The Old Stone Fort Archaeological Society will meet Thursday, December 8th at 6:00 pm at the Old Stone Fort Museum in Manchester, Tennessee. Our meetings are free and open to the public. Our program this month:

 

 

Dr. Sarah Sherwood teaches archaeology and anthropology at Sewanee University. Dr. Sherwood has worked on many archaeological sites throughout the southeast including the famous Dust Cave in northern Alabama, and Shiloh Mounds near Savannah, Tennessee.

At Shiloh, a Mississippian period mound group and village dating to 1000 – 1350 AD are located on the bluff above Pittsburg Landing, within the Shiloh National Military Park. The site consists of six Late Mississippian earthen mounds, which include temple and house mounds that were surrounded by a palisade wall. A Late woodland burial mound and associated village are also located here, which predates the Mississippian complex. This is the largest extant Mississippian Mound Complex in the Tennessee River Valley. This mound complex is on the National Register of Historic Places and has been designated a National Historic Landmark.

In 2001, The National Park Service began an extensive archaeological investigation of Mound A at Shiloh due to the bluff erosion that was slowly destroying it. Three seasons of investigations on Mound A provided a wealth of information on the various building stages of the mound, structures built on the mound, and multiple radiocarbon dates that provide valuable insights into to the Native Americans who built and lived at this monumental site. The second phase of this project involved limestone rip-rap and other stabilization techniques to prevent future erosion of the bluff and Mound A by the Tennessee River.

Dr. Sherwood’s presentation will highlight the discoveries made during this archaeological project and describe how this site fits within the Mississippian Southeast.

See you Thursday, Mark

Complete details and associated web links in attached PDF file.

Information: 615-741-1588, ext. 113 - or Old Stone Fort - 931-723-5073