Dirty Evidence: Multi-Method Identification of Daub, Animal Dung, or Human Excrement at Angel Mounds

Domestic structures are central to understanding Mississippian social dynamics in eastern North America. This study examines the depositional history of an infilled semi-subterranean house basin at the Angel Mounds site in southern Indiana. Distinctive microscopic coarse anthropogenic aggregates in the house midden were assessed through three hypotheses: daub, animal dung, or human excrement. A multi-method approach, including micromorphology, scanning electron microscopy, and geochemistry, revealed midden enrichment in Ba, Ca, Cu, Na, Mg, P, S, Si, Sr, Rb, Zn, Zr, and LOI%. The aggregates specifically showed enrichment in P, Ca, Al, Fe, and K, with microscopic evidence of authigenic phosphatic minerals. While identification remains uncertain, results most strongly indicate human excrement, with animal dung as a secondary possibility and daub least likely. The potential recognition of human waste within a domestic feature offers rare insights into sanitation practices and demonstrates the value of multi-proxy approaches for reconstructing Mississippian lifeways.