Binghamton University will conduct its 2007 Archaeological Field School in the Hale Eddy Prehistoric Archaeological District (HEPAD). The district is located along the West Branch of the Delaware River in the Towns of Deposit and Hancock, Delaware County, New York. Over 22 prehistoric sites, ranging from the late Paleo-Indian period to the Late Woodland period, form the district and contribute to several research themes. This year's field school will focus on two major themes: adaptations to the riverine environment in the Late Archaic Period, and the local adaptation and occupation by Paleo-Indian people.

   From the more than 22 sites in the HEPAD, the University has selected the Beaver Lodge, Evans, and Delaware Pines sites as the focus of investigations for the field school. Beaver Lodge represents a late Paleo-Indian camp. The prehistoric assemblage consists of chipped stone debitage, utilized flakes, projectile point fragments, bifacial and unifacial tools. The artifacts are composed mainly of high-quality raw materials, mainly from the Normanskill chert formations. The Delaware Pine site includes vertically stratified cultural deposits dating to the Early Archaic, Late Archaic, Transitional, Middle Woodland, and Late Woodland periods. Preliminary excavations recovered 5,188 prehistoric artifacts, including chipped stone debitage, utilized flakes, bifacial tools, projectile points and fragments, drill fragments, scrapers, pitted stones, and fire cracked rock.    Preliminary investigations at the Evans Site indicate a horizontally stratified multicomponent site dating to the Late PaleoIndian period. >>