Archaeological Survey of Dogtooth Bend on the Mississippi River in AlexanderCounty, Illinois. St. Louis District Historic Properties Management Report Number 45

摘要

An archaeological survey of Dogtooth Bend, Alexander County, Illinois, wasconducted in June and July 1993. Doogtooth Bend is a large meander loop in the Mississippi River in extreme southwestern Illinois. The survey investigated 848 ha using tightly controlled survey methods. Excellent field conditions resulted in the definition of 93 archaeological sites. Five of the sites were revisits to previously recorded locations. A total of 143 prehistoric components from Middle Archaic to Mississippian was defined at 65 of the sites. Historic occupations were defined at 28 sites. The Mississippian component is dominated by the Dogtooth Bend Mound Center, with several hamlet-sized settlements and farmsteads dispersed from it. The archaeological survey was completed immediately before the great flood of 1993. Field observations made in the aftermath of the flood help to define the dynamic nature of the Dogtooth Bend environment and allows better management of its cultural resources.