River Basin Surveys Papers, No. 22: Archeological Investigations in the Coralville Reservoir, Iowa

During the winter of 1949, a preliminary reconnaissance of the south-central portion of the Iowa River valley was carried out by the River Basin Surveys, Smithsonian Institution, in an effort to determine the archeological potential of the area to be submerged by the waters of the then projected Coralville Reservoir. Temporal considerations prevented an intensive investigation of the region; however, the recovered data (Wheeler, 1949) made it obvious that further, more thorough work, was desirable.
In the autumn of 1956, with the dam nearing completion, a more adequate survey became a matter of urgency. Although the Coralville Reservoir lies outside the Missouri Basin, the Missouri Basin Project of the River Basin Surveys was able to undertake the investigations. Funds to carry on the field activities and laboratory research were transferred to the Smithsonian Institution from the appropriation for Archeological Salvage Work Outside the Missouri Basin. For reasons of administrative convenience and economy, the Smithsonian Institution administered the work through its Missouri Basin Project office in Lincoln, Nebr. The research and administrative supervision was by regular Missouri Basin Project staff members. This report is based upon a 6-week field study carried out during September and October of 1956. An excavation crew, varying from 6 to 10 men, served faithfully in a difficult field situation. In particular, thanks should be extended to Lee G. Madison of the Missouri Basin Project, River Basin Surveys, who officiated as a competent and perceptive field assistant.

1949年冬季，史密森学会（Smithsonian Institution）下属的流域调查局（River Basin Surveys）对艾奥瓦河谷中南部区域开展初步踏勘，旨在评估该区域将被当时拟建的科拉尔维尔水库（Coralville Reservoir）蓄水淹没后的考古学潜力。受时间条件制约，未能对该区域开展深入调查，但据所获数据（Wheeler, 1949）可知，开展更进一步、更为细致全面的考古工作实属必要。
1956年秋季，随着大坝接近完工，开展更为充分的考古调查已刻不容缓。尽管科拉尔维尔水库位于密苏里流域之外，流域调查局的密苏里流域项目组（Missouri Basin Project）仍承接了本次调查任务。野外作业与实验室研究的经费由“密苏里流域外考古抢救工作”专项拨款划转至史密森学会。出于行政管理便利与成本节约的考量，史密森学会通过其设于内布拉斯加州林肯市的密苏里流域项目办公室统筹实施本次工作。研究与行政监管由密苏里流域项目组的在编工作人员负责。本报告基于1956年9月至10月开展的为期6周的野外调查撰写。一支人数在6至10人之间的发掘工作队在艰苦的野外环境中恪尽职守。特别致谢流域调查局密苏里流域项目组的李·G·麦迪逊（Lee G. Madison），他以干练且富有洞察力的野外助理身份全程参与本次工作。