The Normandy Archaeological Project was a rescue excavation designed to preserve the archaeological history of the area before it became submerged by the construction of the Normandy Reservoir Dam through funding from the Tennessee Valley Authority. After the construction of the dam, historic information about that area could not be accessed, so prior to the construction of the dam, as much research as possible had to be done on the area. This salvage effort was conducted in the Duck River Valley area, of middle Tennessee from March 1971 until the summer of 1975, prior to the completion of the dam in 1976. The fieldwork was done mainly by researchers from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, under contract to the Tennessee Valley Authority Contract and National Park. The dam creating the Normandy Reservoir was built on the Duck River at mile marker 248.6 in Coffee and Bedford County, Tennessee, named after the town of Normandy, Tennessee. The two nearest cities are Manchester and Tullahoma.(Introductory Report of the Normandy Reservoir Salvage Project, Volume 1, Department of Anthropology, 1973p)
Large excavation projects need time for full evaluation of the project area in order to determine the relationship of the findings and obtain usable information through focusing on the hypothesis. In this way a wide view of the area and the time space within it was obtained. This large project also allowed a rare opportunity for young archaeologists to receive field training on a site soon to become forever inaccessible. The fieldwork on the Normandy project began with an investigation of surface collections to ascertain the intensity of prehistoric occupation in this portion of the valley. The sites were then mapped, with assistance from local collectors and the Coffee-Franklin County Chapter of the Tennessee Archaeological Society. Eighty three archaeological sites were found in the general project area twenty eight of which were determined to be out of the range of the maximum pool stage of the reservoir although still in danger of damage from development. Sixty-nine of the sites had previously been discovered prior to the excavations in the reservoir. Thirty of these sites were found by members of the Coffee-Franklin County Chapter of the Tennessee Archaeological Society.(Introductory Report of the Normandy Reservoir Salvage Project, Volume 1, Department of Anthropology, 1973, p329-330) Although previous sites had been surveyed, the surrounding uplands were most often not included. Those typological areas are included in this project in an attempt to gain a better analysis of the patterns of culture and history of the ancient peoples of the Duck Valley.
History
Prehistoric environment The Upper Duck Valley lies between the Highland Rim and the Nashville Basin in central Tennessee. The valley floor of the area lies in the basin while the rim of the valley is the highland. The Normandy Reservoir was to be built over these landscape formations. Each of these two areas were segmented into four different environmental zones; The floodplain, older alluvial terrace, valley slopes and bluffs, and uplands. Previous studies and information indicated large prehistoric sites were present in this area. The subtropical climate of the area is characterized by hot summers and mild winters with the most rainfall occurring during the winter and spring, creating heavy stream flow in the Duck River from November to May.(Introductory Report of the Normandy Reservoir Salvage Project, Volume 1, Department of Anthropology, 1973p9-10)
The project area has four bio geographic zones: Flood Plain Zone, Older Alluvial Terrace Zone, Valley Slopes and Bluff Zone, and the Upland Zone.(Introductory Report of the Normandy Reservoir Salvage Project, Volume 1, Department of Anthropology, 1973, p11-34) Each zone has varying vegetation and flood patterns. Since prehistoric settlement in the area was determined, in part, by the availability of natural resources it was assumed that by examining the sites and materials found in each zone one could determine habitation and subsistence patterns in the Duck Valley area for the native inhabitants. Major occupations were found spanning the period from the Late Archaic, through the Mississippian periods.(Excavations and Testing, Normandy Reservoir Salvage Project,1974, p580) Many of the earlier sites, dating to the late Pleistocene/early Holocene, were covered by later occupations. During the Middle Archaic period (c. 4000-6000 BC), larger sites appeared, with locations again guided by environmental factors, as was the case throughout prehistory.
Agriculture and resources
Lithic resources Lithics found in the greatest abundance in the Duck Valley included: cryptocrystalline quartz, blue-grey and tan chert, gray banded chert, fossiliferous chert, limestone, shale, mudstone, siltstone, and sandstone. Large quantities of chert artifacts were found indicating the importance of chert as a resource for tool making.
Some lithic resources found in the reservoir are thought to have been derived locally, although there were also exotic materials present. These were most likely obtained through trade with peoples in the surrounding region. Some of the exotic materials included: cryptocrystalline quartz, blue-green nodular chert, Dover chert, novaculite, quartz, vein quartz, chalcedony, Horse Mountain agate, sandstone, hematite, steatite, slate, green slate, banded slate and igneous rock. These materials are, in some cases long distances from their source. Some came from as far away as the Great Lakes. This suggests that the groups of the upper Duck Valley were not secluded, but were instead active participants in established trade with other distant groups. The amount of lithic material suggests repeated use of the area over time, and was most frequently used during the Early Archaic and Late Archaic/Early Woodland periods.
