/

THE WHORLEY EARTHWORH

John D. Speth
For three weeks in July and a single weekend in September, 1965,
excavations were conducted by the Museum of Anthropology of the Uni-
versity of Michigan at the Whorley Earthwork, 20 BR 6, located on the
east shore of Gilead Lake, Section 7, T. 8S., R: 7 W. in Branch County,
Michigan. The crew consisted of Edward Rutsch of New York Universi-
ty, Douglas Bridges and David Hall of the University of Michigan, and
was directed by the author. .
In plan view the earthwork approximates a semicircle with aradius
of 135 feet to the north toward the lake (Figure 1). Both arms
or extensions of the earthwork terminate 10 to 15 feet from the bank of
the lake, blending imperceptibly into the surrounding terrain. The total
area bounded by the structure (plaza) is nearly 45,300 square feet or
. slightly over one acre. The embankment ranges in width from a mini-
mm? of 10 feet in the south, where a road has removed or leveled a
portion of the structure, to a maximum of more than 20 feet along por-
tions of the east extension, where the road has also caused distortion of
the original profile. Maximum relief of the embankment ranges between

I
i z i
{
\ .. \.
"\ ......
13
;,. ........
40 40
SCALE IN fEET
Figure 1. The Earthwork.
211
/
212 MICHIGAN ARCHAEOLOGIST Vol. 12, No.4
1.0 and 1.5 feet with respect to the plaza and between .5 and 1.0 feet
with respect to the exterior. Shape in cross section is variable ranging
from a nearly perfect normal curve to a slightly skewed form with the
steep slope toward the interior. The presence of a ditch is suggested at
frequent intervals along the exterior" especially in the southeast, by
"mucky" soil indicating a slight depression. Excavation revealed a
second rather small ditch along the interior .flank partially or com-
pletely buried bene8,-th the bulk of the earthwork. No gates or entrance-
ways could be discerned on the and none were exposed during
the course of the excavation. The site occupies a slight rise in the local
morainic topography surrounded by swales on the east and south and by
a rather gentle downslope on the west. To the north the bank of the 'lake
drops rapidly 8 to 10 feet and levels out on the modern beach. The bank
is presently covered with cobbles hauled from nearby fields. A brief
survey of the area and discussions with local' residents disclosed no
mounds or significant surface finds other than the earthwork itself. An
occasional projectile point has been found along the shore of the lake
and innearby fields.
Work was begun with a series of trenches at the north end of the
east extension which had the highest relief and was relatively free of
dense vegetation. Considerable time was spent in delineating postmolds
and charred post fragments on the embankment allowing insufficient
time for adequate testing of the plaza and exterior. Obviously, a great
deal of additional work is necessary before any conclusive statements
can be made regarding the nature, uses, and cultural affiliations of the
earthwork. '
Two 10 by 24 foot trenches were laid out perpendicular to the em-
bankment, separated from each other by four feet of balk maintained
for stratigraphic control. Trench East I (designated TE I) was exca-
vated in horizontal units of 0.1 foot depth per unit. TE I was sub-
sequently divided into TE Ia and TE Ib to facilihlte the location and de-
lineation of postmolds and charcoal distribution. TE IT was excavated
in vertical profile units parallel to the axis of the earfuwork to an ar-
bitrary depth in the sterile .reddish- brown sand clay and gravel (level 5)
beginning in the extreme east of the trench and working toward Datum I
in one foot increments. Both techniques proved inadequate and were
abandoned in favor of units corresponding to the natural stratigraphy of
the site as determined in the balk and by texture and color changes in
the fill. This method was preferable because depressions in the origin-
al surface of the earthwork became filled with humus which, when exca-
vated in arbitrary horizontal units, produced numerous pockets of dark
fill often resembling and easily confused with features and postmolds.
Vertical profiles parallel to the axis provided little data not readily ob-
tained from the section exposed in the balk and were inadequate for lo-
cating postmolds. They were used, instead, to confirm the presence of
features once delineated by other means. For additional stratigraphic
/
1966 THE WHORLEY EARTHWORK
/TEIV
T E VIII
....n/.
TE IX

- "
TE III "i
T E VII
TE X
! /
TE XI
/
'\:
10 0
scale in feet
KEY
POSJMOLD
CHARRED POS,J
I FRAGMENTS

\
10
,
iTE VI
1 -
_2
3-
4-


: &n.
