Mary Beth Trubitt (Arkansas Archeological Survey, HSU Research Station)

In April, 2016, archeologists from the Ouachita National Forest and Arkansas Archeological Survey identified a new novaculite quarry site in Pike County. The team included Survey archeologist Mary Beth Trubitt and ONF Heritage Program Manager Roger Coleman, ONF district archeologists Maria Schleidt and Jimmie McKenzie, and ONF archeological technicians Raymond McGrath, Anthony Clay Newton, Clint Dalton, Jamie Chambliss, Trey Dunnagan, and Shannin Purtell.
Looking for the toolstone source for a nearby Early Archaic period site, the archeologists hiked up the south slope of the mountain to examine exposed novaculite outcrops for evidence of quarrying activity. We found battered outcrops, undercuts, and a possible trench feature, with quantities of novaculite debris covering the ground surface. Clear evidence of aboriginal quarrying took the form of large percussion flakes of fine-grained gray novaculite, several rough bifacially flaked blanks, and sandstone hammers and fragments. We did not see any temporally diagnostic artifacts during this visit.
Roger Coleman (Ouachita National Forest) gives background to the team prior to the quarry hike.
Roger Coleman (Ouachita National Forest) gives background to the team prior to the quarry hike.
This new quarry site has been reported to the Survey’s Registrar. Designated 3PI0591, it is the 591st archeological site recorded in Pike County, Arkansas. Novaculite quarries are an important site type in the Ouachita Mountains, but this is only the third novaculite quarry recorded in this county. This new information will be entered into the Automated Management of Archeological Site Data in Arkansas (AMASDA), and will also be incorporated into the Survey’s “Arkansas Novaculite: A Virtual Comparative Collection” website.
Raymond McGrath (Ouachita National Forest) examines a quarried novaculite outcrop.
Raymond McGrath (Ouachita National Forest) examines a quarried novaculite outcrop.
Fine-grained gray novaculite outcropped here, as seen by this large primary flake.
Fine-grained gray novaculite outcropped here, as seen by this large primary flake.
Discarded broken sandstone hammers were visible among the novaculite quarry debris.
Discarded broken sandstone hammers were visible among the novaculite quarry debris.