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Schwerdt site
Location in MichiganShow map of MichiganLocation in United StatesShow map of the United States
Location	Kalamazoo River near Saugatuck, Michigan
Coordinates	42°40′00″N 86°00′00″W / 42.66667°N 86.00000°W / 42.66667; -86.00000
Area	3 acres (1.2 ha)

The Schwerdt site (20AE127) is located on the Kalamazoo River in Allegan County, Michigan. It is classified as a single-component Berrien phase site dating to the late prehistoric period (c.1400–1600 A.D.). The Berrien phase is associated with the late Woodland but also has some Upper Mississippian influences.

History of archaeological investigations

The site was identified through an archaeological survey by Western Michigan University in 1976. Excavations were conducted under the auspices of Western Michigan University in 1977 and 1979.

Results of 1977 and 1979 excavations

The excavations yielded features, prehistoric artifacts, animal bone, and plant remains.

Features

A total of 46 features were uncovered at the site, of which 35 were distinctive deep roasting pits. The remains of American Lotus roots were found in 14 of the roasting pits, usually in conjunction with sturgeon bone. Similar pits have been found at two nearby sites on the Kalamazoo River, Elam and Allegan Dam.

Animal bone

Most of the bone found was from the lake sturgeon. There were also two black bear craniums found near the tops of two features, both with their mandibles removed. A bear cranium was found under similar conditions at the Bell site in Wisconsin, and the researchers at that site suggested it may be evidence of the prehistoric to early historic practice of bear ceremonialism.

Artifacts

Artifacts recovered from the site included prehistoric pottery and lithics (stone tools). The majority of the stone tools were small triangular Madison points (aka “arrowheads”). Madison points are commonly associated with late prehistoric (late Woodland) occupations in the Eastern United States.

Pottery types

Almost all of the pottery found at the site belonged to the late prehistoric Berrien Phase as described at the Moccasin Bluff site, a site on the St. Joseph River in Berrien County, Michigan about 70 miles (110 km) south of Schwerdt.

The pottery types identified / defined at Schwerdt closely match the types reported at Moccasin Bluff:

• Moccasin Bluff modified lip (6 vessels) – characterized by grit tempering, smoothed-over cordmarked surfaces, and a folded or crimped lip with cordwrapped stick impression or fingernail impressions on the lip. This type has been identified at the Moccasin Bluff and Ada sites in Michigan, and the Brems site in Indiana. Time period: Late Prehistoric. Cultural Affiliation: Late Woodland.
• Moccasin Bluff impressed exterior lip (19 vessels) – characterized by grit tempering, smoothed-over cordmarked surfaces and distinctive finger-impressed patterns on the lip. This type has been reported from Brems and Moccasin Bluff. Time period: Late Prehistoric. Cultural Affiliation: Late Woodland.
• Moccasin Bluff plain modified lip (10 vessels) – characterized by grit tempering, smooth surface and modified/notched lip treatment. This specific type is known only from Schwerdt and Moccasin Bluff. However it may have some relationship to Langford Ware, first noted at the Fisher site in Illinois, which is also grit tempered with similar attributes. Time period: Late Prehistoric. Cultural Affiliation: Late Woodland.
• Schwerdt scalloped (20 vessels) – characterized by grit tempering, cordmarked or smoothed-over cordmarked surface, and a distinctive scalloped lip. This type is the Schwerdt equivalent of Moccasin Bluff Scalloped described from the Moccasin Bluff site. At Schwerdt it is sub-divided into 2 groups based on small differences in the type and application of the scalloping. This type has been noted at the Hacklander, Elam and Dumaw Creek sites in Michigan. At Dumaw Creek the pottery was associated with European trade goods, indicating this late Prehistoric type was still being made in the early Historic Period. it was suggested by the researchers that it was the product of an Algonkian-speaking tribe, probably either the Potawatomi or Sauk tribes. Time period: Late Prehistoric to Early Historic. Prehistoric Cultural Affiliation: Late Woodland. Historic cultural affiliation: possibly Potawatomi or Sauk.
• Huber ware (12 vessels) – characterized by shell tempering and plain surfaces. This ware was first noted at the Huber site in Illinois and has also been reported from Oak Forest, Anker, Zimmerman, Hoxie Farm and Palos sites in Illinois; Griesmer and Brems in Indiana; and Wymer and Moccasin Bluff in Michigan. At Moccasin Bluff it is called Berrien Ware. At Schwerdt, this ware is divided into 4 categories: Schwerdt Group 1-Huber Bold (1 vessel), Schwerdt Group 2-modified lip (3 vessels), Schwerdt Group 3-plain square lip (3 vessels) and Schwerdt Group 4-miniature vessels (5 vessels). Huber ware was found in association with European trade goods at Oak Forest and Palos, indicating this late Prehistoric pottery type was still being made in the early Historic period. The Miami tribe was known to be present in the southern Lake Michigan region, so they could have been the creators of this pottery type. Time period: Late Prehistoric to Early Historic. Prehistoric Cultural Affiliation: Oneota Aspect, possibly Orr focus. Historic cultural affiliation: unknown, possibly Miami.

