1. Fortifying the Prairie-Plains: Understanding the chronology of defensive structures at Lawrenz Gun Club
John Flood1, Matthew D. Pike2, Jeremy J. Wilson1
1Dept. Of Anthropology, IUPUI; 2Dept. Of Anthropology, Purdue University
Introduction: Lawrenz Gun Club (11Cs4) was a fortified Mississippian period village located along the lower Sangamon River in the southern extent of the central Illinois River valley (CIRV), approximately nine kilometers northeast of modern-day Beardstown, IL (Cass County). Radiocarbon dates from previous investigations place the occupation of Lawrenz during a time of regional conflict and strife beginning around AD Lawrenz is unique when compared to other fortified settlements in the region. Unlike the relative hasty construction of fortifications at Orendorf and Larson suggested by their shallow trenches, the deep palisade and bastion trenches at Lawrenz suggest labor and resources were available to construct a well-built fortification on multiple occasions. While the proximate reasons for construction remain unclear (e.g., inter-polity warfare), determining the chronology of palisade construction is instrumental in understanding the social pressures driving strife and the need to defend this village and mound complex. These observations enabled the research team to develop the following questions:
When did the inhabitants of Lawrenz begin to fortify their village?
How many major construction episodes occurred?
What was the life-history of Lawrenz’s fortifications and its relationship to other site elements?
Results: A Life-History Model for Lawrenz’s Fortifications
Discussion: Fortifications are not sparse during the late pre-historic era in the Eastern Woodlands, nor are they in the CIRV. Fortifications at Lawrenz were much more substantial than anything else discovered in the CIRV, and they exhibit a conscious shift in defensive strategies with the switch to rectangular bastions. Although the factors leading to defensive features being constructed is not well understood, we do know several things for sure. Shortly before 1175 and 1225, the villagers at Lawrenz constructed a large defensive wall with interlocking circular bastions. Between 1175 and 1225, these were reconstructed several times and included a switch to rectangular bastions. In some cases they utilized previous trenches, while in other cases they dug out entirely new lines of defense. These interpretations have led the research team to several conclusions:
Prior to 1175, Lawrenz felt a need to construct defensive fortifications.
Lawrenz would have had the available resources and manpower to not just construct the first set of fortifications, but for at least three major reconstruction episodes between 1175 and 1225.
Early to Mid-12th Century Lawrenz- The results of this study include both interpretations of cross cutting relationships combined with the results of dated organics. The first fortification at Lawrenz included circular bastions and was constructed sometime before AD 1175 and The northwest corner block excavation shows an initial circular bastion (Figure 2) as well as a second construction episode that is marked with a later circular bastion slightly to the south (Figure 3.) Additionally, a separate currently undated construction episode can be seen pushing the west boundary of the wall back by roughly 10 meters, referred to as the west wall extension. Further study is required to understand this relationship.
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 2- Early circular bastion at northwest corner excavations.
Figure 3- Northwest corner excavation, showing younger and older circular bastions and their cross cutting relationships.
Image courtesy of Matthew Pike
Late 12th to Early 13th Century Lawrenz- Between AD 1175 and 1225, a major change in defensive strategy was undertaken at Lawrenz with rectangular bastions replacing circular ones. This is clearly seen at the north block excavation (Figures 3 and 4), where the east and north trenches of a rectangular bastion clearly cut through an older circular bastion along the same palisade line. In addition, the rectangular bastion on the north block underwent two reconstruction episodes during the same time frame. Interestingly, the three strata in the west flank of the rectangular bastion only associate with two strata in the palisade trench (Unit 11-1). It is plausible that the bastion was rebuilt three times, while the wall was only rebuilt twice.
Figure 1- Northwest corner excavations.
Figure 6- Topographic map of the Lawrenz Gun Club showing boundaries of palisades and location of previous figures.
Image courtesy of Matthew Pike
Methods: During the 2015 field season at Lawrenz, two large areas along the palisade on the northern and northwestern margins of the site were exposed. This included an area previously investigated in 2014 where three construction episodes associated with the west flank of a rectangular bastion were dated to AD 1175 to Concurrently, the northwest corner of the village’s fortifications were exposed in a 15 x 15 m block, revealing two circular bastions with superimposing relationships. In addition, a third palisade with rectangular bastions that cross-cut the aforementioned circular ones was present. These targeted areas allowed two teams to investigate the cross-cutting relationships between different construction episodes of palisade and bastion trenches, as well as the change in bastion form over time. Once exposed, these areas were cleaned to allow researchers to view the relationships between different episodes of constructions. Every feature was mapped, photographed and recorded. The subsequent excavations targeted areas of cross-cutting and superimposing relationships with the goal of obtaining dateable material from different features. The location of these dated materials was also recorded with a Total Station, providing exact points that could be transposed onto the GIS map layers for the site.
Acknowledgements- First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude towards the Hardwick and Robertson families. Our research would not be possible without their kindness. From the use of restrooms to cookies, they have always made us feel welcome. Also thank you to the IUPUI Center for Research and Learning and the IUPUI School of Liberal Arts, who both provided funding for my research. Lastly, I want to thank the professors and mentors who have provided me with every opportunity to succeed in the last two years: Dr. Jeremy Wilson, Dr. Edward Herrmann, Mathew Pike, Erica Wilson and Dr. William Monaghan.
Figure 4- North block excavation, showing younger rectangular bastion cutting older circular bastion.
Image courtesy of Matthew Pike
Figure 5- North block excavations.
Late 13th & 14th Century Lawrenz-   At present, none of the radiocarbon dates from fortification contexts at Lawrenz indicate an existence of a palisade during the late 13th and 14th centuries. This is perplexing as all of the structures date to this precise timeframe. Additional field work and a new round of radiometric assays will be necessary. This should include the investigation of a lone section of trench that is lost just west of the rectangular bastion on the north block. Possibilities for this section of trench include a baffled entrance or spoil piles from construction of the rectangular bastion that have erased the continuation of a feature.