King You are reading copyrighted material published by the University of Alabama Press. Any posting, copying, or distributing of this work beyond fair use as defined under U.S. Copyright law is illegal and injures the author and publisher. For permission to reuse this work, contact the University of Alabama Press. A Dan Josselyn Memorial Publication You are reading copyrighted material published by the University of Alabama Press. Any posting, copying, or distributing of this work beyond fair use as defined under U.S. Copyright law is illegal and injures the author and publisher. For permission to reuse this work, contact the University of Alabama Press. King The Social Archaeology of a Late Mississippian Town in Northwestern Georgia DAVID J. HALLY THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA PRESS Tuscaloosa You are reading copyrighted material published by the University of Alabama Press. Any posting, copying, or distributing of this work beyond fair use as defined under U.S. Copyright law is illegal and injures the author and publisher. For permission to reuse this work, contact the University of Alabama Press. Copyright © 2008 The University of Alabama Press Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487-0380 All rights reserved Manufactured in the United States of America Typeface: Minion ∞ The paper on which this book is printed meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences- Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984. Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data Hally, David J. King : the social archaeology of a late Mississippian town in northwestern Georgia / David J. Hally. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-8173-1604-4 (cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-8173-5460-2 (paper : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-8173-8121-9 (electronic) 1. King Site (Ga.) 2. Indians of North America— Georgia— Antiquities. 3. Social archaeology— Georgia. 4. Excavations (Arch aeology)—Georgia. 5. Mississippian culture—Georgia. 6. Indians of North America— Georgia— Social conditions—16th century. 7. Social status—Georgia— History—16th century. 8. Households— Georgia— History—16th century. 9. Community life— Georgia— History—16th century. 10. Spaniards— Georgia—History—16th century. I. Title. E78.G3H353 2008 975.8′35—dc22 2007050784 You are reading copyrighted material published by the University of Alabama Press. Any posting, copying, or distributing of this work beyond fair use as defined under U.S. Copyright law is illegal and injures the author and publisher. For permission to reuse this work, contact the University of Alabama Press. For Carolyn You are reading copyrighted material published by the University of Alabama Press. Any posting, copying, or distributing of this work beyond fair use as defined under U.S. Copyright law is illegal and injures the author and publisher. For permission to reuse this work, contact the University of Alabama Press. You are reading copyrighted material published by the University of Alabama Press. Any posting, copying, or distributing of this work beyond fair use as defined under U.S. Copyright law is illegal and injures the author and publisher. For permission to reuse this work, contact the University of Alabama Press. Contents List of Illustrations ix Preface xix Acknowledgments xxiii 1. Introduction 1 2. The Nature of Mississippian Society 8 3. The Natural, Cultural, and Historical Context of the King Site 22 4. Site Excavations 40 5. Domestic Architecture 50 6. Public Architecture 121 7. Burial Descriptions 184 8. Household and Community 271 9. Analysis of Burial Attribute Associations 331 10. Artifact Co- occurrences 372 11. Artifact Co- occurrences among Adult Males 412 12. Community and Polity in Northwestern Georgia 497 References Cited 545 Index 575 You are reading copyrighted material published by the University of Alabama Press. Any posting, copying, or distributing of this work beyond fair use as defined under U.S. Copyright law is illegal and injures the author and publisher. For permission to reuse this work, contact the University of Alabama Press. viii / Contents CONTENTS OF ACCOMPANYING COMPACT DISC Appendix A. Description of Primary Domestic Structures Appendix B. Description of Rectangular Structures Appendix C. Burial Data Appendix D. Stratigraphic Characteristics of Disturbed, Intrusive, and Multiple Burials Appendix E. Age and Sex Identifi cation of Burials Appendix F. Burial Assignment of Grave Goods in Multiple and Intrusive Burials Appendix G. Location of Burials Appendix H. Location of Postholes and Features You are reading copyrighted material published by the University of Alabama Press. Any posting, copying, or distributing of this work beyond fair use as defined under U.S. Copyright law is illegal and injures