It
f 2 /
I !
. .. ."
: a:,
213
"--
Figure 2. Excavation Units Showing Postmolds and Charcoal Distribution.
214
MICHIGAN ARCHAEOLOGIST Vol. 12, No.4
control, a soil test pit was excavated well i,nto level 5 to the east of the
earthwork (Figure 2).
The sod (level 1) was stripped from the various trenches and
screened to check for cultural material at, or immediately beneath, the
surface. No such material Below the sod throughout the
site was a level of grayish-black sandy loam (level 2) ranging from 0.2
to 0.6 foot in thickness and containing considerable organic malter. On
the embankment level 2 graded into the underlying light yellow-
ish-brown sandy loam (level 3) which constituted the major construc-
tional unit of the earthwork. Level 3 ranged from 0.7 to 1.5 feet in
thickness at the crest pinching out laterally toward the flanks and to the
north 8 to 10 feet from the bank of the lake. This unit consisted offine
to medium, subrounded, clear quartz sand with virtually no gravel.
Underlying level 3 on the earthwork and underlying level 2 elsewhere
was a culturally sterile light yellowish-brown - sandy silt and gravel
level 4) ranging in thickness from less than.O.2 foot in TE XII, to 0.8
foot in TE Ib, to a maximum of over 1.0 foot in the plaza and on the ex-
terior. Beneath level 4 was an undetermined thickness of culturally
sterile reddish-brown sandy clay gravel (level 5).
No soil horizon waS found underlying the structure between level
3 and level 4. The irregular nature of the superface of level 4 beneath
the earthwork, the marked thickening of _level 4 immediately beyond the
flanks of the earthwork, and its correspondingly more regular super-
face beyond the flanks suggest that the proposed location of the struc-
ture was stripped of sod prior to construction. Subsequently, a rela:-
tively small quantity of fill may have been scraped toward the center of
the location forming an outer and an inner ditch on either side of a
small central ridge (Figure 3). Additional material was needed to build
up the total mass of the embankment. __ The low organic and pebble con-
tent of level 3 suggests that the fill was not obtained directly from the
surrounding morainic terrain, but, instead, was derived from the lake
or other suitable source. Both ditches were virtually obliterated by
subsequent erosion and slump and were evident only occasionally on the
surface.
Postmolds were found in a line parallel to the axis and 1.5 to 2.5
feet west of the crest of the earthwork in TE VI and TE XII (Figure 2).
.9
i
.sCALf: IN FrET
Figure 3. Cross Section A-B. See Figure 2 for Location.
/
1966 THE WHORLEY EARTHWORK 215
Molds in plan view averaged 0.3 foot in diameter and were slightly
elliptical (molds 1,2,3 and4 trended north-south; molds 5 to 18 trended
northwest-southeast), The distance between postmolds averaged ap-
proximately 0.85 foot measuring center to center and in vertical profile
indicated postconstructional slump to the south and southeast at an
angle equal to or less than 30 degrees from the vertical. Post bases were
tapered ranging from broadly rounded to sharply pointed, the latter
predominating. Post bases generally extended between 0.4 and 0.6 foot
below the superface of level 2 into level 3, seldom penetrating level 4,
and never reaching level 5. How far below the original surface of the
earthwork the posts extended is unknown. The molds consisted of fine
to medium sand high in organic content but without cultural material or
charcoal. The vertical profile of the earthwork indicated a definite de-
pression two to three feet in width and less than one foot in depth paral-
lel to the axis on the interior flank. All of the postmolds were dis-
covered in the depression (Figure 3). In the north half of TE Ib the de-
pression had been destroyed by erosion and slump. In the south half of
TE Ib, TE III, and TE V, large sections of charred posts were found ly-
ing within the depression. Illuviated carbon from the posts produced a
uniformly dark zone beneath the depression, virtually obliterating any
trace of postmolds. Molds were clearly recognized only where the
charred remains of posts were not found. Apparently only those posts
or post fragments which fortuitously collapsed more or less parallel to
the axis and subsequently came to rest in the depression were pre-
served. The almost total absence of charcoal of any size within the de-
pression as well as on the flanks in the south half of TE VI TE XII
suggests that perhaps only restricted portions of the structure burned.
