Could it possibly be a cobblestone threshing floor? Such paved areas have
been found on Spanish mission sites in California.
 
 
 
 
 
At 13:55 6/18/96 -0500, you wrote:
>Histarch participants have been so helpful in the past, I have another
>query. We excavated an unusual feature in Lee County in southeastern Iowa
>along Highway 218 this spring. The site was located in an area first settled
>in the 1840s called Clay Grove. The site was identified by a small amount of
>brick and limestone associated with an open cobble-lined well in the woods.
>The well is located outside of the impact area for the pending construction
>so we placed tests closer to the highway, 15 m west of the well  but within
>the wooded area. We did not expect to find much but uncovered a limestone
>cobble pavement approximately 1-x-2 m at roughly 40 cm below ground surface.
>The pavement was approximately 2 cobbles thick but without any obviously
>deliberate layering. Almost no artifacts were associated with the limestone
>cobbles other than four complete or nearly complete soft mud bricks, a
>broken but complete medicine bottle, and a complete soda/mineral bottle. The
>few artifacts recovered indicate an ca. 1850-1880 time period. My question
>is what could the cobble pavement be. The water table is so high that our
>units were constantly filling with water and this was in April when we were
>still in our "drought" before the rains began again. Suggestions we have
>received include some sort of drainage tile system or the floor of a water
>trough for cattle/horses. We were not able to test nearer to the limestone
>well where there appears to be a pile of building rubble because it was
>outside of the area of impact. If anyone has any ideas on what this
>limestone cobble pavement may have functioned as I would appreciate the
>input. We are particularly interested in what other types of archaeological
>features might be expected to be found with such a pavement.
>
>Thanks for your input.
>
>Susan Snow
>Project Archaeologist
>Office of the State Archaeologist
>University of Iowa
>Iowa City, Iowa 52242
>
>(319) 335-2396
>(319) 335-2776 FAX
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