Baltz, Christopher J. and Madonna Ledford (Gray & Paps Cultural Resources
Consultants, Cincinnati)
THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE MOGAN RIDGE AREA OF THE HOOSIER NATIONAL FOREST
General Survey Description
A cultural resources survey of a 6,280-acre parcel of land in the Mogan Ridge
area of the Tell City District, Hoosier National Forest was conducted by Gray
& Pape Cultural Resources Consultants of Cincinati, Ohio in late 1989. The project
area is located in Union and Leopold Townships of Perry County, Indiana, just
northwest of Derby. The Mogan Ridge area is the largest contiguous parcel of land
in the Tell City District of the Hoosier National Forest. This area encompasses
the Rockhouse Hollow rockshelters, 12 Pe 98 and 12 Pe 100, which are listed in
the National Register of Historic Places.
A total of 118 previously undocumented prehistoric and historic archaeological
sites were recorded by the survey using shovel testing and walk-over survey techniques.
Of the 118 sites, 101 were prehistoric sites or site components. These sites comprised
26 rockshelters and 75 open prehistoric sites. In addition, 25 historic sites
or site components were also discovered during this survey. Most of these components
consisted of homesteads or farmsteads.
Unusual historic features found during the survey induded a lookout tower, an
apparently isolated stacked stone springhouse, a stone bridge or culvert, and
a rockshelter that was apparently used as a root cellar. The entrance to this
shelter was partially closed by one mortared and one unmortared stone wall.
The amount of information gathered during the survey was not sufficient to recommend
any of the 118 sites for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.
However, further work was recommended for 46 sites. Recommendations included additional
work at 21 rockshelter and 7 open prehistoric sites, and further archival research
for 17 historic homestead and farmstead sites as well as for the tower site.
The survey of the Mogan Ridge project area produced a higher density of prehistoric
sites than several other surveys in the Tell City District of the Hoosier National
Forest. The rockshelter density of the Mogan Ridge area is somewhat, but not significantly
higher than that of several other areas of the forest. It certainly does not compare
with the Branchville area, the focus of Edward Smith's I9X2 rockshelter survey
(for the Indiana Historical Society). On the other hand, the density of open prehistoric
sites is significantly higher in the Mogan Ridge area. Three possible reasons
for this difference are: 1) the screening of shovel tests during the Mogan Ridge
survey, 2) the proximity of the project area to major water sources, namely Oil
Creek and the Ohio River, and 3) the availability of Derby chert. Apparently,
the proximity to water and chert resources were more important than the screening
of shovel tests, since few open sites were found in the western portion of the
project area, away from the water and chert resources. In the 1989 Cultural Resource
Overview of the Hoosier National Forest, Ellen Sieber and her colleagues found
that screened and unscreened shovel test techniques discovered open prehistoric
sites at approximately the same rate.
A total of 26 rockshelters was recorded during the survey. Several contained bedrock
mortars, and, of course, many showed evidence of looting. Three of these shelters
were particularly interesting.
Site 12 Pe 810 lies at the head of, and is probably the source of, the Ash House
Branch. It has been extensively looted over the years. The spring in the shelter
attracted heavy prehistoric occupation which is evidenced by the midden-like soil
in the shelter. Outside of the shelter, in the creek below, a variety of artifacts,
including several nutting stones were found.
Site 12 Pe 841 is located 150 meters south of the Rockhouse Hollow shelters. This
shelter is one of five looted rockshelters that has been included in the Forest
Service's experimental looting behavior study. This program, initiated by Forest
Service archaeologist Ruth Brinker, consists of the mapping of sites by volunteers,
screening of backdirt, and backfilling the looters's holes. Thereafter, these
sites are monitored periodically by Forest Service personnel for evidence of new
looting.
The third rockshelter of interest is probably unique in the Hoosier National Forest.
Site 12 Pe 843 is a "floating" shelter; it is located on a large sandstone block
that is in float on the hillside. A small sheltered area is located on the eastern
end of a boulder, which is stacked upon a larger boulder. Within the sheltered
area are numerous chert flakes. The site lies near an outcrop of Derby chert,
and was probably the periodic locus of chert knapping.
Chert Resources
Another interesting aspect of this survey was the location of several bedrock,
near bedrock, and residual outcrops of Derby chert. Derby chert was encountered
in various forms throughout much of the project area. The historic springhouse
noted above was made primarily of poor quality chert blocks.
There has been much discussion over the past few years about the source of Derby
chert.
Sources that have been proposed include the Kincaid limestone, which contains
chert in some locations in Illinois; the Vienna limestone, which is also reported
to contain chert in Illinois; and the Glen Dean limestone. The Vienna limestone
appears to be the most likely source, based on a geologic study of the general
area.
In his descriptions of the Buffalo Wallow Group, of upper Mississippian rocks,
Henry Gray includes the Koohns hill section, which is located within the project
area near an outcrop of the Derby chert. Although Gray's description does not
include chert, it does note a discontinuity in the column where the Mansfield
formation sandstone cuts through the Kincaid, apparently ruling it out. The outcrop
of chert is well above the Glen Dean limestone at this point, and at the approximate
stratigraphic location of the Vienna limestone. This identification is tentative,
and further research is necessary to support this proposition. [return to 1990 abstracts menu][continue to next]