the author and publisher. For permission to reuse this work, contact the University of Alabama Press. Illustrations Figures 1.1. Major architectural features and human burials recorded at the King site 2 3.1. Location of the King site 23 3.2. Mississippian sites recorded in Foster Bend 24 3.3. Contour map of Foster Bend showing the ridge- and- swale topography 25 3.4. View looking east across the Foster Bend fl oodplain 26 3.5. Physiographic features of the Valley and Ridge Province in northwestern Georgia 28 3.6. Selected Mississippian sites in the Southern Appalachian region 31 3.7. Location of towns making up the Rome polity 36 3.8. Mid- sixteenth- century polities in the Valley and Ridge Province of northeastern Alabama, northwestern Georgia, and southeastern Tennessee 38 4.1. Map of King site excavations showing postholes, features, burials, and contours of the sub–plow zone ground surface 42 You are reading copyrighted material published by the University of Alabama Press. Any posting, copying, or distributing of this work beyond fair use as defined under U.S. Copyright law is illegal and injures the author and publisher. For permission to reuse this work, contact the University of Alabama Press. x / Illustrations 5.1. Location of primary domestic structures 51 5.2. Plan view of Structure 7 52 5.3. Artist’s reconstruction of typical primary domestic structure 52 5.4. Structure 4 viewed from the west 53 5.5. Size distribution of primary domestic structures 82 5.6. Estimated number of exterior wall posts in individual primary domestic structures 85 5.7. Plan view of Structure 4, showing partition wall remnants and the distribution of piece- plotted lithic artifacts on the fl oor of Structure 4 90 5.8. Distribution of piece- plotted pottery on the fl oor of Structure 4 102 5.9. Distribution of piece- plotted animal bone and shell on the fl oor of Structure 4 103 5.10. Architectural confi guration of RS 1 107 5.11. Location of rectangular structures 109 6.1. Site plan showing plaza structures and features and defensive perimeter 122 6.2. Density of postholes in the plaza and habitation zone 124 6.3. Posthole patterns for Structures 16 and 17 126 6.4. Reconstructed architectural characteristics of Structures 16 and 17 127 6.5. Postholes in the plaza north of Structures 16 and 17 149 6.6. Architectural confi guration of possible pavilion 150 6.7. Feature 45 plan views and profi les 153 6.8. Feature 11 plan view and profi le 160 6.9. Feature 64 plan view and profi les 162 6.10. Southeastern segment of palisade and ditch 168 6.11. Northeastern segment of palisade and ditch 168 6.12. East- central segment of palisade and ditch 169 6.13. Southern segment of palisade and ditch 173 6.14. Defensive ditch profi les 176 You are reading copyrighted material published by the University of Alabama Press. Any posting, copying, or distributing of this work beyond fair use as defined under U.S. Copyright law is illegal and injures the author and publisher. For permission to reuse this work, contact the University of Alabama Press. Illustrations / xi 7.1. Burial 80 (extended) intrusive into Burials 110 (fl exed) and 111 (partially fl exed with tightly fl exed knees) 194 7.2. Flexed Burial 92 intrusive through Burial 93 195 7.3. Intrusive fl exed Burials 135 and 136 196 7.4. Bundle Burial 131 with fl exed Burials 143 and 144 206 7.5. Bundle Burial 260 with partially fl exed Burial 117 207 7.6. Bundle Burial 166 208 7.7. Extended Burials 23 and 24 209 7.8. Burial 54 (fl exed on back) 210 7.9. Burial 67 (fl exed on side) 210 7.10. Burial 60 (partially fl exed on back) 211 7.11. Burial 59 (tightly fl exed on back) 212 7.12. Iron tools from burials 223 7.13. Copper arrow symbol badges from Burial 92 224 7.14. Large bifacial blades from burials 226 7.15. Asymmetrical blade from Burial 49 229 7.16. Points from burials representing different microstyles 232 7.17. Points from Burial 65 representing three microstyles 233 7.18. Stone celts from burials 234 7.19. Spatulate celt and possible spatulate celt from burials 236 7.20. Stone discoidals from burials 237 7.21. Flintknapping tools from burials 239 7.22. Gravy boat bowl from Burial 92 249 7.23. Clay and stone pipes from burials 250 7.24. Bone tools from burials 253 7.25. Rattlesnake gorgets from burials 263 7.26. Knobbed shell pins from burials 264 8.1. Rectangular open spaces adjacent to primary domestic structures 274 You are reading copyrighted material published by the University of Alabama Press. Any posting, copying, or distributing of this work beyond fair use as defined under U.S. Copyright law is illegal and injures the author and publisher. For permission to reuse this work, contact the University of Alabama Press. xii / Illustrations 8.2. Entrance passages and possible locations of entrance passages for primary domestic structures 275 8.3.