Archaeology in the Southeast
History and Prehistory
The first people appeared in the Southeast at least 12,000 years
ago—and maybe a good many years before that. By 3,000 B.C. they were
building Indian mounds and by roughly 1,500 B.C., the great Poverty
Point site in northeast Louisiana was the focus of a wide-ranging trade
network. In the first years of the Christian Era, a rich “woodland”
culture developed, with ties to Indian groups of the Ohio Valley. A
thousand years ago, new influences began to affect the Southeast,
radiating from the great mound center at Cahokia, Illinois, and from
Moundville, Alabama. These influences resulted in the construction of
great multi-mound centers and the introduction of new, different types
of pottery. These cultures were probably in decline at the time of the
first white contact in the mid- 16th century, although diseases
introduced by the Spanish explorers may have been the cause behind the
disintegration of these Indian groups.
Thus, not only do most areas of the Southeast have a rich history,
beginning with the Exploration and Colonial periods, but there are
thousands of years of occupation before that, an occupation often only
evidenced by a few flakes and pieces of pottery.
Methodology
While the standard methodology in archaeology continues to be the
individual worker with a shovel or trowel, the modern age has brought
additions and refinements. For instance,
heavy machines such as backhoes
are often utilized, especially where time is of the essence. A backhoe
can quickly remove the overburden at a site, exposing the
culture-bearing level below. Backhoes are also valuable when searching
for unmarked cemeteries, as they allow the removal of topsoil, exposing
the outlines of graves.
In today’s archaeology, remote sensing has become an important tool in many situations. Remote sensing techniques vary from aerial photo interpretation to ground penetrating radar and gradiometry. These techniques, because they do not require actual excavation, often provide cost-effective ways of suggesting how the archaeologist should allocate time and funds.