  The evidence for dwellings at Lawhorn rests on two burned structures, house 1 and house 3, and a fire basin and associated floor area adjacent to house 3. In the main, the evidence is as conclusive as to shape, ground plan and superstructure as is most such archaeological evidence from Mississippian sites. That no postmold patterns were discernable during the entire four years of work at Lawhorn must be taken at face value, especially when the cross sectional data from house 3 is considered. House 1This house was built on top of subsoil and was rectangular in shape (Fig. 31). The area of charred remains was ten feet by fifteen feet so that the house itself must have been at least that large and probably somewhat larger. Final excavation showed that no posts had been placed in the ground to support the superstructure. The charred material found on the floor indicated a house built of light poles, cane and thatch. There was no evidence of the use of daub on either walls or roof of the building. The main support poles were about .2 foot in diameter and poles half this size were interwoven to form a widely spread lattice work. Cane was fastened on this, apparently in layers, but there was no evidence as to whether this was woven or bound into mat form. There was no split cane in evidence, only whole cane poles (Fig. 32). Apparently the entire house was covered with thatch since evidence of it was found over the whole charred area and overlying the rest of the charred material. The house did not have a fired clay floor. The floor was highly compacted, however. There was a central firebasin made of puddled clay which was two feet in diameter, six inches deep with the lip level with the floor. It was filled with a white to reddish ash. To one side of the basin was a pile of ashes in which the skeleton of an infant was found. Outside the house was a refuse pit and another ash dump. Two mortars and six crude pestles were found on the floor close to the fire basin. Bone awls, pottery disks and bone beads were found on the floor. The list of specimens found in association with this house is as follows: four drilled pottery disks, three undrilled pottery disks, two projectile points, two bone awls, three bone beads and one pottery vessel. House 2This house had been built on top of subsoil and apparently, it partially underlay the northern portion of house 3 (Fig. 33 and 35). No new information came to light here but the size and shape apparently agreed with that of house 1. Here, the central section of the floor was hard burned and had been puddled with a clay and grass mixture before firing. Central to this floor area was an irregular and poorly shaped fire basin which was filled with white wood ash. Partially buried in this ash was a small broken shell tempered pottery bowl (Fig. 34). A few pieces of charred logs were found lying just above the floor of this house, but, they were too small and too few to be diagnostic of superstructure. It is even possible that these few pieces were from the house three conflagration. Figure 31. House Ground Plan Showing Charred Remains, Firebasin, Ash Dumps and Refuse Pit Figure 32. Charred Cane Poles and Grass, Part of House 1, Overlying Pottery Sherds Figure 33. Houses 2 and 3 House 3This house was thirteen by fifteen feet as indicated by the charred remains of the superstructure (Fig. 35). Many of the poles appeared to be rafters and were about .2 foot in diameter. Interwoven between them were small poles forming a loose lattice work wall or roof (Fig. 36). Several small sections of cane matting were found near the basal ends of many poles. Typically these were of small whole cane laid at right angles to the poles. At one location there was some split cane matting but it is questionable whether this was part of the wall construction or was a portion of the house furnishings. Several of the wall poles had basal ends still in place. These basal ends were apparently resting on the surface of the ground since they originated at the same level as the house floor. The group at the southwest corner of the house were .9 foot apart. Cross sectioning vertical cuts under these posts failed to yield any evidence of postmolds or rotted out underground portions of the poles (Fig. 37). The evidence would seem to be quite clear that there were none. There was considerable evidence of thatch throughout the burned areas although this was very fragmentary. There were several hard fired floor areas that seemed to have been made of puddled clay. The fireplace was not dug out but was simply a central area on the floor identified by the heavy burning, the concentration of ash, and a small broken bowl buried in this ash (Fig. 34). There was an ash pit to one side of the fireplace which cut down through feature 25, firebasin. There was no evidence of daub being used in the construction of the house. One internal feature of extreme interest was a log lying on the floor which had been hewn to shape (Fig. 38). This was not apparent in the field but was discovered when the specimen was brought into the lab. Careful study revealed that the top section of the log had been cut down leaving a ledge at right angles to it. The split cane matting already mentioned was found in association with this log and may well have been part of some house furnishings. Quite a number of specimens were found lying on the floor of this house including the strap handled water bottle (Fig. 15;5). Another broken vessel was beneath charred roof or wall timbers (Fig. 39). Outside the house there was a refuse pit and an infant burial. Specimens found on the floor are as follows: one whetstone, four pottery vessels, two broken celts, one projectile point, three drilled pottery disks, two bone awls, one chipped hoe, one hammerstone, one rectanguloid clay pad, one bottom of a wooden container and one antler tip. Much of the interpretation of the house superstructure seems to be based on good solid evidence, but, even so, much is still conjectural and will remain so until more evidence is forthcoming. The absence of postmolds and the positive evidence of wall poles originating on the ground level led to the judgement that in some way the structure leaned upon itself in self support (Table 5). Figure 34. Closeup of Pottery Vessel in House 2 Firebasin Figure 35. Ground Plan House 2 showing Firebasin and Burned Floor Area and House 3 Showing Details of the Burned Superstructure Figure 36. Charred Wattle Work Wall or Roof Section of House 3 Figure 37. Basal Ends of Poles along West Wall of House 3 Figure 38. Cross Sectioned Log from Floor of House 3 Figure 39. Broken Pottery Vessel Found Beneath Charted Wall or Roof Timbers in House 3
A hypothetical reconstruction (Fig. 40) is an ‘A’ frame building that makes use of all the archaeological data found here. Other forms might as easily be conceived including prefabrication of wall sections which could then be bound at the corners and braced outside against any roof thrust. There is no doubt that these dwellings were made of poles, cane and thatch and that these materials were assembled in such a way as to give strength and some degree of permanency to the house. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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