Excavations were particularly deep in unit 29 because the NE cornerstone of the house was approximately 3 meters below datum. Cowry shells are used as decoration, currency and in ritual contexts by several African cultures.
Cowry shells are highly unusual at archaeological sites in the Midwest.
Likewise, the carved bone or ivory elephant trunk could reflect an artist with interest in Africa. Both artifacts can be considered evidence of an African or African-American historic presence at the site. Another class of relevant artifacts include carved wooden buttons that were discovered during the 1999 seasons. The documentary evidence may suggest that the site was unoccupied until the end of the Civil War, but the artifact evidence indicates that it was occupied before the Civil War. Porcelain doll's head found in the summer of 2000.