Amateur Archaeologist Charles E.Moore working at the Leighton County dig

On April 26, 2012, Dr. Michael Gramly of Andover, Massachusetts led a team of ten visiting archaeologists along with seven local members of the Alabama Archaeological Society on a dig in Colbert County, Alabama. The team excavated twenty-two meter squares near Pleistocene sink holes near Leighton. Most of the squares were along a fence row so the soil had been undisturbed for thousands of years. The objective of the dig was to further establish evidence that the Cumberland phase predated Clovis in the Southeast. A great number of microliths were found as well as a Clovis preform and several fluted fragments from last year’s excavations from the same site. These artifacts are being tested with infrared laser spectrocity to establish dates of the artifacts. So far this work has indicated dates for Cumberland are from about 16,500 years BP [before present] to about 12,500 years BP. These dates overlap Clovis dates which show a range of 12,900 to about 10,500 years BP. The highlight of the work was a hamburger picnic hosted by the local archaeological society followed by a lecture by Dr. Gramly on the excavation work done to date at this location. Charles E. Moore, city Archaeologist for Florence, Alabama was presented the Achievement Award of the American Society of Amateur Archaeology. Only six other people have been chosen for this award. Dr. Gramly stated that Mr. Moore was chosen for this award for being instrumental in opening doors for the society’s work in northern Alabama as well as for his continuous support of many archaeological activities in the area over most of his lifetime.