Fiegel, Kurt H. August, 1982 - AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE LEATHERWOOD FORD ROAD WITHIN THE BIG SOUTH FORK NATIONAL RIVER AND RECREATION AREA; FENTRESS AND SCOTT COUNTIES, TENNESSEE Abstract: From July 9 to August 31, 1979 an archaeological resource reconnaissance with site testing was conducted along the Leatherwood Ford Road Right of Way and three borrow pit locations within the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area in Fentress and Scott Counties, Tennessee. The purpose of this project was to locate archaeological sites, test sites within impact areas and evaluate their significance in relation to eligibility for nomination to National Register of Historic Places, and make recommendations for alleviating the affects of construction on sites considered eligible for nomination to the National Register. In this eight week period, a total of 20 archaeological sites were identified. Of these 20 sites, 6 are considered significant and eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, 9 sites are considered potentially significant, because they were not sufficiently tested to determine their significance, and 5 are considered to be not significant. The analysis of material recovered yielded the following conclusions: (1) cultural affiliation was found to be 65 percent unidentified because of the paucity of diagnostic material, with the remaining percentage being associated with the Archaic, Woodland, and Mississippian cultural traditions, recent historic, or a combination of the above; (2) artifact evidence of aboriginal settlement and subsistence patterns indicated seasonal hunting in the upland areas of the Big South Fork with a majority of these being temporary camps located within 375 meters of a permanent water source; and (3) the activities associated with a lithic technology were primarily maintenance and rejuvenation of tools rather than their manufacture. However, the above conclusions are only tentative because of the nature of the archaeological investigations and the bias in the site sample and environmental zones examined during the field season. Therefore, this product should be treated as a report of investigations to date and the conclusions subject to change pending further investigations. .