The burned fragments were of Quercus rubra L. (Red Oak), Ostrya
(Mill.) K. Koch (American Hop-Hornbeam), Fraxinus ameri-
cana L. (White Ash) and Betula sp. (Birch) in order of decreasing
abundance. The taxonomic nomenclature is based on Gray's Manual of
Botany (Fernald 1950). Post fragment 15, Ostrya virginiana (Mill.) K.
Koch, from TE V (Figure 4), was submitted to the Radiocarbon Labor-
atories of the University of Michigan (Sample M-1758); a date of A.D.
1080 :: 100 was obtained. Two nearly complete posts, Post A of red oak
and Post B of American hop-hornbeam, were clearly evident from the
charcoal distribution (Figure 4). Post A yielded a minimum length of
- 7.3 feet and Post B yielded a mjnimum length of 7.0 feet. The posts
ranged from approximately 0.4 foot in diameter at the base to 0.25 foot
in diameter at the apex from north to south indicating that the posts fell
from the north. The fragments of white ash and birch formed four gen-
erically distinct clusters oriented conSistently oblique to or perpendic-
ular to the posts and situated on the interior side of Post B. Cluster 1,
at the north end of the distribution, consisted of two fragments of birch
with a combined length of approximately 1.1 feet and an average di-
ameter of 0.2 foot. Cluster 2 consisted of eight fragments of ash with a
216
T E Ib
CLUSTER 1 {
\.
T E v
Scale
T E
o
MICHIGAN ARCHAEOLOGIST Vol. 12, No.4
POST B
III
TEl a
DATUM I
X
BAL'K
~ Ostrya virginiana
~ F"axinus americana
_ Betula sp.
o Radiocarbon
Sample M 1758
In Feet
Figure 4. Charcoal Distribution.
/
1966 THE WHORLEY EARTHWORK 217
A
B
Plate 1. Charcoal Distribution. A, Partially Exposed ChaJ;'coal Distribution;
B, Posts A and B in TE V.
218 MICHIGAN ARCHAEOLOGIST Vol. 12, No.4
combined length of 3.8 feet; but on the basis of the diameters and posi-
tions of the fragments, the cluster perhaps should be subdivided into
three sections (a, b and c) with lengths of 1.4 feet, 1.1 feet and 1.3 feet
and diameters of 0.2 foot, 0.2 foot and 0.1' foot, respectively. Cluster 3
consisted of five fragments of l1irch with a combined length of 1. 7 feet
and an average diameter of 0.15 foot. Cluster 4, at the south end of the
distribution, consisted of three fragments of ash with a combined length
of 1.8 feet and an average diameter of 0.15 foot. Therefore, six clus-
ters ranging from 1.1 to 1.8 feet-in length with a combined average di-
ameter of 0.16 foot were distributed over a distance of approximately
5.7 feet yielding an average distance between clusters of 0.95 foot.' <The
peculiar distribution and orientation of the charcoal fragments suggest,
therefore, that the clusters represent structural elem.ents of a different
nature than the posts. Several interpretations might be offered: (1) The
clusters may represent basal supports placed in a manner analogous to
prop roots along the interior side of the tall posts. (2) The clusters
may represent a series of short vertical posts (less than two feet in
height). marking the terminus of the earthwork. (3) The clusters may
represent the remains of elements tied to or wedged between a maxi-
mum of three posts to unite them into a single rigid structure. (4) The
clusters may represent the remains of some specialized arrangement
of elements unique to the posts at the terminus of the earthwork or
fortuitously preserved there by burning. In the first case, only Cluster
1 coincided in relative position with the basal portion of a post (PostA).
