Phase I Archaeological Survey - Anthropology Prime Account

3 Introduction This proposal has been prepared in response to a request from staff of the KYTC for a cost estimate and proposal for conducting Phase I Archaeological Survey of two unsurveyed parcels along the US 150 realignment in Lincoln County, Kentucky. These parcels were unsurveyed in the miginal Phase I investigations because landowners denied access. Now the Commonwealth owns the property, and the unsurveyed parcels can be assessed. This investigation is intended to provide specific infonnation conceming the nature and distribution of cultural resources within the project area. The work that is proposed will include a review of the existing archaeological sites and an evaluation of the extant documentary and cartographic sources pertaining to the project area and its vicinity. This information will serve as the basis for the design and completion of a Phase I archaeological survey, using a combination of surface and subsurface investigative techniques. Description of Project Area The proposed project involves archaeological survey of two unsurveyed parcels along the proposed realignment of US highway 150 (Altemater D) southeast of the town of Crab Orchard in Lincoln County, Kentucky. These parcels were not surveyed in the original Phase I assessment of the US 150 realignment due to landowner denial of access (Richmond et al. 1998). Now these two tracts are owned by the Commonwealth, so archaeological survey can be completed. Based on maps supplied by KYTC, one tract is about 100 meters wide and 300 meters long (3.0 ha), while the other is about 100 meters wide and 160 meters long (!.6 ha). The total area to be surveyed is about 4.6 ha. In addition to survey of these parcels, KYTC has requested that UK-PAR provide a definitive determination of whether site 15Li6 is located within the proposed alignment. The reported location of 15Li6 in the OSA files is within one of the two unsurveyed tracts, but the original survey (Richmond et al. 1998:9) placed l5Li6 several hundred meters south of the proposed ROW alignment. The location of 15Li6 needs to be resolved. The project area is in a combination of upland and small stream flood plain settings. The larger of the parcels is on an upland summit and shoulders in pasture, while the smaller is in the flood plain of Flax Creek. Shovel testing will be employed in both parcels, but some deep testing of alluvial depositional environments also will be necessary. This will be accomplished by using a bucket auger to sample sediments to a depth of about !.5 meters below surface in at least 4 locations (two deep auger holes on each side of Flax Creek).