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Section11 Prehistoric Culturescultures Section11 Prehistoric CulturesCultures As you read, look for: • the role of archaeology in the story of prehistoric cultures, • the importance of the Poverty Point site, and • vocabulary terms archaeologist, midden, nomad, atlatl, mound, artifacts, agriculture, and temple mounds. Although the first people did not leave written records of their culture, they left hints about their lives. Clues are found at places where they prepared food, made tools, built shelters, and conducted ceremonies. These discoveries are interpreted by archaeologists (scientists who study the items left behind by ancient peoples). Figure 15 Timeline: 10,000 B.C. – 1600 A.D. 10000 B.C. – 6000 B.C 800 B.C. – A.D. 1600 1600s Paleo Indian period Late Neo Indian period Historic Indian cultures 7500 B.C. – 2000 B.C. 2000 B.C. – A.D. 800 Meso Indian period Early Neo Indian period 10,000B.C. 8,000B.C. 6,000B.C. 4,000B.C. 2,000B.C. 0 A.D. 2,000 4000 B.C. A.D. 1492 New Stone Age began in Europe; Columbus Civilizations began to develop in Asia and Africa made first voyage to the 3500 B.C. New World Bronze Age began in Asia and Europe A.D. 1000 2700 B.C. Leif Ericson First large Egyptian pyramid was built explored Vinland 30,000 B.C. – 10,000 B.C. 1400 B.C. First people crossed land bridge Iron Age began 750 B.C. into what is now North America Greek city-states flourished Section 1 Prehistoric Cultures 143 Archaeologists even dig through ancient garbage dumps, called mid- dens. Their findings explain who left the items, when they were left, and what happened at those locations. Scientists have studied sites that ex- isted thousands of years before any European set foot in Louisiana. They determine the age of materials found at a site by using radiocarbon dating. The work of archaeologists is like doing a jigsaw puzzle with many pieces missing. They use the informa- tion they can gather to try to deter- mine the whole picture. Sometimes when they find another piece of the puzzle, they change their conclusions about what they are seeing. Some archaeologists have a new theory that early people may have come to North America by boat. They base this theory on discoveries at a site on an Map 19 island off the coast of California. Tools dated to be about 8,000 years old closely resemble tools used for boatbuilding by Indians in the twentieth century. Bering Land Archaeologists have separated Louisiana prehistory into four stages. Those Bridge time periods are divided by changes in movement, weapons and tools, food, and religious practices. Changes happened very gradually, and these four peri- Map Skill: Why is the Bering ods are just useful ways to organize prehistory. land bridge important in understanding how some of Paleo Indians the earliest people came to The oldest known Indians in Loui- America? siana date to the Paleo Indian period. Lagniappe (The word paleo means “ancient.”) Sci- entists believe these first people came Radiocarbon dating to North America from Asia on a land measures the amount of bridge that connected what is now radioactive decay of the Alaska and Siberia. The estimated date element carbon 14 in once- for this migration is about 10,000 B.C. living material. Scientists The Paleo Indians traveled in small know how much decay groups and followed the animals that should occur each year provided food and clothing. They trav- and can estimate the age eled east and south, gradually spread- of the material based on ing over the North American and South the amount of decay. American continents. 144 Chapter 5 Louisiana’s Early People: Natives and Newcomers Above: This painting of the members of the U.S. Constitutional Convention hangs in the east stairway in the House wing of the U.S. Capitol. When these nomads (wanderers) reached Louisiana, they found a good hunting area with a dependable source of food. They ate a wide range of animals and plants. Small groups of people hunted game using three-inch stone points attached to wooden poles—spears. The hunters used the primi- Using stone-tipped weapons tive spears to kill prehistoric elephants, called mastodons. These spear points (above), Paleo Indians killed have been found throughout Louisiana—on ridges and hills, at salt domes, mammoth and other large and other places. The stone used for the spear points probably came from animals (top). These large Arkansas or Texas. hairy elephants were native Stone points give us clues about how these people lived. The points would to the New World until have been used for hunting. The Paleo people probably made clothing from about 6000 B.C. animal skins and lived in temporary shelters. They would have moved around to find the animals they hunted. Meso Indians LagniappeLagniappe After about 7500 B.C., the climate changed and some large animals like mastodons began to die out. The