I've had several inquiries about this.  If I'm remembering correctly (I 
didn't take notes), it was actually a peripheral comment in Frank 
Vento's paper entitled: "Deep Loot": Results of the Geomorphological 
Deep Testing Grant - Upper Allegheny and Clarion Rivers, Pennsylvania.  
He did not discuss the effect of this process on the distribution or 
re-deposition of artifacts.  His focus in this paper was on soils and 
sediments and where sites have the potential to occur.  I just thought 
it was an interesting point and I see from the comments that similar 
effects have been noticed by others.  Vento did not provide copies of 
his paper and I can't seem to find his email address. But if someone is 
particularly interested, he can probably be reached at Mercyhurst 
College, PA, where he teaches anthropology.
Meli Diamanti


Timothy Scarlett wrote:
> Very interesting Meli,
> I'd like to know more about this study.  Did the authors measure the 
> differential effect of this upon various artifacts, by size or 
> specific gravity for example?
> Cheers,
> Tim
>
> Timothy Scarlett
> Assistant Professor of Archaeology
> Department of Social Sciences
> Michigan Technological University
> [log in to unmask]
> (906)487-2359 (office)
> (906)487-2468 (fax)
> ------------------------
>
>
> On Apr 25, 2007, at 10:04 AM, Meli Diamanti wrote:
>
>> Last weekend I was at the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology 
>> meetings, and there was a paper in which they mentioned the effect of 
>> seasonal draw-downs (in which a lake level is lowered in anticipation 
>> of flood season).  Sites would normally have been found in the old 
>> plow zone, but the draw-down effect was describved as being like 
>> pulling the plug in a bath tub.  The topsoil had been drained away 
>> from the shallower areas of the lake, leaving only subsoil, and had 
>> accumulated in the lower part of the lake, leaving thicker sediments 
>> overlying the original surface there.  Interesting.
>> Meli Diamanti