A Chronology of Middle Missouri Plains Village Sites
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Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press smithsonian contributions to anthropology • number 49 Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press ArtifactsA Chronology from the Craig of MoundMiddle at Missouri Spiro, Oklahoma Plains Village Sites April K. Sievert with J. Daniel Rogers ContributionBy Craig M. by JavierJohnson Urcid with contributions by Stanley A. Ahler, Herbert Haas, and Georges Bonani SERIES PUBLICATIONS OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION Emphasis upon publication as a means of “diffusing knowledge” was expressed by the first Secretary of the Smithsonian. In his formal plan for the Institution, Joseph Henry outlined a program that included the following statement: “It is proposed to publish a series of reports, giving an account of the new discoveries in science, and of the changes made from year to year in all branches of knowledge.” This theme of basic research has been adhered to through the years by thousands of titles issued in series publications under the Smithsonian imprint, com- mencing with Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge in 1848 and continuing with the following active series: Smithsonian Contributions to Anthropology Smithsonian Contributions to Botany Smithsonian Contributions to History and Technology Smithsonian Contributions to the Marine Sciences Smithsonian Contributions to Museum Conservation Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology In these series, the Institution publishes small papers and full-scale monographs that report on the research and collections of its various museums and bureaus. The Smithsonian Contributions Series are distributed via mailing lists to libraries, universities, and similar institu- tions throughout the world. Manuscripts submitted for series publication are received by the Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press from authors with direct affilia- tion with the various Smithsonian museums or bureaus and are subject to peer review and review for compliance with manuscript preparation guidelines. General requirements for manuscript preparation are on the inside back cover of printed volumes. For detailed submissions require- ments and to review our manuscript preparation and style guides for authors, visit the Submissions page at www.scholarlypress.si.edu. SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY • NUMBER 49 Artifacts from the Craig Mound at Spiro, Oklahoma April K. Sievert with J. Daniel Rogers Contribution by Javier Urcid WASHINGTON, D.C. 2011 ABSTRACT Sievert, April K., with J. Daniel Rogers and contribution by Javier Urcid. Artifacts from the Craig Mound at Spiro, Okla- homa. Smithsonian Contributions to Anthropology, number 49, xiv + 231 pages, 163 figures, 11 plates, 48 tables, 2011.—This monograph presents the historical context and detailed descriptions of a remarkable collection of more than 20,000 artifacts from the Craig Mound at the Spiro site in eastern Oklahoma. Spiro is one of the key sites known for the Mississippian Period (ad 900–1500) of the eastern United States. Aside from the cultural importance of the site in regional history, the artifacts from Spiro provide an almost unique glimpse into the ceremonial life and artistic innovations of a people who developed an important but poorly known cultural tradition. Between 1933 and 1936 the Spiro site was looted, and artifacts were sold and traded to many collectors. Subsequently, professional archaeological excavations were conducted, and those collections primarily reside at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. The Smithsonian Spiro collection is under the care of the Department of Anthropology at the National Museum of Natural History. The collection came to the Museum through 14 accessions between 1936 and 1986. The largest portion was acquired from Harry M. Trowbridge in 1958. Of particular note in the collection are marine shells engraved with a wide variety of human and animal images. The collection also includes pigments, basketry, cloth- ing with dyed designs, pipes, weapons, ornaments, containers, and figurines made from several different materials. Many of the artifacts are made from raw materials that were acquired by the Spiro people through an extensive trade network extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean and from the upper Midwest in the north to central Mexico in the south. Cover image: Detail of Figure 2.1, Craig Mound in 1913 prior to excavation. Published by SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION SCHOLARLY PRESS P.O. Box 37012, MRC 957 Washington, D.C. 20013-7012 www.scholarlypress.si.edu Text and images in this publication may be protected by copyright and other restrictions or owned by individuals and entities other than, and in addition to, the Smithsonian Institution. Fair use of copyrighted material includes the use of protected ma- terials for personal, educational, or noncommercial purposes. Users must cite author and source of content, must not alter or modify content, and must comply with all other terms or restrictions that may be applicable. Users are responsible for securing permission from a rights holder for any other use. