Appraisal of the Archeological Resources of the Dardanelle Reservoir, Arkansas

The Dardanelle Reservoir is to be a power pool formed by a dam across the Arkansas River 3 miles above the town of Dardanelle in Yell county,West Central Arkansas. The surface area of the reservoir will be about 37,000 acres. Flooding is scheduled to begin in 1963.
A survey of the archeological potentialities of the area to be flooded by the reservoir was conducted during a five-week period from March 18 to April 19, 1957, by the Smithsonian Institution, River Basin Surveys. The survey was carried out as a function of the Inter-Agency Archeological and Paleontological Salvage Program. The Dardanelle Reservoir is located outside the Missouri River Basin, and funds for the survey were transferred by the National Park Service from the appropriation for work outside the basin.
Reconnaissance was carried out on food, often on information supplied by local collectors, with coverage of as much of the likely appearing terrain as time would allow. While there are some bottom lands along the Arkansas River channel proper that bear archeological remains, more important evidence of aboriginal occupation is to be found in the bottomlands of the major tributary streams.
The middle Arkansas Valley lies between two late prehistoric culture climaxes in the South-Central United States: the Mississippian cultures along the great river, and the Gibson aspect and Fulton Aspect cultures of the Caddoan Area. It is suggested that preliminary test excavations totaling about 10 man-days be carried out at each of the following sites in the reservoir area: 3JO3, 3LO2, 3LO4, 3LO5, 3LO7, 3PP20, 3YE3, 3YE4. Further efforts could then be directed toward exploitting the most important sites thus revealed. Preliminary testing involving not more than 5 man-days each is recommended for the following sites: 3JO2, 3JO5, 3JO8, 3JO11, 3LO6, 3PP2, 3PP6, 3PP7, 3PP8, 3PP11, and 3PP18. Again further work could be planned on the basis of the results of the preliminary excavations. These recommendations are minimal.