A Smithsonian trinomial (formally the Smithsonian Institution Trinomial System , abbreviated SITS ) is a unique identifier assigned to archaeological sites in many states in the United States . Trinomials are composed of a one or two digit coding for the state, typically two letters coding for the county or county-equivalent within the state, and one or more sequential digits representing the order in which the site was listed in that county. The Smithsonian Institution developed the site number system in the 1930s and 1940s, but it no longer maintains the system. Trinomials are now assigned by the individual states. The 48 states then in the union were assigned numbers in alphabetical order. Alaska was assigned number 49 and Hawaii was assigned number 50, after those states were admitted to the union. There is no Smithsonian trinomial number assigned for the District of Columbia or any United States territory.
8-592: The Mitchell Site , designated by the Smithsonian trinomial 39DV2 , is an important archaeological site in Mitchell , Davison County, South Dakota . It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1964. At that time it was the only reliably dated site of the Lower James River Phase (Initial Variant). The site, sheltered under a dome, is managed by a nonprofit organization and is open to
16-542: A sequential number series for the whole state. Delaware uses a single letter code for counties and adds a block code (A-K) within each county, with sequential numbers for each block. Hawaii uses a four-part identifier, "50" for the state, a two-digit code for the island, then a two-digit code to designate the USGS topographical quad, plus a four digit sequential site number for sites on each island. NN: One or two digit number, 1 though 16, identifying rectangles (15 ' USGS maps) in
24-422: The county code. Arizona uses a five-part identifier based on USGS maps, specifying quadrangles, then rectangles within a quadrangle, a sequential number within the rectangle, and a code identifying the agency issuing the sequential number. California uses a three-letter abbreviation for counties. Connecticut and Rhode Island do not use any sub-state codes, with site identifiers consisting of the state abbreviation and
32-461: The form "nnAAnnnn", but some specify a space or dash between parts of the identifier, i.e., "nn AA nnnn" or "nn-AA-nnnn". Some states use variations of the trinomial system. Arizona, California, Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, and Vermont use two-letter abbreviations of the state name instead of the Smithsonian number. Alaska uses three-letter abbreviations for USGS map quadrangles in place of
40-485: The public as Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village . Visitors can watch archaeologists uncover artifacts in the Thomsen Center Archeodome. The Boehnen Memorial Museum features a reconstructed lodge and many of the artifacts found at the site. The Mitchell Site is located north of downtown Mitchell, on the east side of Indian Village Road, on a point overlooking Lake Mitchell. The site contains what
48-499: The settlement. Two house depressions were excavated in 1938 by a crew funded by the Works Progress Administration . A house excavated in 1971 showed evidence of having been destroyed by fire, but included remarkable detail on its architecture. In 1975 a nonprofit organization was founded to continue archaeological work and to preserve the site. Smithsonian trinomial Most states use trinomials of
56-406: Was first recorded archaeologically in 1922, when it was described as including 45 earth lodge sites, extending northward on a spur of land overlooking Firesteel Creek. The creek has since been dammed to form Lake Mitchell, and the area south of the surviving site elements has been landscaped as part of a golf course. The latter work in particular has compromised the ditches that originally surrounded
64-568: Was once a village made of lodges surrounded by a ditch and timber palisade. The people who once lived on the Mitchell site acquired their food from many different sources. The discovery of food processing tools and carbonized seeds suggest that these people were growing much of their food. Artifacts, such as hoes and squash knives are also good indicators that they were farmers. Various types of carbonized seeds and corn cobs show they were growing corn, beans, squash, sunflowers and tobacco. The site
#367632