Surface survey and Archaic settlement patterns in the B.F. Grant Forest

Abstract

A pedestrian archaeological survey was conducted in the B.F. Grant Forest in northwestern Putnam County, Georgia. The survey focused on clear cut stands in the eastern and central portions of the forest. Weather prevented the normal clearing of secondary growth from clear cut stands, thus the survey was conducted on the bulldozer tracts around the perimeter of the nine stands. The survey identified 45 sites from various archaeological periods in Georgia, but special attention was given to sites dating to the Archaic period. Unfortunately only one of the newly discovered sites dated to the Archaic period. A review of known Archaic period sites in the B.F. Grant forest was performed revealing approximately 35 Archaic sites or sites with Archaic components. An analysis of the distribution of these sites was performed to establish if the distribution matched current models for Archaic period settlement patterns in Georgia.