Archeological Investigations at Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve

In June–July 2005, a systematic archeological pedestrian survey and limited Phase-I subsurface testing was conducted at Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve (SARI) by the Southeast Archeological Center’s (SEAC) Regionwide Archeological Survey Program (RASP). The purpose of this survey was to provide a Phase I-level inventory of archeological resources at SARI, and evaluate potential impacts at several proposed locations for the placement of a marine research and education center in the vicinity of Salt River Bay on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. The primary goals of the inventory were: (1) to evaluate the presence and extent of unidentified cultural resources possibly located within the four areas proposed for the center’s location, and (2) to locate and identify terrestrial cultural resources that had been previously reported but their locations were uncertain. As a result of these efforts, spatial, temporal, and structural data were collected and improved for the previously identified prehistoric Lignum Vitae site on Estate Judith’s Fancy (Virgin Islands Site Number 12VAm1-5, the Judith’s Fancy site). Additionally, the remnants of a prehistoric site first identified by Gudmond Hatt in 1923 were encountered, as was a relic mangrove swamp and possible shell-bearing sheet midden that is also prehistoric in age. Excavations conducted at the Judith’s Fancy site provided two charcoal samples from a burned post, a shell sample, and a human tooth that were submitted to Beta Analytic for radiocarbon dating. All four dated samples fell within a time range of a.d. 540–890, firmly placing the age of the site within the Magens Bay-Salt River I phase (ca. a.d. 600–900), with a late Saladoid presence also evidenced. Based on the results of the archeological investigations conducted in 2005, the following recommendations were made. First, either the hotel peninsula or the disturbed area corresponding with Vescelius’s Site 5 is recommended as acceptable for use as the location of the marine research and education center activities. Second, a Phase II cultural resource survey should be conducted for either selected location prior to construction. Third, it is recommended that the old road that parallels the eastern shoreline of Salt River Bay, beginning on the southern end of Triton Peninsula, be used as the primary access to the hotel peninsula. And fourth, a Phase II archeological survey of a corridor surrounding and following the old road should be conducted if it is to be used to access the proposed center.2005年6至7月，美国东南考古中心（Southeast Archeological Center, SEAC）全域考古调查项目（Regionwide Archeological Survey Program, RASP）在盐河湾国家历史公园与生态保护区（Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve, SARI）开展了系统性步行考古调查与有限的第一阶段（Phase-I）地下探测工作。本次调查的目的是为SARI完成第一层级（Phase I-level）考古资源清查，并对美属维尔京群岛圣克罗伊岛盐河湾周边几处拟建海洋研究与教育中心选址开展潜在影响评估。本次清查的核心目标包括两项：其一，评估拟建中心四处选址区域内可能存在的未识别文化资源的分布与范围；其二，定位并识别此前已被记录但位置不明的陆地文化资源。 通过本次工作，研究团队收集并完善了此前已识别的朱迪思范西庄园史前愈创木遗址（Estate Judith’s Fancy，维尔京群岛遗址编号12VAm1-5，即朱迪思范西遗址）的空间、年代与结构数据。此外，本次工作还发现了1923年由古德蒙德·哈特（Gudmond Hatt）首次识别的史前遗址遗存，同时发现一处残存红树林沼泽，以及一处疑似史前时期的含贝壳薄层贝丘。研究团队在朱迪思范西遗址开展发掘工作时，采集自一处灼烧柱的两份炭样、一份贝壳样品及一枚人类牙齿已提交至Beta Analytic实验室进行放射性碳定年。四份定年样品的年代区间均为公元540年至890年，明确将该遗址的年代归入马根斯湾-盐河湾一期阶段（约公元600年至900年），同时证实该遗址存在晚期沙拉罗伊（Saladoid）文化遗存。 基于2005年考古调查结果，研究团队提出如下建议：其一，可将酒店半岛或与韦斯科特利斯5号遗址对应的扰动区域，作为海洋研究与教育中心活动的可接受选址；其二，在开工建设前，需针对选定的任一选址开展第二层级文化资源调查；其三，建议将沿盐河湾东岸延伸、始于特里同半岛南端的旧道路，作为通往酒店半岛的主要通行路线；其四，若该旧道路被用作拟建中心的通行路线，则需对其周边及沿线廊道区域开展第二层级考古调查。