Significance

Schwerdt has been interpreted as a single component 15th century seasonal encampment. It has been radiocarbon-dated to c. 1445-1450 A.D. There are no permanent structures and no indication of any agricultural activity. The presence of sturgeon bone and American lotus root suggests spring-early summer occupation, based on the annual spring sturgeon migration. Based on this information, it has been suggested that the site represents one stop on a seasonal round that would also include a semi-permanent, agricultural village.

References

1. McAllister, Paul W. (1980). The Schwerdt Site (20AE127) Ceramics: A Berrien Phase Ceramic Assemblage in Allegan County, Michigan (Masters thesis). Kalamazoo: Western Michigan University. p. 23.
2. Bettarel, Robert Louis & Smith, Hale G. (1973). The Moccasin Bluff Site and the Woodland Cultures of Southwestern Michigan. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan. p. 153.
3. McAllister (1980), p. 4.
4. McAllister (1980), p. 17.
5. McAllister (1980), p. 12.
6. McAllister (1980), p. 13.
7. Higgins, Michael J. (1980). An Analysis of the Faunal Remains from the Schwerdt Site, a Late Prehistoric Encampment in Allegan County, Michigan (Masters thesis). Kalamazoo: Western Michigan University. p. 19.
8. Higgins (1980), pp. 25–29.
9. Wittry, Warren L. (1963). "The Bell Site, Wn9, An Early Historic Fox Village". Wisconsin Archaeologist. 44: 6.
10. McAllister (1980), p. 20.
11. Bettarel & Smith (1973), p. 120.
12. McAllister (1980), p. 23.
13. McAllister (1980), pp. 35–39.
14. Bettarel & Smith (1973), pp. 56–61.
15. McAllister (1980), pp. 35–39.
16. McAllister (1980), pp. 39–43.
17. Bettarel & Smith (1973), pp. 61–62.
18. McAllister (1980), pp. 39–43.
19. McAllister (1980), pp. 49–57.
20. Bettarel & Smith (1973), pp. 63–65.
21. McAllister (1980), p. 52.
22. McAllister (1980), pp. 44–49.
23. Bettarel & Smith (1973), p. 66.
24. McAllister (1980), p. 46.
25. Quimby, George Irving (1966). "The Dumaw Creek Site: a Seventeenth Century Prehistoric Indian Village and Cemetery in Oceana County, Michigan". Fieldiana. 56 (1): 64–72.
26. Quimby (1966), p. 88.
27. McAllister (1980), pp. 57–66.
28. McAllister (1980), p. 60.
29. Bluhm, Elaine A. & Liss, Allen (1961). The Anker Site, in Chicago Area Archaeology. Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois. pp. 104–106.
30. Bluhm, Elaine A. & Fenner, Gloria J. (1961). The Oak Forest Site, in Chicago Area Archaeology. Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois. p. 145.
31. Bettarel & Smith (1973), pp. 66–69.
32. Bettarel & Smith (1973), p. 117.
33. Bettarel & Smith (1973), p. 148.
34. McAllister (1980), p. 61.
35. McAllister (1980), p. 23.
36. McAllister (1980), p. 21.
37. McAllister (1980), p. 19.
38. Higgins (1980), pp. 54–56.

