
▪ Could not relocate the site in 2000.
▪ 2006 survey did not relocate it or it was outside of the APE.
o 1MB85 = 1MB403
▪ Recorded as Bayou la Batre and “19th century nonaboriginal”
▪ Purported to be the location of the Sims Plantation.
▪ Site not relocated during 2006 survey, and it appears only a surface collection was made in 1974.
o 1MB86 = 1MB404
▪ Recorded as having sand tempered plain pottery, as well as 18th and 19th century non-aboriginal “components” however Stowe et al. (2006:15) reported “blue shell edge ware” and a glass trade bead were collected from the surface.
▪ No excavations at the site.
▪ No additional work in 2006, or no attempt to relocate it.
o 1MB87 = 1MB405
▪ Bayou la Batre, 19th and 20th century nonaboriginal are reported components.
▪ During the 1974 excavations, construction workers reported human remains, and Stowe excavated a skeleton that he stated was relatively recent (“last 100 years”) (Stowe et al. 2006:16) along with 17 lead shotgun pellets. According to the report, and local lore, the body was that of an African American man who was killed for not paying his bill at a local store. The body was “excavated and stored at the USA Archaeology Lab” (Stowe et al. 2006:16).
▪ Unclear if any additional excavations were completed at any point in time although they state that the site has been completely eroded away.
o 1MB88 = 1MB406
▪ Site components with ASSF listed as Elora and sand tempered plain
▪ Report states that in 1974, a hearth was eroding out of the bank of the creek with black organic soil and charcoal in association with the Elora hafted biface (Stowe et al. 2006:16).
▪ Unclear if any shovel testing was ever conducted at the site, but the 2006 report states that it was “completely disturbed” in 1974 and no work was done to relocate it in 2006.
o 1MB89 = 1MB407
▪ ASSF states Bayou la Batre component, 2006 report states Native American human remains were found as well as a feature.
▪ In 1974, four 5-x-5 ft “squares” were excavated.
▪ No additional work conducted at the site in 2006, they believe the site to be part of 1MB401.
o 1MB90 = 1MB408
▪ ASSF states the site has Pensacola and 19th century nonaboriginal components (based on tin-glazed and plain earthenwares, as well as a musket ball and a “square” nail).
▪ Stowe et al. (2006:17) surmised that it was the location of a structure on the Sims Plantation.
▪ One 5-x-5 ft unit was excavated in 1974, although no additional information is provided.
▪ He goes on to state that the site was relocated in 2000, but it was destroyed, and it was again revisited in 2006 where a small scatter of artifacts was “observed.”
o 1MB91 = 1MB409
▪ ASSF form states fiber tempered sherds, Bayou la Batre, and 18th/19th century components, 2006 report states Mulberry Creek cord marked pottery was recovered and “English style gunflints, nails, and transferware” were all found in the 1974 work (Stowe et al. 2006:18).
▪ In 1974, two 5-x-5 ft units were excavated, but either no additional work was done or those units were abandoned due to the site being “badly disturbed.”
▪ The site was no revisited or relocated in 2000 or 2006.