Timothy Dahlen of Westby, WI obtained an AMS date from ceramic residue recovered during avocational research at the Ransom Rock Site (47VE1322) in Vernon County:
The Ransom Rock site is located in a small valley that contains a tributary of the west fork of the Kickapoo River in Vernon County. The site is situated on the slope below a small sandstone outcrop located slightly above the valley floor. Four units were excavated at the site after several flakes and pottery sherds were found on the eroding surface below the outcrop. Each of the units revealed the presence of a sheet midden capped by varying amounts of fill. The midden contained large amounts of lithic debitage and faunal remains, as well as some pottery and charcoal. A Madison Triangular point was found at the base of the midden. Numerous plain, grit-tempered pottery sherds were present in the fill above the midden. The majority of the sherds appear to be from the same vessel, with rim sherds exhibiting a decorative pattern consisting of a combination of punctates and incised lines. A 2013 WASRA award was used to partially fund the AMS analysis of a sample of charred residue from the interior of one of the body sherds. A conventional radiocarbon age of 1540±30 BP was returned, which calibrated at the 2-sigma confidence level to Cal AD 430 to 600 (Beta-366562).
Val Pierce and Ryan Letterly excavating Unit 3 at 47VE1322