Since the other clusters were burned, one would expect, as a result, to
find at least part of their associated posts preserved. In TE XII, where
no burning 'occurred but where postmolds were clearly preserved, no
evidence was found of the distal molds of such supports or of the ele-
ments themselves. Occasional cobbles were noted throughout level 3
but no eVidence of their use as supporting elements could be demon-
strated conclusively. The second case, where the clusters represent
the remains of a series of diminutive posts, would account for the
presence of the burned clusters with no associated posts. The av-
erage spacing between cluSters (0.95 foot) approximated that of the
postmolds in TE XII (0.85 foot). The tall posts would have been
restricted entirely to the terminus. In the third case, in which the
clusters represent the remains of unifying elements, one would not ex-
pect the uniform orientation of the majority of fragments perpendicular
to the axis assuming that initially the elements in position on the struc-
ture were oriented more or less parallel to the axis of the earthwork;
nor would one expect the almost exclusive association of at least five
and perhaps all of the clusters with Post B - Cluster 2, Section b is the
only possible exception (Figure 4). In the fourth case, the consistent
perpendicular orientation of the clusters and their exclusive associa-
tion with Post B would suggest that the elements were attached to Post
B in a fashion sim ilar to the rungs on a ladder. All of the charred
1966 THE WHORLEY EARTHWORK 219
fragments in TE TIl and TE V would then represent the remains of
posts or structures originally located in TE Ib; the posts presumably in
TE III, TE V and TE XTI were not burned and hence were not preserved.
The orientation of Post B and its associated clusters suggests that the
elements originally either pointed toward the terminus (perhaps loosely
attached to or closely associated with another post further to the north
and no longer preserved) or pointed toward the plaza. In summary, at
least two hypotheses remain for further testing: (1) the structure con-
sisted of a series of diminutive posts around most or all of the earth-
work with two or more tall posts marking the terminus; or .(2) the
structure consisted of posts of unknown height around most or all of the
embankment with two or more tall posts at the terminus, at least one of
which bore a number of short, rung-like elements of unknown function.
Pottery
The pottery sample from the Whorley Earthwork was quite small,
comprising a total of lOB sherds, including six rim fragments repre-
senting a minimum of five vessels. No complete or restorable vessels
were found. Less than eight percent of the total sherd sample occurred
directly on the embankment. Nearly 58 percent of the sample occurred
within the plaza increasing sharply toward the geometric center of the
/ structure (TE X and TE XI). The remaining 54 percent of the sample
occurred on the exterior immediately adjacent to the embankment. In
terms of the number of sherds per unit area excavated, however, the
interior had a sherd density of less than 0.97 sherds per square foot,
the embankment yielded a sherd density of 0.02 sherds per square foot
and the exterior yielded a density of over 0.15 sherds per square foot.
Thus the number of sherds per unit area increased toward the exterior.
All of the pottery was found in level 2; no sherds were found in the body
of the embankment (level 3). The clay of both body sherds and rim
sherds was characterized by eight to ten percent by volume, and by six
to seven percent by w e i g h t ~ of subrounded to rounded, fine clear quartz
sand (0.1 - 0.25 mm.) which probably constituted a natural inclusion in
the clay. Temper, conSisting of fragments of crushed granitiC quartz
(1.5 - 3.5 mm.) with inclusions of biotite and rarely hornblend, occurred
in low and variable amounts in both rim and body sherds; several
sherds were found with no apparent temper whatsoever. Sixty-eight
body sherds were measured for thickness yielding a mean of 6.7 mm.
with a range of B.O mm. and a standard deviation (one sigma) of 1.B4
mm. The remaining sherds were spalled so that thickness determina-
tionswere impossible to obtain. All of the body sherds were exteriorly
cordmarked on an initially smoothed or scraped surface indicated by
clusters of minute sub-parallel striae both on the interior and on the
exterior. The cordmarking was generally quite regular over areas up
to and occasionally greater than 60 square centimeters with only per-
ipheral evidence of overstamping. No cordrnarking was noted on vessel
220
MICHIGAN ARCHAEOLOGIST Vol. 12, No.4
interiors. Profiles and surface treahnent of the rims are shown in
Plate II. Detailed descriptions of the rims are given in Table I. Be-
cause of the exceedingly small sample, no attempt was made to type the
ceramics from the site; however, the overall ceramic assemblage sug-
gests a Late Woodland cultural"placement. This is further supported by
the radiocarbon date of 1080 A.D.
Lithic Material
Four triangular points were found during the course of the excava-
tion, two in TE VII (Nos. 1 and 2), a third in TE vm (No.3), and a
fourth somewhat triangular retouched flake in TE VI (No.4). Nos" 1, 2,
and 3 fall well within the range of Madison points described by Ritchie
(1961) and can be assigned to materials readily available from the local
morainic deposits. No. 4 is manufactured from a chert of unknown
source. A Single scraper (No.5) also manufactured from chert of un-
known origin completes the list of lithic artifacts from the site.
