This text was obtained via automated optical character recognition.
It has not been edited and may therefore contain several errors.

---

Page 0
THE STATUS OF THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE MISSISSIPPI ALLUVIAL VALLEY
V
f ii the recant NEWSLETTERS we have been reporting on the status., of our knowledge cf the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. The text has been taken from A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF TH: STATUS CF ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE MISSISSIPPI ALLUVIAL VALLEY, September 1360, by Dr. Charles R.McC-^msey 111, Hester A. Davis, and James B., Griffin, Arkansas Archaeological Survey, Coordinating Office.
Th;s month we continue with the section on the M'ssissippian period. Once ar;ain ve refer you to the Table produced on page f, NEWSLETTER IV - ?..
The M i ss : ss i pp i an Period 1000 - 10OT A.D-.
M i ss i ss?pp i an Culture
Principal sources of data are the Ti;rner-Snodgrass, Beckwith's Ford, Bryant, Gant, Campbell, Crosno, Lawhorn, Chucalissa, 3anks, Kersey, Cherry Valley, Modena, Rose, Parkin, Hazel, Menard, Dupree, Walls, W.nterville, Lake George, 01 ver,Lake Cormorant, Mab'n, Manny, Jaketown, plus the surveys of P,F?-G, and the exp 1oratLons of Moore.
The diagnostic characteristics are a preponderance of shell tempering in pottery almost of the exclusion of any other temper in the later portions of the period; increased quantities of grave goods with burials, burial normally in the village area rather than in mounds; painted pottery in later portions; handles on vessels; large, tightly knit villages with associated platform mounds.
The basis for temporal placement are CU:- dates in southeast Missouri, the Yazoo Basin, and Tensas Basin. Strat cuts at many of the above listed sites has helped plus stylistic cohesiveness of a general sort. Distribution is throughout the Valley, on both sides of the River, from the Cairo Lowlands (Missouri) to the Arkansas River on the west, and to the vicinity of Vicksburg on the east, though in the southern part of the Yazoo Basin these sites are late in.jtime and overlie occupations of Plaquemine Culture.
Specific characteristics?are Plain shell tempered pottery predominant in the early portion, with some incising and cord marking. In later times an increased proportion of incising and punctated decoration with the addition of effigies, painted wares, and in the very 1 atest..port ion of the period, engraving, pottery, trowels, ear plugs, and cones. Mon-ceramic characteristics are small projectile points, chipped hoes, discoidals, small celts, turtle backed scrapers, bone fishhooks, Sere awls, shell ear plugs, shell spoons and shell gorgets. Houses are rectang-j]ar, of wall trench construction, 15 to 20 feet a-cross the side usually. At Turner-Snodgrass, rectangular wall trench houses are with interior ledge and slightly depressed floor and 12 major Interior roof supports and probably hanging walls, Construction of houses varies In decai! from region tc region. Pyramidal mounds, when .mere than or?, at a site, genera-\y appear- tc be placed in a planned relat !onr>!>;ipc Ditches ar.d f^it i float iens are common at larger sites, and conica: or low mounds also present. Burials usually placed in the v; ? '.aqc. usual ?y extended, normal iy with one to six pottery veese?.s ;snc occasions'! stone, bone, or* shcl 1 objects. Site plans