Revising Culture History in the North Carolina Coastal Plain: Investigating the Stratigraphic Sequence of the Barber Creek Site (31PT259)

Abstract

Barber Creek (31PT259) is a stratified prehistoric site located on a relict sand dune along the Tar River in eastern North Carolina. Previous analyses have identified multiple occupational components at the site, though the number and character of these occupations vary across studies. This thesis reconstructs the stratigraphic sequence of trenches excavated in 2000 and 2003 to evaluate the site’s stratigraphic and cultural chronology and compare the results to previous investigations. Using artifact frequency distributions, artifact backplots, and refitting studies, this research identifies two distinct occupation zones and a possible third. The earliest occupation is attributed to the Early Archaic period, followed by a tentative Middle to Late Archaic component, and a well-defined Woodland occupation marked by diagnostic ceramic types. The results align with previous analyses but most closely reflect the sequence proposed by McFadden (2009), who also identified Early Archaic and Woodland occupations, and a possible Middle/Late Archaic occupation. This research contributes to the refinement of Coastal Plain culture history and underscores the value of stratified dune sites like Barber Creek for understanding human occupation in the region.