The Eastern Woodlands II: The Terminal Archaic

Transition

The Eastern Woodlands II: The Terminal Archaic

Transition

Lecture 21

North American Archaeology

Winter 2007

UCSC

Lecture 21

North American Archaeology

Winter 2007

UCSC

The “Terminal Archaic”The “Terminal Archaic” 2000-1000 BC Series of Technological and Social

Innovations Pottery--storage and cooking technology Horticulture

Squash and Bottle Gourd Local Complex of Weedy Annuals

Elaborate mortuary rituals and monuments Expansion of local and regional economic

and social networks

2000-1000 BC Series of Technological and Social

Innovations Pottery--storage and cooking technology Horticulture

Squash and Bottle Gourd Local Complex of Weedy Annuals

Elaborate mortuary rituals and monuments Expansion of local and regional economic

and social networks

Invention of Pottery in EastInvention of Pottery in East Fiber-Tempered Ware

2000-1700 BC So. Atlantic Coast

Shell midden sites

Stallings IslandStallings Island, Savannah River, GA

Thick, rounded or flat- bottomed open bowls w/ simple incised or punctated decoration

Fiber-Tempered Ware 2000-1700 BC So. Atlantic Coast

Shell midden sites

Stallings IslandStallings Island, Savannah River, GA

Thick, rounded or flat- bottomed open bowls w/ simple incised or punctated decoration

Steatite BowlsSteatite Bowls

Widely traded throughout Mid-Atlantic and NE between 1700-1300 BC

Associated w/ more intensive use of seeds and nuts

Widely traded throughout Mid-Atlantic and NE between 1700-1300 BC

Associated w/ more intensive use of seeds and nuts

Steatite-Tempered Pottery

Marcey Creek Plain 1300 BC

Sassman: Male status-building may have resisted development of ceramics by women

Steatite-Tempered Pottery

Marcey Creek Plain 1300 BC

Sassman: Male status-building may have resisted development of ceramics by women

Grit-Tempered Pottery 1000BC Vinette I (NY) Examples from Koster

Cord-marked, conical bottom (typical Woodland Tradition pottery)

More heat resistant--better for direct heat cooking

Grit-Tempered Pottery 1000BC Vinette I (NY) Examples from Koster

Cord-marked, conical bottom (typical Woodland Tradition pottery)

More heat resistant--better for direct heat cooking

Vinette I PotteryVinette I Pottery

The “Container Revolution”The “Container Revolution” Bruce Smith

Sedentary groups--need more storage, and/or Direct heat cooking (boiling) Associated with increased nut and seed

processing in Late Archaic Alternative Hypothesis:

Early pottery as “prestige technology”--used as special containers for preparing and serving food at competitive feasts (“Big Men”)

Bruce Smith Sedentary groups--need more storage, and/or Direct heat cooking (boiling) Associated with increased nut and seed

processing in Late Archaic Alternative Hypothesis:

Early pottery as “prestige technology”--used as special containers for preparing and serving food at competitive feasts (“Big Men”)

Origins of Early Gardening Complexes in East

Origins of Early Gardening Complexes in East

Early Eastern Mexican Complex Squash (Curcurbita pepo) Bottle gourd (Lagenaria

siceraria) Early Sites

Koster (5000-4000 BC) Bacon Bend (2100-2400

BC) Phillips Spring (2000-2300

BC) Natural spread or human

agents??

Early Eastern Mexican Complex Squash (Curcurbita pepo) Bottle gourd (Lagenaria

siceraria) Early Sites

Koster (5000-4000 BC) Bacon Bend (2100-2400

BC) Phillips Spring (2000-2300

BC) Natural spread or human

agents??

Eastern Agricultural ComplexEastern Agricultural Complex Asch and Asch (1970s) Complex of local weedy

annuals (“small grains”) Sunflower, marshelder

(sumpweed) goosefoot, maygrass,

knotweed, little barley

Propagated beyond natural range

Some show genetic changes (domestication) by 2000 BC Salts Cave, Newt Kash

Hallow

Asch and Asch (1970s) Complex of local weedy

annuals (“small grains”) Sunflower, marshelder

(sumpweed) goosefoot, maygrass,

knotweed, little barley

Propagated beyond natural range

Some show genetic changes (domestication) by 2000 BC Salts Cave, Newt Kash

Hallow

Why did “small grain” horticulture Why did “small grain” horticulture develop in East?develop in East?