Escalation of increased contact with other groups throughout the Mid-South is suggested by the occurrence of steatite and Dover chert at the Banks I and Banks II sites indicating inter-regional trade in the Upper Duck Valley by 1000 BC.(Excavations and Testing, Normandy Reservoir Salvage Project,1974, p582)
The project was reported in a number of volumes written by Dr. Charles Faulkner and Major C.R. McCollough, the project directors.
Faunal resources The prehistoric Indians of the Duck Valley region could have utilized the rich faunal resources available. There are at least three hundred and three vertebrates, excluding fish, which were available. Mollusk species, many still present in the Duck River today, could have also been integrated into their subsistence system. One hundred seven species of fish were available in the Duck River. Turtles, alligators, turkey, owls, quail, waterfowl, deer, raccoon, gray fox, red fox, mink, muskrat, woodchuck, squirrel, opossum, eastern cottontail, and otter are some of the primary animal species available. Some large mammals that were without doubt utilized by these populations included elk, mountain lion, black bear, gray wolf, white-tailed deer, and bison. The white-tail remained as the most commonly used source of meat and very constant in the diet of the Duck River Valley inhabitants.(Introductory Report of the Normandy Reservoir Salvage Project, Volume 1, Department of Anthropology, 1973, p34-40)
Floral resources The Duck Valley is a transitional zone between the Western and Mixed Mesophytic forests of the highland rim and Nashville Basin. The inhabitants of this area would have had ample natural resources at their disposal. The plant resources available in this region are closely tied to soil topography and climate. The types of plant resources dominant in the Nashville Basin are as follows:(Introductory Report of the Normandy Reservoir Salvage Project, Volume 1, Department of Anthropology, 1973, p8-11
Zones
Archaeological sites in the Flood Plain Zone Along the river, waterfowl, birds, fish, turtles, aquatic mammals and mollusk could all be utilized. Spring, early summer, late summer, and early fall would have been the most productive time for exploiting the resources of this region. Although resources may have been sparse in the winter months food would have still been available because of the variety of wildlife in this zone. Five sites have been recorded in this zone(Introductory Report of the Normandy Reservoir Salvage Project, Volume 1, Department of Anthropology, 1973p11-17) Although artifacts were found in this zone no well defined early assemblages were recovered. The rich biodiversity, fertile soil and available lithic resources made this area perhaps the most attractive zone to prehistoric inhabitants.(Excavations and Testing, Normandy Reservoir Salvage Project,1974, p573-580)
Archaeological sites in the Older Alluvial Terrace Zone The large number of sites (n-64) found at the older alluvial terrace is due to the topography of the area, since there were not many animal resources available in this zone. In the closed canopy the only mammal that would find this zone attractive would be the raccoon. Spring would be the most productive time for this zone.(Introductory Report of the Normandy Reservoir Salvage Project, Volume 1, Department of Anthropology, 1973p18-23)
Archaeological sites in the Valley Slopes and Bluff Zone Spring, late summer, early summer, and fall would be the time of maximum productivity in this area. Only two sites documented in these zones.(Introductory Report of the Normandy Reservoir Salvage Project, Volume 1, Department of Anthropology, 1973, p24-28)
Archaeological sites in the Upland Zone Late summer, early fall and fall would be a productive time for this region. Fourteen sites were found at this zone.(Introductory Report of the Normandy Reservoir Salvage Project, Volume 1, Department of Anthropology, 1973, p28-34)
Later discovered sites: Shelton Quarry 40BD80, Eoff IV 40CF119
Archaeology
Survey of the Normandy Reservoir The fieldwork in Normandy project began with an investigation of surface collections to ascertain the intensity of prehistoric occupation in this portion of the valley. The excavation was to take place between the years of 1971 to 1976. Each season would provide segmenting markers for the excavation. A volume of work was published following each complete seasonal cycle including some additional publications. The area of the Normandy project was naturally divided into two areas. The Upper Rim and the Nashville Basin, both of which were divided again for the purpose of the project, into four areas: the floodplain zone, older alluvial terrace, valley slopes, and uplands. The dam's scheduled construction was to begin in 1976. Under this time constraint for such a large project, the project had to proceed efficiently. This is the planned and executed layout of the excavations that went underway including the most noted or distinguished sites. The course of action was to follow these steps:
Assess the reservoir and obtain assistance from the Coffee County Chapter of the Tennessee Archaeological Society. Investigate and experiment the area under planned inundation. Using the collected data to submit a proposal to request for funding from the Tennessee Valley Authority and National Park Service. Publish the first tome which would including a description of the natural area of the reservoir, a description of the system of type classification, and a description of the primary inspection of the reservoir. Devise a blueprint to mapping out the excavation and testing methods in efforts to answer the question of, what were the cultural, agricultural, cultivation, and population development patterns of the Duck River Valley inhabitants. Continue to print a tome in correspondence with each passing investigation season spent in the basin.
Excavation sites of interest
Phase I: 1971-1972