The Sheffield Site is located
in the floodplain of the St. Croix River in Washington County, MN. Near the
town of Marine, the site is situated within the deciduous forest zone of
Minnesota. the Sheffield Site was first excavated by Lloyd A. Wilford and a
University of Minnesota crew in 1956. It was excavated again in 1959 and in
1960, conducted by Peter Jenson.
An Oneota summer hunting-fishing camp is the main component at the site. After testing, a radiocarbon dating determined the artifacts at approximately 1300 BP.
The area of greatest artifact concentration at the Sheffield site borders the trees, about 200 feet to the north of the McKee Mound.
Evidence of habitation was found with features that consist of a refuse heap, at least eight rock-lined hearths, two charcoal concentrations and three small basin-shaped pits. In addition to the potsherds and artifacts, there were clusters of rock associated with ash and charcoal, and quantities of mammal bones, fish bones (many of them charred) and clamshells.
Gibbon, Guy E. The Sheffield Site: An Oneota Site on the St. Croix River Minnesota Historical Society. St. Paul, Minnesota. 1973.
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