Stripping the Lot, 2002

2002 Season

Excavation in 2002 was directed by Colonial Williamsburg project archaeologist Mark Kostro, with the help of an archaeological field school from the College of William & Mary.

During the first two field seasons at the Atkinson site, the work consisted primarily of thorough, meticulous recording and excavation of the plow-disturbed soils or “plowzone” in an attempt to see what kinds of spatial patterning of the artifacts and botanical remains was still intact, and to expose the architectural features of buildings that once stood on the site. This painstaking field strategy helped demonstrate that, like other artifacts, certain kinds of stratigraphic and botanical evidence retain some spatial integrity, despite the damage caused by plowing. By the end of the 2000 season the archaeologists and students had also successfully exposed for the first time the posthole remnants of a three-bay earthfast dwelling and a large artifact-rich refuse pit cut into the side of a ravine adjacent to the structure. The full excavation of the earthfast structure and the associated pit would be completed during the following summer.

As the excavation of the earthfast structure and the refuse pit progressed, archaeologists working at the site began to also wonder about the nature of the space surrounding the structure and the pit. In particular, landscape features such as fence lines and outbuildings had thus far escaped detection. The knowledge of where these features were once located are important clues to interpreting the location of various activity areas around the site. Unfortunately, however, a rigorous archaeological survey in 2001 of the surrounding area failed to pinpoint to locations of any additional features.


Students “clean” the site after the remaining area has been stripped using a backhoe.		The Quarter after excavation.

In the summer of 2002, the fourth and final season of fieldwork as the Atkinson site, the attention of the archaeologists shifted away from the house and pit in favor of a dedicated investigation the surrounding landscape. After the disappointment of the previous season to successfully identify evidence of additional landscape features or structures, the decision was made to drastically alter the excavation strategy for 2002. For three days in May, the archaeologists laid down their shovels and hand trowels in favor of a more efficient means of excavation. Under the careful watch of the archaeologists, a backhoe was brought in to remove all the plow-disturbed soil in a wide area around the structure. The results exceeded everyone’s expectations, as the backhoe exposed the posthole remains of at least three additional earthfast structures, two fence lines, and a small refuse pit. At least one of the freshly exposed structures was interpreted as a dwelling or quarter, and may have been occupied by indentured servants or slaves working on the small plantation. Particularly intriguing was the fact that each of the newly exposed buildings were separated from the main dwelling by a fence line that divided the property into two distinct areas which has fueled speculation that houselot was ordered into distinct activity areas associated with the occupants of the main dwelling juxtaposed against those of the quarter’s occupants. Once the backhoe left the site, the excavation of these features commenced and occupied the archaeologists and field school students for the remainder of the summer. In addition, an additional trench was also excavated through another section of the ravine that bordered the site. It exposed a large charcoal-rich layer of debris that was also excavated in 2002.


Teaching assistant Dan Sayers supervises the excavation of a trench through the ravine on the east side of the site.		Field school students map and excavate postholes in the east-west fence line.

What We Found