2018-096-E AMS - Legacy Research Associates Morris Grove Cultural and Archtectural study

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 7D2C136C- F807- 49B1- 9FBO- 431FFACOA239 All work will follow the North Carolina Office of State Archaeology (NC OSA) guidelines that were updated in December 2017 (https://files.nc.gov/dncr- arch /OSA- Guidelines- Dec201 7.pdf). All information submitted in the technical report will be factual and sufficiently complete to enable Orange County to perform the necessary reviews. FIELD INVESTIGATIONS - TASK 1 The purpose of the fieldwork is to determine the presence or absence of prehistoric and /or historic archaeological resources on the property. With the exception of previously disturbed areas (existing buildings and graded and /or paved areas), the entire property will be subjected to a pedestrian survey to locate above - ground and surface features and artifacts. Intensive subsurface investigations will be conducted in areas that are determined to have a high probability for the presence of archaeological materials. Shovel testing will not be conducted in areas that are steeply sloped or wetlands. Shovel and /or auger testing will be excavated in areas of low ground- surface visibility at intervals determined by project mapping and field reconnaissance based on landform and presumed potential for the presence of archaeological sites. High - probability areas will be determined by project mapping and field reconnaissance. Factors that will be considered for determining high probability will be soil condition, landform, and distance to water. C. ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE EVALUATION INVESTIGATIONS - TASK 2 It is anticipated that no more than two locations with archaeological material will be documented during the survey for this project. Site testing will consist of close - interval subsurface shovel tests that are excavated on a cruciform pattern and /or intensive surface inspection, depending on site characteristics. Site boundaries will be based on (1) positive shovel test locations (two negative or sterile shovel tests in a row on the testing grid), (2) the distribution of surface artifacts, and (3) a natural barrier such as slope /hillside /creek /wetlands. The purpose of site testing will be to gather preliminary data on cultural affiliation, site size and boundaries, integrity, and significance in terms of eligibility for the NRHP. Shovel tests will measure at least 38 cm 0 5 inches) in diameter and will be excavated to sterile subsoil, the watertable, or underlying bedrock or subsoil. All excavated material will be sifted through' /4 -inch hardware mesh. The soil color and texture, as well as notes on the stratigraphic relationship of the artifacts, if recovered, will be recorded for all shovel tests. A sketch map of each site discovered will be produced, and the site and its limits will be entered on the project map. The location of each shovel test will be placed on the site sketch map, and notes will be maintained on the soil profiles and artifact content of each shovel test. Each site will be photographed and general notes will be taken concerning site location and condition. Standard recordation forms will be used in the field to record archaeological sites. Archaeological sites will be defined as occurrences of at least one artifact and /or a locale that exhibits evidence of intact surface or subsurface cultural features. All artifacts recovered will be bagged by site and intra -site provenience. The Principal Investigator and Field Director will maintain detailed notes on the survey methodology, sites identified on the survey, and relevant environmental factors. All sites identified during the survey will be delineated in the field by GIS -GPS technology and transferred onto scale /location mapping as shapefiles.