The Center for Archaeological Research in cooperation with the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Missouri State University offered a three-week summer field course in archaeology from June 8-26, 2015. This 3-week session took place at the Horseshoe Sinkhole site (23CN1313), a habitation site located in a horseshoe-shaped shallow depression (or sinkhole) on a large ridge in eastern Lawrence County. The field course was taught by Jack H. Ray, Assistant Research Professor and Assistant Director of the Center for Archaeological Research. Stephen Dyle, teaching assistant, provided valuable assistance in the field and laboratory. Six students received training in archaeological field methods of excavation and mapping and basic laboratory analysis. Students also learned how archaeologists preserve and interpret archaeological materials. Artifacts obtained during the excavations indicate that this upland site was occupied intermittently over a span of more than 8500 years, although the primary occupations appear to have occurred during the Middle Archaic period (ca. 7000-5000 years before present). This period coincided with a slightly warmer and drier climatic period called the Hypsithermal Interval.

Attached photos show various stages of excavation by the students. The White River points in one of the attached photos, the most common point type that was recovered at the site, date to ca. 6300-5700 years old.