Port Barnett Rock Shelter

Port Barnett Rock Shelter. Scripture Rocks Heritage Park. , This site was recorded with the Carnegie Museum archaeological survey in 1979 by Ken Burkett and Ray Fitzgerald as Site #36Je55., Most of the diagnostic chipped stone artifacts recovered during the excavation are projectile points made of Onondaga chert found in the glacial outwash sediments of the Allegheny River or locally available Jefferson County chert. By comparing the points to known and dated typologies, we now know that people began visiting here at least 5,300 years ago., Other items found include a finely crafted small stone bead and a preform for a large tubular shaped smoking pipe that was broken and discarded prior to the smoking chamber being drilled and finished. The presence of prehistoric pottery fragments indicates that entire families sometimes stayed here., Historic artifacts also include square cut nails, bullets and shell casings, glass and ceramic sherds and pop tabs from the 1960's and 70's., The recovered materials are curated at the Jefferson County History Center., Cultural Periods, Archaic , Hunters and gatherers used a variety of special tools such as axes, atlatl (spear thrower) weights, grinding stones, stone drills and a diversity of stone spear point styles. They hunted and fished, and collected plant foods., Transitional , A climate change resulted in less precipitation and Native Americans focused their activities on floodplains. New tools were developed to adapt including soapstone bowls and broad bladed spear points that were worked into a variety of knives, drills and scrapers., Ear[l]y Woodland , Semi-permanent settlements began during this period. Fired clay pottery was introduced along with stone gorgets and tube-shaped smoking pipes., Late Woodland , By the end of this period most groups practiced agriculture and lived in permanent villages. Numerous pottery shapes and designs were used along with elaborate clay smoking pipes. Stone celts were common and the bow and arrow developed as the main weaponry., [Timeline of Cultural Periods]