Indians hunted smaller animals like deer and Mastodons were just slightly rabbit and no longer followed the migrating herds. This lifestyle change sig- shorter than today’s elephants nals a new prehistoric period—the Meso Indians. These people were still no- but more heavily built. madic, but they stayed in one place longer. Section 1 Prehistoric Cultures 145 These Indians ate a wider range of foods. The natural environment provided many species of birds, mammals, fish, clams, reptiles, seeds, roots, nuts, and fruits. The people gathered hickory nuts, pecans, acorns, persimmons, huckle- berries, and elderberries. They hunted deer, rabbits, raccoons, and squirrels. The Meso Indians adapted their hunting weapons for smaller game. For ex- Above: This campsite was ample, they added a throwing stick with weights, called the atlatl (at LAT l), typical of the Meso Indians, to their spears. The weights were made of clay, stone, or shell. These improve- who relied on gathering ments helped hunters throw their spears farther with more power. For this kind natural food and hunting of hunting, the spear points were more varied in size and shape and were made smaller animals after the from local stone. large game died out. Because they did not move around as much, the Meso Indians built more permanent houses. Their structures were covered with branches or thatch and built on posts in the ground. Near these houses, the Meso Indians also built mounds. The first mounds may have been built as early as 5000 B.C., and those in Louisiana existed by 3000 B.C. These early mounds were probably used dur- ing special ceremonies, but they were not used for burials. The Meso Indians left behind many different kinds of artifacts (objects they made and used). Archaeologists study the artifacts to learn how earlier people 146 Chapter 5 Louisiana’s Early People: Natives and Newcomers lived. These artifacts included shaped LagniappeLagniappe and polished stones for bowls and jew- elry. They also made baskets, bone needles, fish hooks, beads, hairpins, tor- The early Neo Indians rolled toise shell rattles, and shell ornaments. coils of clay into a shape Their improved tools included stone axes and then smoothed them to for chopping down trees and awls for form a container. Often they making holes in wood or leather. pressed fingernails, twigs, or tools into the surface or Early Neo Indians rocked a small tool across Learning to make pottery marks a the wet clay to create big change in the lives of early Indi- Above: This pot is dated designs. After decorating ans. Evidence of pottery-making marks during the Early Neo period. the pots, they fired them the next prehistoric period. Louisiana Below: The expansion of by slow baking. Indian pottery was first made around farming allowed more stable 1000 B.C. Some pottery was plain, and settlements for the Neo other pottery was decorated with care- Indians. They were then able ful artistic designs. Archaeologists have found large amounts of shards (bro- to build more permanent ken pieces of pottery) at sites dated to this period. shelter. Section 1 Prehistoric Cultures 147 Spotlight PovertyPoverty PointPoint The Poverty Point site, built by the Neo Indians, is Indians. They used spears with atlatls instead of bows that culture’s largest earthworks. The large complex and arrows; pottery had not yet replaced their carved of mounds covers more than a square mile, about sandstone and soapstone containers. The most com- 400 acres. Viewing it from the air is the only way to monly found objects—clay cooking balls—lined the see the entire structure at once. cooking pits. The huge design consists of six semicircular ridges, Later, the Poverty Point Indians made pottery one inside the other, divided by four aisles. For this vessels and ornamental clay and stone figurines. They amazing creation, workers mounded 30 million loads made beads from copper, clay, and exotic stones of dirt. Scientists believe that each load weighed about 50 pounds and was carried to the site in baskets or animal hides. The purpose of this tremendous human effort remains a mystery. A recent theory suggests the aisles may have been used for astronomical observations. Two of the aisles line up with the winter and summer solstice sunsets. The Poverty Point people undoubtedly gath- ered there for ceremonies and celebrations. Artisans (skilled crafts persons) and traders probably lived at Poverty Point throughout the year. Artifacts include trade goods from as far away as the Great Lakes region and the Appa- lachian Mountains. Although this society is dated during the Neo Indian period, the Poverty Point Indians continued the traditions of the Meso Right: The largest mound at Poverty Point is believed to have been in the shape of a flying bird, with a main ramp up the tail and side ramps up each wing.
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