Chippage was relatively scarce, totaling less than 250 grams. At
least nine categories of material were represented, seven of which
were definitely of local origin. Local materials were represented by
both cores and flakes; non-local materials were represented only by
occasional flakes and by finished artifacts. Descriptions of the artifacts
and chippage are given in Tables II and TIl, respectively.
Summary and Conclusions.
More than 100 earthworks enclosed on at least three sides are re-
corded in the Atlas of Michigan Archaeology (Hinsdale 1931) and i l 1 ~ the
site files of the University of Michigan. Undoubtedly, many such struc-
tures remain undiscovered or unrecorded and many have been de-
stroyed. The earthwork remains an enigma in Michigan archeology.
Interest has been dominated by the more "productive" sites. A few of
the larger earthworks in Alcona, Missaukee and Ogemaw Counties have
been mapped and tested repeatedly (Hinsdale 1924, 1925; Greenman
1927a, 1927b; Dustin 1932; Moll, Moll and Cornelius 1958; Cornelius and
Moll 1961). Earthworks throughout the rest of Michigan remain almost
totally ignored with the exception of test excavations in 1937 (Quimby
1965) at a structure in Muskegon County. Few radi.ocarbon dates have
been obtained, and published descriptions of the ceramics are virtually
nonexistent. No earthworks have been investigated in their entirety.
The Whorley Earthwork was definitely palisaded with posts of un-
determined height set in a shallow depression along the interior flank of
the embankment. The open north side of the enclosure, the rather wide
gaps between posts and the absence of a moat suggest that the primary
function of the earthwoi'k was not defensive. The earthwork may well
have been some form of ceremonial enclosure, perhaps a dance circle,
periodically swept clean of cultural debris which gradually accumulated
near the periphery of the plaza. The evidence provided by the initial
/
1966 THE WHORLEY EARTHWORK 221
A
B
) I
I
c
Plate II. Cultural Material from Whorley Earthwork. A, Lithic Artifacts;
B, Rim Sherds; C Drawings of Rims and Rim Profiles.
Rim Provenience
1 TE II
2 TE II
3 TE IV
4
TE VI
5
TEXI
Catalogue
Number
71005
71005
71014
71019
71034
Max. Rim
Thickness
6.0 mm.
5.0mm
9.0 mm.
,9.0 rom.
8.0 mm.
TABLE I - RIM SHERDS
Body
Thickness I Rim Height
4.0 mm. I 14.0 mm.
4.5 mm. I 4.0 mm.
6.5 mm. I 12.0 mm
'''--,
5.0 mm.
17.0 mm.
7.0 mm.
7.0mm.
Description
Lip rounded; rim vertical with exterior thick
ening; exterior cordmarking extending on to
lip, over stamping , both sets oblique to rim,
mutually perpendicular.
Lip flat to slightly rounded; rim vertical or
slightly incurved, flat interior thickening ex-
tending below lip 3.5 mm.; exterior cordmark-
ing extending slightly on to lip, oblique to rim,
upward to left.
Lip pointed to slightly rounded; rim vertical
or slightly outcurved with rounded exterior
thickening; body outcurved; no cordmar king;
cordwrapped stick impression on exterior
thickening, oblique to rim, upward to left,
length of impression 5.0 mm., width of impres.,-
sion 2.5 mm., diameter of single cord element
1.0 mm., number of wraps per centimeter 7,
space between wraps 0.5 mm.; incisions paral-
lel to rim between rim thickening and body,
depth of incisions 1. 0 rom., width of incisions
1.0 mm.; two sets of incisions on body, mutu-
ally perpendicular, initial set oblique to rim, up-
ward to left, overincised set oblique to rim,
upward to right, incisions made with pointed
or wedge-shaped implement, depth of incisions
1.0 mm., width of incisions 1.0 to 1.25 mm.,
average spacing between incisions 2.5 mm.
