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Poverty Point culture

The Poverty Point culture is the archaeological culture of a prehistoric indigenous peoples who inhabited a portion of North America's lower Mississippi Valley and surrounding Gulf coast from about 1730 – 1350 BC.[1]

Aerial view of the Poverty Point earthworks, built by the prehistoric Poverty Point culture, located in present-day Louisiana.

Archeologists have identified more than 100 sites belonging to this mound-builder culture, who also formed a large trading network throughout much of the eastern part of what is now the United States.

History edit

 
Artist's reconstruction

Preceding the Poverty Point Culture is the Watson Brake site in present-day Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, where eleven earthwork mounds were built beginning about 3500 BC. Watson Brake is one of the earliest mound complexes in the Americas.[2] Next oldest is the Poverty Point Culture, which thrived from 1730 to 1350 BC, during the late Archaic period in North America. Evidence of this mound builder culture has been found at more than 100 sites, including the Jaketown Site near Belzoni, Mississippi. The largest and best-known site is at Poverty Point, located on the Macon Ridge near present-day Epps, Louisiana. The culture is named for the archeological site, which is in turn named after a 19th century cotton plantation built in the area.[3]

The Poverty Point culture may have hit its peak around 1500 BC. It is one of the oldest complex cultures, and possibly the first tribal culture in the Mississippi Delta and in the present-day United States. The people occupied villages that extended for nearly 100 miles (160 km) on either side of the Mississippi River.[4]

Poverty Point culture was followed by the Tchefuncte and Lake Cormorant cultures of the Tchula period, a local manifestation of the early Woodland period. These descendant cultures differed from Poverty Point culture in trading over shorter distances, creating less massive public projects, completely adopting ceramics for storage and cooking, and lacking a lapidary (stone-carving) industry.

Earthworks edit

Although the earthworks at Poverty Point are not the oldest in the United States[5] (those at Watson Brake were built about 1900 years earlier), they are notable as the oldest earthworks of this size in the Western Hemisphere. In the center of the site is a plaza covering about 15 hectares or 37 acres (150,000 m2). Archeologists believe the plaza was the site of public ceremonies, rituals, dances, games and other major community activities.

The site has six concentric earthworks separated by ditches, or swales, where dirt was removed to build the ridges. The ends of the outermost ridge are 1,204 metres (3,950 ft) apart, which is nearly 3/4 of a mile. The ends of the interior embankment are 594 metres (1,949 ft) apart. If the ridges were straightened and laid end to end, they would compose an embankment of 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) long. Originally, the ridges stood 4 feet (1.2 m) to 6 feet (1.8 m) high and 140 feet (43 m) to 200 feet (61 m) apart. Many years of plowing have reduced some to only 1 foot (0.30 m) in height. Archeologists believe that the homes of 500 to 1,000 inhabitants were located on these ridges.[6]

It was the largest settlement at that time in North America. The site also had a 50 feet (15 m) high, 500 feet (150 m) long earthen pyramid, which was aligned east to west.[7] A large bird effigy mound, measuring 70 feet (21 m) high and 640 feet (200 m) across, is also located on the site.[8]

On the western side of the plaza, archeologists have found some unusually deep pits. One explanation is these holes once held huge wooden posts, which served as calendar markers. Using the sun’s shadows, the inhabitants could have predicted the changing of the seasons.[6] This great building project demanded a sustained investment of human labor, and the organized skill and cultural will to sustain the effort over many centuries.[9] One authority calculated that it would take more than 1,236,007 cubic feet (34,999.8 m3) of basket-loaded soil to complete the earthworks. That would mean 1,350 adults laboring 70 days a year for three years.[10][11]

Artifacts edit

Archeological excavation has revealed a wealth of artifacts, including animal effigy figures; hand-molded, baked-clay cooking objects; simple thick-walled pottery; stone vessels, spear points, adzes, hoes, drills, edge-retouched flakes, and blades.[12] Stone cooking balls were used to prepare meals. Scholars believe dozens of the cooking balls were heated in a bonfire and dropped in pits along with food. Different-shaped balls controlled cooking temperatures and cooking time.

Crude human figures, forming another category of artifacts, are thought to have been used for religious purposes. Points made of imported gray Midwestern flint were also found. In addition, plummets were fashioned out of heavy iron ore imported from Hot Springs, Arkansas; they served as weights for fish nets.[13] Many of the raw materials used, such as slate, copper, galena, jasper, quartz, and soapstone, were from as far as 620 miles (1,000 km) away, attesting to the distant reach of the trading culture.[10]

