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COLLECTION 1934.009

EXCAVATIONS AT THE BESSEMER SITE, SITE 1JE12

JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA

This collection was obtained during excavations at the Bessemer site by the Alabama Museum of Natural History, University of Alabama. The Bessemer site consisted of three mounds and a surrounding village area. The mounds were termed the ceremonial mound, the burial mound, and the domiciliary mound. Each mound was originally numbered separately, Sites 1Je12-14, respectively. Site number 1Je12 is now applied to the entire site. The excavations began with the ceremonial mound (1Je12) in 1934 under the direction of Carl E. Guthe of the University of Michigan, who was teaching a six week course in archaeology at Birmingham-Southern College. The Alabama Museum of Natural History completed the excavation after the end of that course. Excavation of the ceremonial mound was completed in 1935. The other two mounds were excavated in 1939-1940 under the Work Projects Administration.

The ceremonial mound was an oval, 130 ft by 102 ft at the base and with a 95 ft by 55 ft platform. The mound was 20 ft high. At the western end of the platform was a small secondary oval mound called the knob. The knob was 8 ft high with a round summit 28 ft in diameter. The mound had never been plowed and its form was well defined. Three zones were defined within the mound proper. A pavement of limestone slabs and angular pieces underlay most of the mound. This was covered by 3 ft of white sand and then by 7 ft of clay and loam. The knob was made up of an additional 8 ft of clay and loam. A thin humus layer under the knob indicated that a short time passed between completion of the primary mound and construction of the knob.

The domiciliary mound was a truncated pyramid 11 ft high. It’s platform was 60 ft by 60 ft and the base was approximately 120 ft in diameter. Six zones or fills were defined in the mound. Fill 1 was the primary mound. A stepped ramp was located at the southeast corner of this fill. Fill 1 was covered by Fill 2 which expanded the mound greatly but added less than a foot to its height. Fill 3 consisted of a small mound located on the southeast corner of Fill 2. Fill 4 was an expansion of this small mound. Fill 5 capped this small mound and extended out over a larger area of Fill 2. Fill 6 was a second cap covering Fill 5. Ten complete or partial structure patterns were located in the mound along with other wall trenches, partial trenches, and numerous isolated postholes.

The burial mound contained two construction zones. Fill 1, the primary mound, was a steep sided platform 3 ft high and measuring 50 ft by 42 ft. The western corner of the mound was inset with a more gradual slope which may have served as a ramp to the upper surface. Fill 1 was surrounded by a palisade set approximately 10 ft to 12 ft from the base of the mound. Most of the remaining palisade showed a double row of posts. Fill 2 was circular and completely covered the primary mound, changing its shape. The outer edge of Fill 2 was generally tangent to the palisade which surrounded Fill 1. A total of 22 burials had been placed in and adjacent to the burial mound.

The excavations at the ceremonial and domiciliary mounds were expanded into the surrounding areas, where a number of additional structure patterns were discovered. Most of these structures were similar to those in the domiciliary mound. They were rectangular wall trench structures. Several had clay hearths or packed clay floors. One had a clay seat. Two circular patterns of individually set posts were found near the domiciliary mound. Perhaps the most interesting structure pattern consisted of Structures 12 and 13, located to the east of the domiciliary mound. Structure 13 was a rectangular structure like the others at the site. Structure 12, however, was an apparent palisade or enclosure centered on one side of Structure 13. The enclosure surrounded an oval area 76 ft long with Structure 13 centered on one long side. Opposite Structure 13 was an opening 18 ft wide and flanked by wall trenches. The two short sides of the enclosure were marked by overlapping lines of posts, perhaps forming gateways into the enclosure.

The Bessemer site has played an important and changing role in the interpretation of Mississippian developments in central Alabama. The Bessemer site report noted a close similarity between the Bessemer site materials and those from Moundville, but noted some differences as well. One of the major differences was the presence of pottery combining typical Late Woodland paste and Mississippian vessel forms. This later led to Bessemer being considered a very early expression of Moundville culture. A better understanding of Mississippian ceramics, however, indicated that the Bessemer site was occupied for a longer period. The Bessemer site is now considered to be part of a separate Mississippian polity centered on the Birmingham-Big Canoe Valley, similar to Moundville but distinct from it.

Field specimens from Bessemer were organized by the original site number and material type. The field specimens from each site were accessioned first and were followed by the pottery sherds. There are 210 lots of specimens, occupying 5 cubic feet. There are 23 folders of accompanying documentation. The field records include field notes, plans and profiles of the excavations, feature forms, burial forms, the photo log, and excavators’ reports. The laboratory records include the F.S. list and pottery catalog, plus records from analysis of ceramics and human remains. Correspondence and administrative records are also included. Specimens and documents in this collection were curated with assistance of the National Endowment for the Humanities under Grant PA-50138-03. The photographs associated with this specimen collection have not been accessioned. They are temporarily stored in the Scientific Collections Building on the campus of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. The human remains from Bessemer are located at the Laboratory for Human Osteology on the University of Alabama campus.