v t e Mississippian and related cultures
List of Mississippian sites Timeline of Mississippi valley
Middle Mississippian	American Bottom and Upper Mississippi Aztalan Big Eddy Cahokia Monks Mound Mound 34 Mound 72 Ramey state Woodhenge Cloverdale Dickson Mounds Emerald Acropolis Emmons Cemetery Horseshoe Lake John Chapman Kuhn Station Larson Lunsford-Pulcher McCune Mitchell Orendorf Sleeth Starr Steed-Kisker culture Sugarloaf Mound Lower Ohio River and Confluence area Adams site Dogtooth Bend Mounds Kincaid Mounds Marshall Site Millstone Bluff Orr-Herl Rowlandton Mound Towosahgy Turk Site Twin Mounds Ware Mounds Wickliffe Mounds Middle Ohio River Angel Mounds Angel phase Annis Mound Bone Bank Caborn-Welborn culture Ellerbusch Hovey Lake-Klein Hovey Lake District Murphy Prather Slack Farm Tolu Welborn Village Yankeetown Tennessee and Cumberland Backusburg Beasley Mounds Brentwood Library Brick Church Castalian Springs Dunbar Cave Fewkes Group Hiwassee Island Link Farm Mound Bottom Riverview Sellars Obion Old Town Swallow Bluff Central and Lower Mississippi Belle Meade Boone's Boyd Campbell Carson Chucalissa Denmark Eaker Janet's Menard-Hodges Murphy Nodena Nodena phase Owl Creek Parkin Quigualtam Tipton phase Tunica Koroa Yazoo Walls phase
South Appalachian Mississippian	Adamson Avery Beaverdam Creek Bell Field Mound Bessemer Biltmore Blair Bussell Island Chauga Chiaha Chota Citico Coosa Dallas phase Dyar Etowah Garden Creek Hoojah Branch Irene Jere Shine Joara Joe Bell King Lamar Lamar phase Liddell Little Egypt Long Swamp Mabila Mandeville McMahan Moccasin Bend Moundville Mouse Creek phase Mulberry Muscogee (Creek) Nacoochee Nikwasi Ocmulgee Park Mound Pisgah phase Punk Rock Shelter Rembert Roods Landing Rucker's Bottom Savannah Shiloh Sixtoe Summerour Taskigi Tomotley Toqua Town Creek Waddells Mill Pond Wilbanks
Fort Walton culture	Anhaica Apalachee Apalachee Province Cayson Corbin–Tucker Fort Walton Mound Lake Jackson Leon-Jefferson culture Letchworth Velda Yon
Pensacola culture	Bottle Creek Dauphin Island Fort Walton Hickory Ridge Cemetery Naval Live Oaks Cemetery Pensacola people
Plaquemine Mississippian	Anna Atchafalaya Basin Emerald Fitzhugh Flowery Fosters Ghost Glass Grand Village of the Natchez Holly Bluff Jaketown Jordan Julice Mangum Mazique Medora Mott Natchez Taensa Pocahontas Routh Scott Place Sims Transylvania Venable Winterville
Caddoan Mississippian	Battle Belcher Blue Spring Shelter Bluffton Caddo Caddoan Mounds Gahagan Hughes Ka-Do-Ha Indian Village Keller Spiro
Upper Mississippian cultures	Oneota Anker Beattie Park Blood Run Carcajou Point Fifield Fisher Mound Group Gentleman Farm Grand Village of the Illinois Griesmer Hartley Fort Hotel Plaza Hoxie Farm Huber Juntunen Knoll Spring Mero site Moccasin Bluff Oak Forest Palos Plum Island Roche-a-Cri Petroglyphs Schwerdt Summer Island Fort Ancient culture Alligator Effigy Mound Clover Dodge Leo Petroglyph Serpent Mound SunWatch Indian Village
Culture	Agriculture Beans Chenopodium Little barley Maize Marshelder Pumpkin Squash Sunflower Three Sisters Tobacco Artwork Emmons mask Copper plates Rogan plates Spiro plates Wulfing cache Duck River cache Long-nosed god maskette Mill Creek chert Pottery Shell gorget Stone statuary Languages Caddoan Central Algonquian Cherokee Mobilian Jargon Muskogean Natchez Taensa Siouan Timucuan Tunican Yuchi Religion Ballgame (Southeastern) Northern Black drink Burial mound Ceremonial pipe Chanunpa Chunkey Earth/fertility cult Green Corn Ceremony Horned Serpent Platform mound Red Horn Sacred bundle Village bundle Southeastern Ceremonial Complex Stone box grave Thunderbird Underwater panther
Related topics Chevron bead Clarksdale bell Mound Builders de Soto Expedition

• Archaeological sites in Michigan
• Allegan County, Michigan
• Late Woodland period