The Poverty Point culture developed a tradition of making high-quality, stylized, carved and polished miniature stone beads. Other early cultures in eastern North America rarely used stone to make their beads, opting for softer materials such as shell or bone. The beads depict animals common to the Poverty Point culture's environment, such as owls, dogs, locusts, and turkey vultures.[14]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ . Louisiana Division of Archaeology. Archived from the original on February 9, 2018. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  2. ^ Saunders, Joe W.; Mandel, Rolfe D.; Sampson, C. Garth; Allen, Charles M.; Allen, E. Thurman; Bush, Daniel A.; Feathers, James K.; Gremillion, Kristen J.; Hallmark, C. T.; Jackson, H. Edwin; Johnson, Jay K.; Jones, Reca; Saucier, Roger T.; Stringer, Gary L.; Vidrine, Malcolm F. (2005), "Watson Brake, a Middle Archaic Mound Complex in Northeast Louisiana", American Antiquity, 70 (4): 631–668, doi:10.2307/40035868, JSTOR 40035868, S2CID 162372990
  3. ^ Greenlee, Diana. . 64 Parishes. Archived from the original on 2022-10-25. Retrieved 2022-06-22.
  4. ^ Jon L. Gibson, PhD, "Poverty Point: The First Complex Mississippi Culture" 2013-12-07 at the Wayback Machine, 2001, Delta Blues, accessed 26 Oct 2009
  5. ^ Fagan, Brian M. (2005). Ancient North America : The Archaeology of a Continent (4 ed.). New York: Thames & Hudson Inc. p. 390.
  6. ^ a b , Louisiana Public Broadcasting, October 26, 2009, See transcript, archived from the original on March 4, 2016, retrieved November 9, 2011
  7. ^ Townsend, Richard F. (2004). Hero, Hawk and Open Hand : American Indian Art of the Ancient Midwest and South. London: Yale University Press. p. 17.
  8. ^ Prehistoric Beads
  9. ^ Berlo, Janet C.; Phillips, Ruth B. (1998). Native North American Art. Oxford University Press. pp. 75–76. ISBN 978-0-19-284218-3.
  10. ^ a b Fagan, Brian M. (2005). Ancient North America : The Archaeology of a Continent (4 ed.). New York: Thames & Hudson Inc. p. 418.
  11. ^ Archaic Native Americans built massive Louisiana mound in less than 90 days
  12. ^ . Archived from the original on October 25, 2009. Retrieved 2011-11-10.
  13. ^ . Archived from the original on 2013-12-07. Retrieved 2011-11-10.
  14. ^ "Lapidary Beads". Lithiccasting Lab.

External links edit

  • Louisiana’s Poverty Point Earthworks Show Early Native Americans Were ‘Incredible Engineers’, Smithsonian magazine news item, September 8, 2021

