FLORIDA’SBANNER INDIAN BANNER HERITAGE BANNER TRAIL •• BANNERPALEO-INDIAN BANNER ROCK BANNER ART? • • THE BANNER IMPORTANCE BANNER OF SALT american archaeologySUMMER 2014 a quarterly publication of The Archaeological Conservancy Vol. 18 No. 2 SACRED SMOKING $3.95 $3.95 SUMMER 2014 americana quarterly publication of The Archaeological archaeology Conservancy Vol. 18 No. 2 COVER FEATURE 12 HOLY SMOKE ON BY DAVID MALAKOFF M A H Archaeologists are examining the pivitol role tobacco has played in Native American culture. HLEE AS 19 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SALT BY TAMARA STEWART , PHOTO BY BY , PHOTO M By considering ethnographic evidence, researchers EU S have arrived at a new interpretation of archaeological data from the Verde Salt Mine, which speaks of the importance of salt to Native Americans. 25 ON THE TRAIL OF FLORIDA’S INDIAN HERITAGE TION, SOUTH FLORIDA MU TION, SOUTH FLORIDA C BY SUSAN LADIKA A trip through the Tampa Bay area reveals some of Florida’s rich history. ALLANT COLLE ALLANT T 25 33 ROCK ART REVELATIONS? BY ALEXANDRA WITZE Can rock art tell us as much about the first Americans as stone tools? 38 THE HERO TWINS IN THE MIMBRES REGION BY MARC THOMPSON, PATRICIA A. GILMAN, AND KRISTINA C. WYCKOFF Researchers believe the Mimbres people of the Southwest painted images from a Mesoamerican creation story on their pottery. 44 new acquisition A PRESERVATION COLLABORATION The Conservancy joins forces with several other preservation groups to save an ancient earthwork complex. 46 new acquisition SAVING UTAH’S PAST The Conservancy obtains two preserves in southern Utah. 48 point acquisition A TIME OF CONFLICT The Parkin phase of the Mississippian period was marked by warfare. Potter Mound could offer new insights into DAVID WHITLEY DAVID 33 that troubled time. 2 LAY OF THE LAND 3 LETTERS 50 FiELD NOTES 52 REVIEWS 54 EXPEDITIONS 5 EVENTS 7 IN THE NEWS COVER: A Native American holds an elaborate pipe in this • Columbus’ Ship Discovered? mid-19th century illustration by the noted artist Karl Bodmer. • Ancient Underwater Hunting Structures CREDIT: Rare Books Division, The New York Public Library • Archaeological Drone american archaeology 1 Lay of the Land More Reasons for Conservation Archaeology n this issue, we take a hard look at cranes, owls, herons, and hawks. tobacco, and its long-time use by On the Great Plains, pipes made Native Americans that may stretch of carved Catlinite and alabaster were I LIZ LOPEZ back 4,500 years, or even much further. very important to the ancient people Mark Michel, President (See “Holy Smoke,” page 12.) Today, we who used them. But how do we know know tobacco as a $35 billion industry that these pipes were used for smoking the telltale residues removed, making a and the world’s leading cause of pre- tobacco? In the past few years scien- similar test impossible. ventable death, but to ancient people tists have discovered a very sensitive There is a lesson here: conserva- it was an essential part of their cer- test that can identify tobacco in a tiny tion archaeology tells us that we can emonial life. Throughout the Americas, sample of pipe residue. There are hun- never anticipate every issue and every researchers have found smoking pipes dreds of ancient pipes in museums, so it problem. Thus, we must permanently in an archaeological context. They are should be easy to obtain lots of samples preserve archaeological sites so we will often very elaborate in design, like the to test for whatever was being smoked. have undisturbed data that future gen- Hopewell platform pipes from Ohio Oh, if it were that easy. Almost all the erations can analyze using techniques that are beautifully carved. In one pipes recovered by archaeologists have our generation could never have fore- mound in southern Ohio, some 150 been cleaned. Likewise, most of the seen. That’s why The Archaeological pipestone pipes were found, many vessels that might have been used for Conservancy exists. carved in the shapes of bears, wolves, chocolate, an important ceremonial dogs, beavers, cougars, otters, turtles, beverage, have also been cleaned, and 2 summer • 2014 Letters A Few Observations In the feature article “Revealing the Deep Editor’s Corner Past” (Spring 2014), the author refers to “Clovis Who were the first Americans? This is one of the people” or “Clovis cul- great unanswered questions in New World archae- ture” a number of times. ology. As experts ponder that question, they might Clovis is a lithic tech- also consider another: were the first Americans nology. It is a short- artists? lived lithic tradition. It David Whitley, an archaeologist and noted rock is not a people nor is it art researcher, believes that they were. He thinks a culture. Paleo-Indian scholars have largely ignored rock art, As for the article and in doing so they’ve deprived themselves of an “A Boy’s Life,” DNA is important line of evidence. In our feature “Rock Art a valuable datum, but Revelations?” (see page 33), Whitley