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Sievert, April Kay, 1953– Artifacts from the Craig Mound at Spiro, Oklahoma / April K. Sievert with J. Daniel Rogers ; contribution by Javier Urcid. p. cm. — (Smithsonian contributions to anthropology ; no. 49) Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Spiro Mounds Archaeological State Park (Okla.)—Antiquities. 2. Indians of North America—Oklahoma—Spiro— Antiquities. 3. Indians of North America—Material culture—Oklahoma—Spiro. 4. Material culture—Oklahoma— Spiro—History—To 1500. 5. Mounds—Oklahoma—Spiro. 6. Excavations (Archaeology)—Oklahoma—Spiro. 7. Spiro (Okla.)—Antiquities. I. Rogers, J. Daniel. II. Urcid, Javier. III. Title. E78.O45S6 2011 976.6’79—dc22 2010042354 ISSN: 0081-0223 (print) / 1943-6661 (online) The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Perma- nence of Paper for Printed Library Materials Z39.48–1992. Contents LIST OF FIGURES vii LIST OF TABLES xi PREFACE by April K. Sievert xiii 1 SPIRO AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL SOCIAL SYSTEM 1 J. Daniel Rogers A Chronology of Site Organization 2 Evans Phase Components 2 Harlan Phase Components 2 Norman and Spiro Phase Components 7 Patterns of Change 8 Conclusions 11 2 HISTORY OF SPIRO RESEARCH 13 April K. Sievert and J. Daniel Rogers Early and Commercial Excavations at Spiro 13 Professional Excavation at Spiro 15 A New Synthesis 17 3 SPIRO COLLECTION AT THE SMITHSONIAN 19 April K. Sievert Accession History 19 Early Years: 1936–1958 19 The Trowbridge Acquisition 21 The Meyer Acquisition 22 Later Accessions 23 Previous Studies of the Smithsonian Materials 23 Conservation 23 Research 23 The Present Study 24 Historical Sources 24 Artifact Analysis 24 iv • SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY 4 CONTAINERS 27 April K. Sievert Ceramics 27 Style 27 Raw Material 29 Manufacture 30 Use 30 Grog-, Grit-, and Bone Tempered Types 30 Shell-Tempered Wares 35 Slipped Wares 36 Other Ceramic Pieces 38 Other Wares 38 Shell Cups 39 Condition and Conservation 39 Raw Material 39 Residues 40 Manufacture 41 Use 42 Taphonomy 43 Design Styles 43 Unengraved Shells 51 Wooden Vessels 52 Stone Bowls 53 Other Containers 54 5 FIBER ARTIFACTS 55 April K. Sievert Raw Materials 57 Cordage 58 Yarn 58 Braid 59 Wrapped Basket Fiber 59 Cloth 60 Styles 60 Spaced Weft Twining 61 Wrapped Warps 64 Twined Tapestry 65 Simple Weave 65 Fabric Decoration 66 Beads and Textiles 66 Function and Use 67 Basketry 67 Square Shallow Baskets 68 Coiled Baskets 69 Twilled Matting or Baskets 69 Open-Work Weave 70 Twined Matting 70 Basketry Impression 70 Fiber Identification 71 NUMBER 49 • v 6 WEAPONRY AND EXTRACTIVE TOOLS 73 April K. Sievert Chipped Lithic Weaponry 73 Style 73 Manufacture 74 Hafting 74 Lithic Raw Materials 75 Use and Curation 76 Small Projectile Points 76 Large Projectile Points 89 Large Bifaces 91 Haftable Bifaces 91 Special Chipped-Stone Weaponry 93 Sword-Form Bifaces 93 Maces 95 Celts 97 Other Weaponry Components 100 Utilitarian Artifacts 101 Chipped Stone 101 Ground Stone 103 7 ORNAMENTS AND DECORATIONS 105 April K. Sievert Earspools 105 Pulley-Shaped Earspools 105 Other Earspools 112 Beads 113 Shell Beads 113 Stone Beads 121 Copper Beads 122 Pendants 123 Shell Pendants 123 Unusual Shell Forms 125 Stone Pendants 126 Bone Pendants 127 Ceramic Pendant 127 Gorgets 127 Shell Gorgets 127 Bone Gorget 132 Headdresses 133 Pins 133 Headdress Plaques and Plates 135 Cone Ornaments 135 PLATES 137 8 RITUAL EQUIPMENT AND CEREMONIAL MATERIALS 149 April K. Sievert Manufactured Objects 149 Pipes 149 vi • SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY Discoidals 159 Copper 160 Figurines 162 Bone Objects 166 Wooden Objects 168 Leather 170 Other Worked Objects 170 Unworked Ritual Materials 171 Pigment 171 Minerals 171 Other Materials 172 Summary 173 9 HUMAN REMAINS 175 Javier Urcid Catalog Number 423344 175 Catalog Number 423345 175 Catalog Number 423346 176 Catalog Number 423347 176 Catalog Number 423348 176 Catalog Number 423349 176 Catalog Number 423350 176 Catalog Number 423351 176 Catalog Number 448935 177 Catalog Number 448936 177 Summary Remarks 178 10 CONCLUSION 179 April K. Sievert Representativeness of the Collection 179 Significance of the Collection 180 The Spiro Collection and Mississippian Research 181 APPENDIX A: CATALOG SUMMAry 183 APPENDIX B: CONCORDANCE OF REFERENCES 211 REFERENCES 221 INDEX 227 List of Figures 1.1. Contour map of Spiro site showing the location of major features and recent excavations 3 1.2. Grave lot periods and cultural phases 4 1.3. Excavations at House Mound 5 at the Spiro site 5 1.4. “High-status” artifacts per burial from selected Spiro phase (ad 1250–1450) sites 10 2.1. Craig Mound prior to excavation 14 2.2. North cone of the Craig Mound during excavation by the WPA 16 4.1. Ceramic attributes and key 28 4.2. Ceramic vessel profiles 31 4.3. Whole and partial vessels 32 4.4. Crockett Curvilinear Incised bowl 33 4.5. Rollout of design from two incised vessels 33 4.6. Pennington Punctate rim sherds 34 4.7. Carinated bowl 34 4.8. Incised sherds 35 4.9.