An Archaeological Subsurface Examination of the Area 2A Parcel on the Fort Lee Military Reservation, Prince George County, Virginia

This investigation examined the archaeological signature of unmarked subsurface archaeological features with a particular emphasis on identifying unmarked graves. Previous investigations identified potential unmarked graves in Area 2A, a parcel located within the confines of United States Army Fort Lee Military Reservation in Prince George County, Virginia. Area 2A was in the immediate vicinity of the Davis house, a prominent historical structure near the center of Fort Lee. The grounds surrounding the Davis house were locus for eighteenth-century and nineteenth-century activities focused on the Willow Seat Farm. Historical research indicated that Area 2A may have contained the Susannah Russell Cemetery, a small family burial ground that was relocated in the 1950s or 1960s. Surface reconnaissance of the project area's ground surface confirmed that no visible unmarked graves or archaeological features were present.
Removal of all the soils down to the surface of the subsoil successfully identified 135 cultural features in the project area. The vast majority of these were post molds with two wall trenches and eight utility lines also documented. No evidence of mortuary features was identified in the project area.
If the Susannah Russell Cemetery had been removed using heavy equipment, it is possible that Feature 113 was the recovery site. The cemetery's archaeological signature may have also been erased by road construction. Conversely, the cemetery may be located on the adjacent parcel northeast of Area 2A. If this parcel is to be impacted by construction, further investigations and/or construction monitoring are recommended to prevent this cultural landmark from being destroyed.

本调查针对未标记地下考古遗存（unmarked subsurface archaeological features）的考古遗存特征（archaeological signature）展开研究，重点聚焦无标记墓葬（unmarked graves）的识别。此前的调查已在2A区发现潜在无标记墓葬，该地块位于弗吉尼亚州乔治王子县（Prince George County, Virginia）的美国陆军李堡军事保留地（United States Army Fort Lee Military Reservation）范围内。2A区紧邻戴维斯宅邸（Davis house）——李堡中心附近一处知名历史建筑。戴维斯宅邸周边区域曾是18至19世纪柳座农场（Willow Seat Farm）相关活动的核心场所。历史研究表明，2A区范围内可能曾存在苏珊娜·罗素墓地（Susannah Russell Cemetery），这是一处小型家族墓地，于20世纪50或60年代被迁葬。对项目区域开展地表踏勘（surface reconnaissance）后确认，未发现可见的无标记墓葬或考古遗存。
通过剥离至底土层表面的全部覆盖土层，本项目区域内共成功识别出135处文化遗存（cultural features）。其中绝大多数为柱洞（post molds），另记录有2道墙基槽（wall trenches）与8条公用管线（utility lines）。本项目区域内未发现丧葬遗存（mortuary features）的相关证据。
若苏珊娜·罗素墓地曾由重型设备迁葬，则113号遗存（Feature 113）可能即为该墓地的发掘原址。该墓地的考古遗存特征亦可能因道路施工而被完全抹去。反之，该墓地或许位于2A区东北侧的相邻地块。若该地块将受到施工影响，建议开展进一步调查及/或施工监测，以避免这一文化地标（cultural landmark）遭到破坏。