Lip pOinted to rounded, undulating surface;
vertical or slightly i,ncurved, interior or rIm
straight to concave, exterior of rim sharply
thickened; body outcurved; exterior cordmark-
ing extending on to lip, perpendicular to rim;
two sets of cordwrapped stick impressions,
lower set midway on rim, oblique to rim, up-
ward to left, length of impressions 9.0 mm.,
maximum depth of impression at tip 2.0 to 2.5
mm., width of impressions 2.5 mm., diameter of
single cord element 0 .6 mm., number of wraps
per centimeter 12, space between wraps 0.25
mm., upper set on exterior edge of lip, oblique
to rim, upward to right, length of
7.0 mm., depth of impressions 2.0 mm., width
of impressions 2.5 mm., diameter of single
cord element 0.6 mm., number of wraps per
centimeter 12, space between wraps 0.25 mm.,
tip of cordwrapped stick extends 1.5 mm. be-
yond last wrap, wedge-shaped.
Lip flat; rim vertical, slight interior thicken-
ing at lip; exterior cordmarking not extending
on to lip, oblique to rim, upward to right; two
sets of cordwrapped stick impresSions, upper
set consists of two parallel impressions ap-
plied horizontally to surface, oblique to rim,
upward to left, length of impressions indeter-
minable, width of impressions 4.0 mm., depth
of impressions 1.0 mm., diameter of single
cord element 0.65 mm., number of wraps per
centimeter 11, space between wraps 0.3 mm.,
lower set consists of a Single impression ap-
plied horizontally to surface, oblique to rim,
upward to right, length of impression 8.0 mm.,
width of impression 2.5 mm., depth of impres-
sion 0.5 rom., diameter of Single cord element
0.65 mm., number of wraps per centimeter 11,
between wraps 0.3 mm.
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224 MICHIGAN ARCHAEOLOGIST Vol. 12, No, 4
1966
THE WHORLEY EARTHWORK
225
TABLE II-
Artifact Provenience
Catalogue
Length Width
Number
No.1 TE VII 71024 2.4 cm., tip missing 2.3 cm., right cor-
projected length ner missing, pro-
3.8 cm. j ected width 2.6 cm.
LITHIC ARTIFACTS
Thickness Left Side
Right Side
Base
Type
Description
0,5 cm,
straight
straight
straight, Madison:
Chert, type 1 (cor-
slightly Ritchie
tical variety) white
oblique to (1961) to light grayish-
central
white, opaque,
axis
small angular in-
1.8 cm., left corner
-.
No.2 TE VII 71024 3.0 cm.
missing, projected
width 2.2 cm.
clusions of quartz,
dull, granular.
0,4 cm,
straight straight. straight Madison:
Chert, type 1 (cor-
Ritchie
tical variety) white
(1961) to light gray,
opaque, dull, gran-
ular; thin (less
than 0,5 mm.) con-
centric laminae,
dark gray, concave
2.3 cm.
i
No.3 TEVIll 71028 2.7 cm., tip missing
proj ected length
3.8 cm.
toward tip,
0,45 cm,
straight
straight slightly
Madison:
Chert, type 1 (core
excurvate Ritchie variety) gray with
(1961)
blended streaks of
/
very dark gray,
opaque to slightly
transluscent along
thin edges, vitre-
ous; material may
comprise distinct
type not represent-
No, 4 TE VI 71020 2.3 cm. 2.0 cm.
ed in chipage.
0,35 cm,
slightly
slightly incom-
Madison?
Chert, type 3, dark
excurvate excurvate plete or
gray with vague
broken
mottles of gray,
opaque to slightly
transluscent along
thin edges, semi-
vitreous; waste
flake bifacially re-
touched; rejected
prior to comple-
tion or subsequent-
TE VII 71025 3.9 cm. 2.6 cm. No.5
ly broken.
0.6 cm.
bilateral Chert, type 9, dark
scraper
reddish-brown,
opaque, semivitre'-
ous; waste flake
bifacially r e-
touched; minute
hinge fractures of
uncertain origin
along both re-
touched edges.
226 MICHIGAN ARCHEOLOGIST Vol. 12, No.4
TABLE III - CHIPPAGE
Type Quantity
Weight
Material Sut;lrce Description
iGrams)
.
1 41 120 Chert Local Nodular; cortex very pale
(morainic) brown, ,
light grayish-white, opaque,
dull, slightly granular to
smooth; core gray, occa-
sionally white, opaque,
vitreous.
2 15 73 Chert Local Bedded; matrix yellowish
(morainic) brown, light brown, opaque,
dull,slightly porous, gran-
ular; interbedded chert
gray, dark gray, opaque,
vitreous.
