Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-1978

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Major

Anthropology

Major Professor

Charles H. Faulkner

Committee Members

Major C. R. McCollough, Walter E. Klippel, Paul W. Parmalee

Abstract

Analysis of the Mississippian component features from the Eoff I site in the Normandy Reservoir, upper Duck River, Coffee County, Tennessee, has indicated that the component represents an Early ,Mississippian Banks phase occupation dating from between A.D. 1068 and A.D. 1170. The spatial distribution of features at the site along with the artifactual content of these features suggests that a major cluster of features was placed in consistent arrangement with each of two semisubterranean structures. A storage zone is possibly indicated by a cluster of features with morphological characteristics usually associated with storage facilities and also by the significantly larger ceramic vessels found within this cluster.

The variety of artifactual classes present in the Mississippian features indicated that a variety of functions were undertaken during this period of occupation. Subsistence appears to have been based on a combination of agriculture, wild plant food gathering, and hunting.

The relationships between the Banks phase and Mississippian sites in the upper Caney Fork drainage area are discussed as well as the possible relationships with the Langston phase of northern Alabama. The major conclusion of these discussions is that even though there do appear to be similarities between the Mississippian occupations in the three areas, at this time it is not possible to document a firm relationship between the areas, but that research directed toward the exploration of these possible relationships should be undertaken.

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