Hovey Lake-Klein Archeological Site
Encyclopedia
Hovey Lake-Klein Archeological Site (12 PO 10) is an archaeological site of the Caborn-Welborn variant of the Mississippian culture
. Hovey Lake-Klein Archeological Site is located on the west bank of Hovey Lake, a backwater lake near the Ohio River
close to its confluence with the Wabash River
. The site was an extensive village occupation dating between 1400-1650 CE.
with bastions. Houses were typical Mississippian rectangular wall trench wattle and daub
structures set in shallow basins. Many had prepared clay hearths. Located near most houses were special pits used to store maize
and other dried foods. The pits were large enough to have stored enough grain to feed 7 to 12 people for a year
Mississippian culture
The Mississippian culture was a mound-building Native American culture that flourished in what is now the Midwestern, Eastern, and Southeastern United States from approximately 800 CE to 1500 CE, varying regionally....
. Hovey Lake-Klein Archeological Site is located on the west bank of Hovey Lake, a backwater lake near the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
close to its confluence with the Wabash River
Wabash River
The Wabash River is a river in the Midwestern United States that flows southwest from northwest Ohio near Fort Recovery across northern Indiana to southern Illinois, where it forms the Illinois-Indiana border before draining into the Ohio River, of which it is the largest northern tributary...
. The site was an extensive village occupation dating between 1400-1650 CE.
Description
The site is located on a terrace 3.6 km from the Ohio River adjacent to Hovey Lake. The site is roughly 11.8 ha. There was a centrally located plaza as well as an encircling palisadePalisade
A palisade is a steel or wooden fence or wall of variable height, usually used as a defensive structure.- Typical construction :Typical construction consisted of small or mid sized tree trunks aligned vertically, with no spacing in between. The trunks were sharpened or pointed at the top, and were...
with bastions. Houses were typical Mississippian rectangular wall trench wattle and daub
Wattle and daub
Wattle and daub is a composite building material used for making walls, in which a woven lattice of wooden strips called wattle is daubed with a sticky material usually made of some combination of wet soil, clay, sand, animal dung and straw...
structures set in shallow basins. Many had prepared clay hearths. Located near most houses were special pits used to store maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
and other dried foods. The pits were large enough to have stored enough grain to feed 7 to 12 people for a year