Why did “small grain” horticulture Why did “small grain” horticulture develop in East?develop in East?

Richard Ford Stress and competition Deliberately fostering spread of certain species

Bruce Smith Casual and opportunistic Sedentary settlements caused restructuring of floodplain

ecosystems Kristen Gremillion

“Small grains” abundant, dependable, and nutritious, but hard to process

Delay cost of processing by storing (caching) Supplement other foods, especially during Winter

Richard Ford Stress and competition Deliberately fostering spread of certain species

Bruce Smith Casual and opportunistic Sedentary settlements caused restructuring of floodplain

ecosystems Kristen Gremillion

“Small grains” abundant, dependable, and nutritious, but hard to process

Delay cost of processing by storing (caching) Supplement other foods, especially during Winter

Early Mound ComplexesEarly Mound Complexes

Watson’s Brake (3900 BC) NE Louisiana 11 mounds and oval enclosure

Watson’s Brake (3900 BC) NE Louisiana 11 mounds and oval enclosure

Poverty Point SitePoverty Point Site

2200 BC-1200 BC Bayou Macon, LA 6 concentric ridges High population density Mound complexes

Mound A Mound B Motley Mound Lower Jackson Mound

2200 BC-1200 BC Bayou Macon, LA 6 concentric ridges High population density Mound complexes

Mound A Mound B Motley Mound Lower Jackson Mound

Evidence of post and living debris on top of embankments--houses??

600 houses = 3000 people??

Evidence of post and living debris on top of embankments--houses??

600 houses = 3000 people??

Charred remains of floor matsCharred remains of floor mats

Mound A (Bird Effigy?) Mound A (Bird Effigy?)

Mound B Cremation burials

Mound B Cremation burials

Typical Late Archaic subsistence Rich ecotone setting Hunted deer, small mammals, birds, fish Collected fruit, nuts, seeds Squash cultivation (and maybe weedy annuals) Fiber-temperd pottery, steatite bowls, earth ovensearth ovens and Poverty Pt Poverty Pt

objectsobjects

Typical Late Archaic subsistence Rich ecotone setting Hunted deer, small mammals, birds, fish Collected fruit, nuts, seeds Squash cultivation (and maybe weedy annuals) Fiber-temperd pottery, steatite bowls, earth ovensearth ovens and Poverty Pt Poverty Pt

objectsobjects

Fancy PPT Objects Women’s status marker?

Fancy PPT Objects Women’s status marker?

Plummets (fishing weights or bola stones) Randomly distributed throughout site

Plummets (fishing weights or bola stones) Randomly distributed throughout site

Motley Points Status symbols for high ranking warriors?

Motley Points Status symbols for high ranking warriors?

Microlithic technology for making jasper beads Microlithic technology for making jasper beads

Chiefly status symbols??Chiefly status symbols??

Clay figurines Clay figurines

Poverty Point Regional SystemPoverty Point Regional System

PPT site center of regional system LMV and Gulf Coast 100 sites, clustered

around 10 local centers

Centers located at strategic ecotones

Influence widespread throughout SE

PPT site center of regional system LMV and Gulf Coast 100 sites, clustered

around 10 local centers

Centers located at strategic ecotones

Influence widespread throughout SE

Was Poverty Point the center of a Was Poverty Point the center of a complex regional chiefdom?complex regional chiefdom?Was Poverty Point the center of a Was Poverty Point the center of a complex regional chiefdom?complex regional chiefdom?

Jon Gibson (1974) Organization of labor to build mounds Distribution of high status items (Motley

Points, jasper beads, etc.) Three-tier settlement hierarchy Local centers located to control trade and

distribution of high-ranked resources

Jon Gibson (1974) Organization of labor to build mounds Distribution of high status items (Motley

Points, jasper beads, etc.) Three-tier settlement hierarchy Local centers located to control trade and

distribution of high-ranked resources