Joe Bell Site facts for kids
 Location in Georgia (U.S. state)
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| Location | Morgan County, Georgia,  USA |
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| Region | Morgan County, Georgia |
| Coordinates | 33°32′28.9″N 83°16′40.8″W / 33.541361°N 83.278000°W |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 1969 |
The Joe Bell Site (also known as 9MG28) is an archaeological site in Morgan County, Georgia. An archaeological site is a place where people lived or worked long ago, and where we can find clues about their lives. Today, this site is mostly underwater in Lake Oconee.
Before the 1970s, the site was on the western bank of the Oconee River. It was located south of where the Apalachee River joins the Oconee River. You could see the meeting point of these two rivers from the site.
The site is named after Joe Bell, the landowner. He found many old objects while plowing his land. In 1968, he told archaeologist Marshall Williams about his discoveries.
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Discovering the Site
In 1968, Marshall Williams first visited the Joe Bell Site. He was told about it by the landowner, Joe Bell. Joe Bell had found many interesting objects while plowing his fields.
Later, Marshall Williams and Mark Williams found the site again. They were doing surveys and digging in plowed areas. This was happening because of new interstate highway construction nearby. Mark Williams then studied the site for his advanced university degree.
Digging for Clues: The 1969 Excavations
In 1969, archaeologists started digging at the Joe Bell Site. They focused on four main areas. In Areas 1, 2, and 3, they dug many five-foot square sections. These sections helped them carefully explore the ground.
During these digs, they found many small pieces of pottery. These pottery pieces are called "potsherds." The potsherds showed different time periods, or "phases." For example, pottery from the Duvall Phase was found in Area 1. Pottery from the Bell Phase was found in Areas 2, 3, and 4.
Archaeologists also used a road grading machine. This machine carefully removed the top layer of soil in twelve strips. This helped them find two important spots, called Features 1 and 2. They dug up everything in these two features.
More Digging: The 1977 Excavations
In 1977, Marshall Williams and Mark Williams returned to the site. There were plans that might damage the site. So, a bigger excavation (digging project) took place. This major dig lasted from June 15 to September 16, 1977.
Most of this work focused on Area 2. This part of the site was from the Bell Phase. It was about 1.5 acres in size. Due to limited time, only 17 out of 55 features were fully dug up. Also, only a few of the 1,100 post holes were excavated.
What They Found
Archaeologists made a few more trips to the site the next year. Volunteers helped them map about 80% of the area that had been cleared by the machine. They found several interesting things:
- Trash Pits: Some features were circular pits filled with food scraps and pottery pieces. These were like ancient trash cans.
- Large Circular Building: Evidence of a very large circular building was found. This building was likely a rotunda. It was probably the main place for social, political, and religious gatherings for the people who lived there.
- Sleeping Quarters: Many small, circular structures were found. These were partly underground. They were likely used as sleeping areas on cold nights.
- Warm Weather Structures: Other buildings were found that were probably used during warmer weather.
- Major Trash Feature: One large trash pit was found. It seemed to have been filled all at once. It was also burned during or after the trash was put in. Many pottery pieces were found in this pit. Some of these pieces could even be put back together to form whole pots.
Historians believe this large trash pit might be linked to a special ceremony. This ceremony is called the Busk or Green Corn ceremony. It was a time for people to clean their town and start fresh.