not only makes a single datum does not make a the case for Paleo-Indian—and even pre-Clovis— population. It is all too easy to grab a new point source as a rock art, he also argues that the early Americans’ case for reinterpreting or substantiating controversial theo- works serve as windows into their souls. ries. I suspect it will generate a plethora of academic papers Whitley notes the stylistic variations in petro- of questionable long-term value until a data population is glyphs and pictographs that are 10,000 years and recovered with statistical validity. older. From this he concludes that Paleo-Indian Dr. Leland Gilsen peoples possessed greater cultural diversity than State Archaeologist of Oregon, 1978 - 2002 stone tools, the primary line of evidence for most first American researchers, suggest. In a paper pub- lished last year in the Journal of Archaeology, he Refuting the Solutrean Hypothesis wrote that “by at least 10,000 to 11,000 years ago, DNA results of the Mal’ta boy in Siberia (“A Boy’s Life) substantial iconographic, stylistic, and technical and Anzick infant prove beyond a doubt they are directly differences existed in North and South American related to contemporary Native Americans. I wonder how rock art.” However, “this diversity has been archaeo- proponents of the Solutrean Hypothesis, who believe early logically masked by the geographically widespread Americans came from the Iberian Peninsula in Europe, will occurrence of a few diagnostic projectile point respond if their final card, the Kennewick Man, also turns out types, and the fluting technology that they exhibit.” to be Native American. The problem with Whitley’s argument, in the Dixie Dringman eyes of his skeptics, is the problem of dating rock Rock Island, Washington art, which Whitley himself admits is difficult. And if he and other researchers can’t “prove” that a rock art Sending Letters to image is of Paleo-Indian age, his argument falls apart. But Whitley, and at least some other experts, are American Archaeology convinced that the sophisticated techniques they’re American Archaeology welcomes your letters. using are producing valid dates. And so, though he Write to us at 1717 Girard Blvd. NE, can’t say who the first Americans were, he is confi- Albuquerque, NM 87106, dent they were artists, and he thinks Paleo-Indian or send us e-mail at [email protected]. scholars should be mindful that “rock art promises to be an increasingly valuable line of evidence for We reserve the right to edit and publish letters in the studying the peopling of the Americas.” magazine’s Letters department as space permits. Please include your name, address, and telephone number with all correspondence, including e-mail messages. american archaeology 3 Welcome to the ArchAeologicAl conservAncy! 1717 Girard Boulevard NE Albuquerque, NM 87106 • (505) 266-1540 he Archaeological Conservancy is the www.americanarchaeology.org only national nonprofit organization that identifies, acquires, and preserves Board of Directors the most significant archaeological Gordon Wilson, New Mexico CHAIRMAN sites in the United States. Since its Cecil F. Antone, Arizona • Carol Condie, New Mexico beginning in 1980, the Conservancy Janet Creighton, Washington • Jerry Golden, Colorado W. James Judge, Colorado • Jay T. Last, California • Bill Lipe, Idaho has preserved more than 470 sites t Leslie Masson, Massachusetts • Dorinda Oliver, New York across the nation, ranging in age from the Rosamond Stanton, Montana earliest habitation sites in North America to a 19th-century frontier army post. We are Conservancy Staff building a national system of archaeological Mark Michel, President • Tione Joseph, Business Manager preserves to ensure the survival of our Lorna Wolf, Membership Director • Sarah Shuler, Special Projects Director Laurie Dudasik, Web Developer • Melissa Montoya, Administrative Assistant irreplaceable cultural heritage. Jessica Alden, Administrative Assistant • Emily Collom, Administrative Assistant Why Save Archaeological Sites? The ancient people of North America Regional Offices and Directors left virtually no written records of their Jim Walker, Vice President, Southwestern Region (505) 266-1540 cultures. Clues that might someday 1717 Girard Boulevard NE • Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106 solve the mysteries of prehistoric Tamara Stewart, Projects Coordinator • Chaz Evans, Field Representative America are still missing, and when a ruin is destroyed by looters, or Paul Gardner, Vice President, Midwestern Region (614) 267-1100 leveled for a shopping center, precious 3620 N. High St. #307 • Columbus, Ohio 43214 information is lost. By permanently Josh McConaughy, Field Representative preserving endangered ruins, we Jessica Crawford, Regional Director, Southeastern Region (662) 326-6465 make sure they will be here for future 315 Locust St. • P.O. Box 270 • Marks, Mississippi 38646 generations to study and enjoy. 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