3 13 6 Chert Non-local Very dark gray, grayish
black, slightly mottled gray,
opaque, vitreous; possible
fire heating.
4 4 22 Quartzite Local Very pale brown, white,
(morainic) yellowish-white, grayish-
white, opaque, dull, gran-
ular, massive.
5 4 2 Chert Local Gray, slightly mottled dark
(morainic) gray, opaque, dull, slightly
" granular to smooth.
6 3 6 Chert Local Red, reddish -br owru, light
(Morainic) opaque, dull
to slightly vitreous, slightly
granular to smooth; possi-
ble fire heating.
7 2 5 Hema- Local Dark reddish-brown,
tite? (morainic) opaque, dull, slightly gran-
ular, earthy.
8 1 4 Chert? Local Light gray, opaque, dull,
(morainic) granular, poor conchoidal
fracture.
9 1 6 Chert Non-local (See description of scraper
above.)
/
1966
THE WHORLEY EARTHWORK
227
o
excavations at the Whorley Earthwork is at best suggestive of a cere-
monial function but is far from conclusive and warrants further, more
extensive investigation.
Acknowledgments
Sincere thanks go to Jon Whorley, owner of the site, for his kind
permission to excavate and for his assistance ii1 photography and in
mapping; to Richard 1. Ford and to Fel V. Brunett for botanical identi-
fications; to Diane Foster for. drawings of the rim sherds; to George
Stuber for drawings of the maps; and to Dr. James E. Fitting for his
valuable assistance in preparing the manuscript. Field and laboratory
work was supported by National Science Foundation Grant GS-666.
REFERENCES
Cornelius, Eldon and Harold W. Moll
1961 The Walters-Linsenman Earthwork Site. The Totem Vol. 4,4,
No.9, pp. 1-9. Detroit.
Dustin, Fred
1932 Report on Indian Earthworks in OgemawCounty, Michigan. Cran-
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/
USING THE IBM 7090 IN THE CLASSIFICATION
OF GROUND STONE TOOLS
Elizabeth M. Stern
The Museum of Anthropology Great Lakes Division has in its pos-
session approximately 800 ground stone woodworking tools, axes, celts,
and adzes, collected and contributed to the museum by the amateurs of
the state of Michigan. These tools are accompanied by little informa-
tion which would'indicate either their ages or cultural origins. In most
cases, they are marked only with the counties in which they were found.
In September, 1965, I began to study these tools in hopes of establishing
a typology for them which would enable me to investigate the differences
between woodworking tools used by Indian groups to the north and south
of the Carolinian-Canadian edge in Michigan.
From the beginning, I intended to use the University's IBM 7090 to
analyze my data, so I began my study by setting up a code for the tools
which would serve as criteria for classification. I included 20 vari-
ables which I thought might expose differences and similarities between
the tools. Each variable corresponded to one characteristic of each
tool, for example the shape of its cross-section, the type of wear on the
bit, the type of stone from which it was made. Each variable contained
two or more mutually exclusive categories, Le., the particular char-
acteristic which a single tool might have at each variable. For example,
the variable "shape of cross-section" contained nine categories: "cir-
cular," "oval," "rectangular," etc. Seven variables were qualitative and
measurements were placed directly on the cards; the computer was al-
lowed to create its own categories for these variables by dividing the
range between the smallest and largest values into 20 equal categories
(See Table 1 for complete ,code.).
After coding, the characteristics of each tool, and entering this in-
formation on IBM data cards, I began my analYSis with the very gen-
erous help of Dr. James C. Lingoes of :the Computing Center of the Uni-
versity of Michigan. The first program, MAC III, provided a set of
tables of frequency distribution; these tables gave the numoer of in-
stances that each category of each variable occurred with any other
category of any other variable on the same tool. From these tables I
had hoped to create a -completely objective classification. I reasoned
that if 32 tools happened to be of one "type, " then the number 32- should
appear on the tables which categories which were character-
istic of the "type." That is, if they shared a length/width ratio of 1.8,
an oval cross-section, and 3/4 grooves, then the number 32 should ap-
pear on the table which compared all categories' of length-width ratio
with all categories of cross-section at the interseCtion of 1.8 with
229