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Archaeology at The Ebbert Spring Site, 36FR367
Cumberland
Valley Chapter #27 of the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology, Inc. has been
conducting an archaeological excavation at the Ebbert Spring Site for the past
three years. Evidence unearthed to date indicates that the spring has been
continuously visited by Native American groups from the Paleo Indian period
c10000-8000 BC up to and including contact with the first European Fur Traders
in the late 1600’s. Because of the extensive amount of artifacts uncovered over
this long time period, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission has
recently dubbed the Ebbert Spring Site a “Super Site”.
In
addition to being a registered Prehistoric site, the property is also registered
as a Pennsylvania Historic site due to its association as the home of William
Allison, father of Greencastle’s founder, John Allison. Many historical
components have been excavated that relate to the 250-year existence of the
Allison – Ebbert families’ farmsteads.
The exhibit will consist of projectile points, stone tools,
pottery (both Native American and historical glazed ceramics), excavated animal
bones, antlers and teeth, bone tools, European contact artifacts and misc.
agricultural related metal objects. Over thirty-five different type styles of
Native American 
pottery
and forty-five distinct projectile points have been found to date. Many of the
projectile points are made from lithic materials such as Jasper, Chert, Flint
and Chalcedony that are not common to this area and suggests an extensive trade
network.
The Ebbert Spring Site is located in Franklin County, several miles south of Greencastle, Pa. The “Virginia Path” was a major Indian trail that ran by many of the large limestone springs that are common in this area; however, this is the first spring to be excavated in the Great Valley physiography of Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania Archaeological Time Periods
Credits:
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
PALEO-INDIAN PERIOD (10,000 BC – 8,000 BC)
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Small, wandering bands of hunters and their
families following herds of big game animals
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Best known artifact is the “fluted” point,
used mostly for thrusting spears
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Paleo-Indian period was short and the
population small and mobile (sites vary rare)
ARCHAIC PERIOD (8,000 BC – 1,000 BC)
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Greater variety of food resources available, including deer, wild plants,
shell fish & fish
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Atlatl or spear thrower came into use
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More specialized tools were developed to exploit the changing environment
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Notched & stemmed points developed and stone tools, such as, adzes, axes
& gouges invented
TRANSITIONAL PERIOD (1,800 BC – 800 BC)
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Carved Steatite (or soapstone) bowls developed that permitted direct
cooking over fire
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Decorated ornaments, such as, gorgets, pendants and beads came into use
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Projectile points were reworked into scrappers, knives & drills
WOODLAND PERIOD (1,000 BC – 1550AD)
(Subdivided into Early, Middle & Late)
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Agriculture and related tools, such as, hoes were developed
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Pottery with stone chips, sand or shell fragment tempering evolved
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Collected seeds were preserved and stored for seasons of famine
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First smoking pipes, suggesting use of tobacco, date from this period
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Evidence of corn, beans & squash is found at this time
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Finely chipped, smaller projectile points with deeply cut notches made
from choice types of flint may indicate that the bow and arrow was
replacing the spear thrower as the weapon of choice
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Village life with large permanent round, oval or rectangular houses
appear and sometimes were surrounded by a wall of posts (palisades)
HISTORICAL PERIOD (1550 AD ---)
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European contact manufactured items, such as, trade beads and metal
objects appear
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European diseases, small pox, tuberculosis and others have devastating
effect
on Native American populations