 

Click the Thumbnail Image for a Larger Picture

Early Stage of Ceremonial Mound Excavation Showing a Series of 5 ft Cuts, Site 1Je12

A Section of the 45 Line Profile of the Ceremonial Mound with the Rock Floor in the Foreground, Site 1Je12

Rock Floor under the Ceremonial Mound with the L14 Line Units Unexcavated, Site 1Je12

Rock Floor under the Ceremonial Mound Completely Excavated, Site 1Je12

Structure Pattern 4, Located 60 ft North of the Ceremonial Mound, Site 1Je12

1941 Laboratory Photograph of Mississippi Plain and Moundville Incised Rim Sherds, Site 1Je12

1941 Laboratory Photograph of Arrow Points, Site 1Je12
Burial Mound Cleared of Undergrowth, Site 1Je12
East Corner of Double Palisade around the Burial Mound, Site 1Je12
West Corner of Double Palisade around the Burial Mound, Site 1Je12
Southeast Side of Double Palisade around the Burial Mound, Site 1Je12

1941 Laboratory Photograph of a Moundville Engraved Pedestaled Bowl from the Burial Mound, Site 1Je12

1941 Laboratory Photograph of a Mississippi Plain Bottles from the Burial Mound, Site 1Je12

1941 Laboratory Photograph of a Carthage Incised Bowl from the Burial Mound, Site 1Je12

Beginning Excavation along 30 Line Trench, Domiciliary Mound, Site 1Je12

Field Crew Seated on the Domiciliary Mound, Site 1Je12
General View of Domiciliary Mound Excavations, Site 1Je12
Profile of the Domiciliary Mound along 45 Line, Site 1Je12

Fill 3, a Small Square Mound atop Fill 2, Domiciliary Mound, Site 1Je12

Profile of Fills 2, 3, and 4, Domiciliary Mound, Site 1Je12

Structure Patterns on Top of South Half of Fill 2, Domiciliary Mound, Site 1Je12

Structure Patterns on Top of North Half of Fill 2, Domiciliary Mound, Site 1Je12

Excavating Ash and Charcoal from Feature 5, a Clay Hearth, Domiciliary Mound, Site 1Je12

Exposing Feature 19, a Stepped Ramp on Fill 1, Domiciliary Mound, Site 1Je12

Feature 19, a Stepped Ramp on Fill 1, Domiciliary Mound, Site 1Je12

Feature 20, a Pile of Stones on the Humus Layer under Fill 1, Domiciliary Mound, Site 1Je12

Removal of Plow Zone in the Village Area Excavations, Site 1Je12

Outlining Structure Patterns in the Village Area Excavations, Site 1Je12

Structure Pattern 12, the Stockade, East of the Domiciliary Mound, Site 1Je12

Structure Patterns 2, 3, and 4, Northwest of the Domiciliary Mound, Site 1Je12

Structure Pattern 14, East of the Domiciliary Mound, Site 1Je12

Circular Structure 9, Rectangular Patterns 10 and 11, Northwest of the Domiciliary Mound, Site 1Je12

Circular Structure Pattern 8, Northwest of the Domiciliary Mound, Site 1Je12

Structure Patterns 5, 6, 7, and 8, Northwest of the Domiciliary Mound, Site 1Je12

Artist's Reconstruction of Structure Patterns 12 and 13, East of the Domiciliary Mound, Site 1Je12

Field Drawing of Structure Patterns 2, 3, and 4, Northwest of the Domiciliary Mound, Site 1Je12

 

CATALOGING

Specimens : 210 lots, complete.

Documents : 23 folders, complete.

Negatives : None cataloged.

Transparencies : None cataloged.

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

DeJarnette, David L.

     1935    Progress Report of Work on Mound and Village Site near Bessemer, Alabama. In-house report of the Alabama Museum of Natural History, University of Alabama, University.

     1939a  Progress Report on Archaeological Investigations in Alabama, July 1, 1939 – September 30, 1939. Report submitted to the Work Projects Administration, Washington by the Alabama Museum of Natural History, University of Alabama, University.

     1939b  Progress Report on Archaeological Investigations in Alabama, October 1, 1939 – December 31, 1939.                 Report submitted to the Work Projects Administration, Washington by the Alabama Museum of Natural History,                 University of Alabama, University.

     1940a  Progress Report on Archaeological Investigations in Alabama, April 1, 1940 – June 30, 1940. Report submitted to the Work Projects Administration, Washington by the Alabama Museum of Natural History, University of Alabama, University.

     1940b  Progress Report on Archaeological Investigations in Alabama, January 1, 1940 – March 31, 1940. Report submitted to the Work Projects Administration, Washington by the Alabama Museum of Natural History, University of Alabama, University.

     1940c  Progress Report on Archaeological Investigations in Alabama, July 1, 1940 – September 30, 1940. Report                 submitted to the Work Projects Administration, Washington by the Alabama Museum of Natural History,                 University of Alabama, University. 

     1942    Progress Report on Archaeological Investigations in Alabama, January 1942 – March, 1942. Report submitted to the Work Projects Administration, Washington by the Alabama Museum of Natural History, University of Alabama, University.

DeJarnette, David L., and Steve B. Wimberly

     1941    The Bessemer Site: Excavation of Three Mounds and Surrounding Village Areas near Bessemer,                 Alabama. Museum Paper 17. Geological Survey of Alabama, University of Alabama, University. 

Peebles, Christopher S.

     1971    Moundville and Surrounding Sites: Some Structural Considerations of Mortuary Practices II. In Approaches to the Social Dimensions of Mortuary Practices, edited by James A. Brown, pp. 68-91. Memoir 25. Society for American Archaeology, Washington.

Walthall, John A., and Steve B. Wimberly

     1978    Mississippian Chronology in the Black Warrior Valley: Radiocarbon Dates from Bessemer and Moundville. Journal of Alabama Archaeology 24(2):118-124. 

Welch, Paul D.

     1990    Mississippian Emergence in West-Central Alabama. In The Mississippian Emergence, edited by Bruce D. Smith, pp. 197-225. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington. 

     1994    The Occupational History of the Bessemer Site. Southeastern Archaeology 13(1):1-26.