Sloth volunteers traveled to Shenandoah Friday evening, April 30 to be ready for a 7:30, May 01, assembly in the Day’s Inn parking lot. We entered the site from the north (Tiemann’s field), bailed and cleared mud residue from the area to be investigated. The primary purpose of this trip was to recover the pelvic remains discovered on the previous dig and to establish a reason for the discrepancy in depths below datum recorded in January and on the previous April dig (17-18th). Bone recovered in January was recorded as being between minus 17 and 28 inches below datum while those recovered in the juxtaposed April 17th excavation were noted to be between minus 4 and plus 7 inches. Possible interpretations were (1) two bone levels, (2) greater topographic relief on the sloth horizon than originally believed or (3) there were consistent errors in measurement. The January excavation floor was identified by a plastic cover left on the floor of the north corner excavation (Jean’s Pit) and two spikes left to mark bone locations. Both were contiguous with the level of the bone recovered during the April excavations. It is clear that the sloth has been recovered from one level with approximately a foot of topography to date. Examination of photographs taken during the January dig clearly show the string on a cleat at least 12  and possibly 18 inches higher on the reference stake than it was in April. Thus, the discrepancy is a result of a recording error. Although the string was left in place between digs, it clearly slipped to a lower cleat on the post. We will examine the reference stake for a file mark that was placed at datum.   
 
The pelvis, which was removed in two blocks, is a jumble of large and small fragments that are at odd angles to each other. A mammoth could have stepped on it. Both acetabula are present and appear to be almost opposite to each other in the mix. The bone mass is a 2 X3 foot oval that ranges from four to 12 inches in thickness. The top of the jacket has been removed and two experienced volunteers will expose the pelvis this summer. The bad news is that rodents have gnawed the entire margin of at least one large fragment and there is rodent work on another piece. Some of the specimen clearly was exposed for a period before burial. We also recovered a well-preserved radius on this trip. 
 
Volunteers on this trip were William Mott, Melissa Mott, Don Johnson, John McLure, Sarah Pitzen, Robert McAfee, Mindy Householder, Dave Brenzel, and Holmes Semken. 
 
Holmes A. Semken Jr. May 18, 2004