Chambers Site
The Chambers site (36Lr11) is an early Historic period site (AD 1763-1776) in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, excavated by John Zakucia in 1957. The remains were purchased by the William Penn Memorial Museum (now the State Museum of Pennsylvania) in 1968. Some 70 burials were recovered, eight of which are on burial sheets from the State Museum of Pennsylvania. Many of these burials appear to be housed at the Carnegie Museum in western Pennsylvania.
This site may also be known as Kuskuskie’s Village.
State Museum of Pennsylvania (SMOP) records state “The Chambers site or Kuskuskie’s village (36LR11) collection, dating between A.D. 1763 and 1776, was acquired by John W. Harpster, curator, Fort Pitt Museum by means of purchase from John Zakucia in November, 1967. Fort Pitt Museum is part of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) and archaeological remains held by the PHMC are under control of The State Museum of Pennsylvania. The Chambers site is located near Edinburg, Union Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. Archaeological and archival evidence suggest that this collection was formerly associated with a Historic Native American tribe known as the Delaware or Lenni Lenape.”
According to the SMOP inventory, there are 28 MNIs, 11,394 AFOs, and 1301 UFOs from this site (at all locations, not just the SMOP). However, burial sheets sent with the inventory list at least 41 burials, along with 32 others with burial numbers but for which no burial sheet was attached.
The SMOP lists 8 individuals and 2116 AFOs in their collection. Some 3012 AFOs associated with human remains are in the possession of the Carnegie Museum. Funerary objects include buckskin and leather fragments, wood, and charred maize.
The report on the site is “The Chambers Site, An Historic Burial Ground of 1750-1775” (John Zakucia, ESAF Bulletin 1960).
Zakucia’s field notes include detailed descriptions of all burials along with a large site map.
D5 Creation