Name/Title
S34.02.022Description
Trench #1 at the excavation site on the Pontious-Petzel farms northwest of Hallsville in Colerain Township, Ross County, Ohio. The excavation was conducted for investigation of prehistoric fauna including mastodon (Mammut americanum) remains. The image was taken by Michael C. Hansen on October 28, 1974. The location given is approximate to the excavation site.
The site is collectively known as the Hallsville Mastodon site.
Ohio Historical Society naturalists William T. Schultz and Donn Davids (in overalls) are shown standing next to the backhoe. Ohio Historical Society archaeologist Martha P. Otto is kneeling on the right side of the image.
REVIEW
See Michael C. Hansen's letter to Bradley T. Lepper, 10 May 1985, Accession # 2016_007, Box 1157, Folder 37.
The farm was owned by Orval Dean Pontious (20 August 1899-23 August 1969), see: Washington Court House Record-Herald Newspaper, "Ross County Farm Yields Prehistoric Skeletons," Tuesday, 10 August 1965, Page 8.
For more information, see: “Ohio Wesleyan University Natural Radiocarbon Measurements III” by J. Gordon Ogden, III and Ruth J. Hay of Ohio Wesleyan University (Radiocarbon: An International Journal of Cosmogenic Isotope Research, Vol. 9, 1967) page 321. See below:
OWU-220. Pontius Farm Mastodon, Hallsville, 13,180 ± 520 Ohio 11,230 B.C. Spruce wood (id. by G. W. Burns) from marl deposit associated with mastodon (Mastodon americanus) remains on Orval Pontius farm near Hallsville, Ross County, Ohio (39° 26' 50" N Lat, 82° 50' 15" W Long). Marl from which tusks and mandibles were collected included abundant molluscan fossils, ostracods, and oogonia of Chara sp. Pollen analysis of the marl by R. Taggart of Ohio Univ, showed 64% spruce, 16% pine, 8% fir, I % larch, 2% oak, and unknown and miscellaneous 6%. Coll. Aug. 1965, and subm. by M. C. Hansen. Comment (J.G.O. III): this animal is one of several known from this locality. Age is consistent with pollen flora of site. Fluted points have been recovered near shores of extinct lake marked by marl deposits, but none have been found in association with any animal remains (0. H. Prufer, pers. commum.).
This slide image included in the USGS National Digital Catalog for NGGDPP Grant G15AP00115 in FY2015.Context
Side view of digging at the excavation site. Three people looking at the dug out excavation site. Taken in Ross County, Ohio.