ORGANIC RESIDUE (FTIR) AND ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION ANALYSIS (pXRF) OF CERAMICS FROM THE FERGUSON SITE (3HE63), HEMPSTEAD COUNTY, ARKANSAS

The Ferguson site (3HE63) is a two acre multi-component Caddo mound site in
Hempstead County, southwestern Arkansas. It is adjacent to Caruse Creek within the Little Missouri River drainage. The Ferguson site was first recorded by the Arkansas Archaeological Survey in 1971 and was excavated between 1972 and 1974. These excavations revealed two Caddo mounds, a Fourche Maline midden, a small Caddo and Fourche Maline cemetery area, and an underlying Dalton and early Archaic component (Chowdhury 2013). Six sherds from Mounds A and B were submitted for organic residue analysis using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to better understand economic activities specific to ceramics at this site. Results from this analysis provide information concerning the compounds extracted from the sherds. Two sherds each representing bowls, jars, and bottles were examined to search for evidence that vessel form was associated with specific uses. All six sherds represent Caddo II occupation. A reference library of processed plants and animals provides comparison samples for foods that might have been cooked in the vessels, while environmental information is inferred from matches with our reference library of raw plants and animals. Elemental composition analysis was undertaken to determine if any specific elemental components correlated with the specialized use reflected in the FTIR signatures.