poverty, point, culture, archaeological, culture, prehistoric, indigenous, peoples, inhabited, portion, north, america, lower, mississippi, valley, surrounding, gulf, coast, from, about, 1730, 1350, aerial, view, poverty, point, earthworks, built, prehistoric,. The Poverty Point culture is the archaeological culture of a prehistoric indigenous peoples who inhabited a portion of North America s lower Mississippi Valley and surrounding Gulf coast from about 1730 1350 BC 1 Aerial view of the Poverty Point earthworks built by the prehistoric Poverty Point culture located in present day Louisiana Archeologists have identified more than 100 sites belonging to this mound builder culture who also formed a large trading network throughout much of the eastern part of what is now the United States Contents 1 History 2 Earthworks 3 Artifacts 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory edit nbsp Artist s reconstructionPreceding the Poverty Point Culture is the Watson Brake site in present day Ouachita Parish Louisiana where eleven earthwork mounds were built beginning about 3500 BC Watson Brake is one of the earliest mound complexes in the Americas 2 Next oldest is the Poverty Point Culture which thrived from 1730 to 1350 BC during the late Archaic period in North America Evidence of this mound builder culture has been found at more than 100 sites including the Jaketown Site near Belzoni Mississippi The largest and best known site is at Poverty Point located on the Macon Ridge near present day Epps Louisiana The culture is named for the archeological site which is in turn named after a 19th century cotton plantation built in the area 3 The Poverty Point culture may have hit its peak around 1500 BC It is one of the oldest complex cultures and possibly the first tribal culture in the Mississippi Delta and in the present day United States The people occupied villages that extended for nearly 100 miles 160 km on either side of the Mississippi River 4 Poverty Point culture was followed by the Tchefuncte and Lake Cormorant cultures of the Tchula period a local manifestation of the early Woodland period These descendant cultures differed from Poverty Point culture in trading over shorter distances creating less massive public projects completely adopting ceramics for storage and cooking and lacking a lapidary stone carving industry Earthworks edit nbsp Map of site with 2008 structures nbsp Swale with a flowing stream nbsp Circular structure nbsp Ridges nbsp Mounds nbsp Bayou Marcon waterway at left ridges at rightAlthough the earthworks at Poverty Point are not the oldest in the United States 5 those at Watson Brake were built about 1900 years earlier they are notable as the oldest earthworks of this size in the Western Hemisphere In the center of the site is a plaza covering about 15 hectares or 37 acres 150 000 m2 Archeologists believe the plaza was the site of public ceremonies rituals dances games and other major community activities The site has six concentric earthworks separated by ditches or swales where dirt was removed to build the ridges The ends of the outermost ridge are 1 204 metres 3 950 ft apart which is nearly 3 4 of a mile The ends of the interior embankment are 594 metres 1 949 ft apart If the ridges were straightened and laid end to end they would compose an embankment of 12 kilometres 7 5 mi long Originally the ridges stood 4 feet 1 2 m to 6 feet 1 8 m high and 140 feet 43 m to 200 feet 61 m apart Many years of plowing have reduced some to only 1 foot 0 30 m in height Archeologists believe that the homes of 500 to 1 000 inhabitants were located on these ridges 6 It was the largest settlement at that time in North America The site also had a 50 feet 15 m high 500 feet 150 m long earthen pyramid which was aligned east to west 7 A large bird effigy mound measuring 70 feet 21 m high and 640 feet 200 m across is also located on the site 8 On the western side of the plaza archeologists have found some unusually deep pits One explanation is these holes once held huge wooden posts which served as calendar markers Using the sun s shadows the inhabitants could have predicted the changing of the seasons 6 This great building project demanded a sustained investment of human labor and the organized skill and cultural will to sustain the effort over many centuries 9 One authority calculated that it would take more than 1 236 007 cubic feet 34 999 8 m3 of basket loaded soil to complete the earthworks That would mean 1 350 adults laboring 70 days a year for three years 10 11 Artifacts edit nbsp Female effigies clay nbsp Atlatl weights and carved stone gorgets nbsp Baked loess objects used in cooking dating from 1650 and 700 BCEArcheological excavation has revealed a wealth of artifacts including animal effigy figures hand molded baked clay cooking objects simple thick walled pottery stone vessels spear points adzes hoes drills edge retouched flakes and blades 12 Stone cooking balls were used to prepare meals Scholars believe dozens of the cooking balls were heated in a bonfire and dropped in pits along with food Different shaped balls controlled cooking temperatures and cooking time Crude human figures forming another category of artifacts are thought to have been used for religious purposes Points made of imported gray Midwestern flint were also found In addition plummets were fashioned out of heavy iron ore imported from Hot Springs Arkansas they served as weights for fish nets 13 Many of the raw materials used such as slate copper galena jasper quartz and soapstone were from as far as 620 miles 1 000 km away attesting to the distant reach of the trading culture 10 The Poverty Point culture developed a tradition of making high quality stylized carved and polished miniature stone beads Other early cultures in eastern North America rarely used stone to make their beads opting for softer materials such as shell or bone The beads depict animals common to the Poverty Point culture s environment such as owls dogs locusts and turkey vultures 14 See also edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Poverty Point Archaeological periods of the Mississippi ValleyReferences edit Poverty Point Culture A Definition Louisiana Division of Archaeology Archived from the original on February 9 2018 Retrieved December 7 2018 Saunders Joe W Mandel Rolfe D Sampson C Garth Allen Charles M Allen E Thurman Bush Daniel A Feathers James K Gremillion Kristen J Hallmark C T Jackson H Edwin Johnson Jay K Jones Reca Saucier Roger T Stringer Gary L Vidrine Malcolm F 2005 Watson Brake a Middle Archaic Mound Complex in Northeast Louisiana American Antiquity 70 4 631 668 doi 10 2307 40035868 JSTOR 40035868 S2CID 162372990 Greenlee Diana Poverty Point 64 Parishes Archived from the original on 2022 10 25 Retrieved 2022 06 22 Jon L Gibson PhD Poverty Point The First Complex Mississippi Culture Archived 2013 12 07 at the Wayback Machine 2001 Delta Blues accessed 26 Oct 2009 Fagan Brian M 2005 Ancient North America The Archaeology of a Continent 4 ed New York Thames amp Hudson Inc p 390 a b Poverty Point Earthworks Evolutionary Milestones of the Americas Louisiana Public Broadcasting October 26 2009 See transcript archived from the original on March 4 2016 retrieved November 9 2011 Townsend Richard F 2004 Hero Hawk and Open Hand American Indian Art of the Ancient Midwest and South London Yale University Press p 17 Prehistoric Beads Berlo Janet C Phillips Ruth B 1998 Native North American Art Oxford University Press pp 75 76 ISBN 978 0 19 284218 3 a b Fagan Brian M 2005 Ancient North America The Archaeology of a Continent 4 ed New York Thames amp Hudson Inc p 418 Archaic Native Americans built massive Louisiana mound in less than 90 days Poverty Point Archived from the original on October 25 2009 Retrieved 2011 11 10 Poverty Point The First Complex Delta Culture Archived from the original on 2013 12 07 Retrieved 2011 11 10 Lapidary Beads Lithiccasting Lab External links editLouisiana s Poverty Point Earthworks Show Early Native Americans Were Incredible Engineers Smithsonian magazine news item September 8 2021 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Poverty Point culture amp oldid 1198728659, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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