Prehistoric Georgia Natives 1

Essential Questions How did the Native American cultures develop prior to European contact? What impact did the environment have on the development of prehistoric Native Americans in Georgia? 2

Understanding Ancient Peoples Through Artifacts Oral Tradition Elders repeated narratives of events often until the younger generations memorized them. 3

Who Is the Real Archaeologist? vs. 4

What is an archaeologist? A scientist who learns about ancient cultures by studying what ancient peoples left behind.

Archeologists dig into earth to find artifacts (items made by people) that tell us about early inhabitants Shale: Layered rock that can encase ancient animals or birds 6

Georgia Native American Archaeological Sites ►Nacoochee Tunacunnhee ■ ■ Long Swamp ►Etowah ■ Rock Eagle ►/■ Macon Plateau Ocmulgee ■ ►Cemochechobee ■ Mandeville ■ Kolomoki

CULTURE shared beliefs, traditions, music, art, and social institutions of a group of people 8

• Approximately 30,000 years ago the earth experienced an Ice Age. The First Americans • Approximately 30,000 years ago the earth experienced an Ice Age. • Ice Age – a period of time in which temperatures on earth were very cold, and North America was covered in glaciers. • Glaciers – large, slow moving sheets of ice 9

Ice Age 10

Some scientists believe that the first Homo Sapiens made their way to North American about 40,000 years ago.

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10,000 - 8,000 BC

Paleo-Indians Ancestors of North and South American’s native people Came to America from Asia in search of food Followed big game animals such as wooly mammoths, mastodons, caribou, and moose These animals traveled far in search of grasslands - grazing across northern China and into Siberia and eventually crossing the Bering Strait.

Cultural Periods in Georgia History: Paleo Paleo (from Greek, “Very Old”) Also called Old Stone Age 10,000-8000 B.C. 16

Nomadic (Roaming) Hunters 17

Band 25 – 50 People 18

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Most tools and spear points made of stone 20

Clovis and related projectile points from this time period have been found throughout Georgia.

Clovis Point 22

Clovis points, along with a number of other stone tools, found at Macon Plateau were the first Paleoindian points unearthed in eastern North America.

Nutting Bowl 24

DRILL 25

Food Giant Sloth Mammoth 26

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Paleo Dates 10,000 – 8,000 B.C. Weapons Heavy Spears with Clovis Points, Atlatl Food Bison, Mastodons, Giant Sloths, Other Large Mammals, Small Game, Berries, Fruit, Vegetables Dwellings Non-Permanent Pits or Brush Covered with Hides or Bark Evidence of Religion Burial of Dead with Artifacts 28

8,000 - 1,000 BC

Archaic Period By the end of the Ice Age, big game animals were becoming extinct Archaic Period began – 8,000 to 1,000 BCE Period divided into three sub-periods because each have unique characteristics

The large prehistoric animals such as bison, mastodons, mammoths, and camels had become extinct. The Woolly Mammoth probably went extinct because it couldn't adapt to the combined pressures of the climatic warming that occurred when the Ice Age ended, together with predation from humans.

Cultural Periods in Georgia History: Archaic Archaic (means “Old”) Three time spans: Early, Middle, Late 32

Cultural Periods in Georgia History: Early Archaic During this time, most of Georgia was covered with oak-hickory hardwood forests. 33

Early Archaic Period In the Americas, lasted from 8,000 to 6,000 BCE People traveled in small groups or clans (a group of people with the same family origins) Worked together to gather nuts, fruits, seeds, and roots; they fished, hunted, and migrated frequently to find new food sources Tools: include stone spear points notched at the base, serrated spears (probably used as knives), and stone scrapers.

Middle Archaic Period Lasted from 6,000 to 3,000 BCE Climate changed during this time – warmer and drier Hunting and gathering continued Clans began to migrate less; basic needs were met locally No evidence of long-term or permanent shelter

FOOD Hunted white-tailed deer, black bear, turkey, and other large game animals. Collected nuts, roots, fruits, seeds, and berries. Caught turtles, fish, shellfish, birds, and smaller mammals. Food was easier to find; people moved around less nomadic

Late Archaic Period Lasted from 3,000 to 1,000 BCE Some native societies began to build permanent structures Societies grew, moved less Many settled near rivers or other natural resources People began to travel long distances to trade Cooking technology in the form of pottery and soapstone bowls

Cultural Periods in Georgia History: Late Archaic Created grooved axes to clear trees and bushes Improved pottery making techniques. Use of pottery to saving and planting seeds for plants and seeds for growing seasons (horticulture) 38

Atlatl 39

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Shellfish was a more common food MIDDENS 42

Pottery first appears 43

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Archaic Dates 8,000 – 1,000 B.C. Weapons Spears with Atlatls Food Deer, Bear, Small Game, Wild Fruits and Vegetables, Oysters, and Shellfish Dwellings Semi-Permanent Shelters Evidence of Religion Burial of Dead with Tools, Weapons, and Body Ornaments 45

1,000 BC - 1,000 AD 46

Woodland Period Began when populations began growing in this area around 1,000 BCE People were nomadic hunter-gatherers (tribes moved from place to place on an annual cycle) – tribes are groups of people who share common language, customs, and territory. In good locations, small villages would start Practiced agriculture (practice of growing specific plants for food); mostly grew maize, beans, and squash. These three crops were known as the Three Sisters of Native American agriculture.

Cultural Periods in Georgia History: Woodland 1,000 B.C. to 1,000 A.D. Tribes Shelter Tools Food Pottery Religion 48

sharing common ancestry, Tribes group of people sharing common ancestry, name, and way of living 49

Eastern Woodland Indian Home Built their homes of wattle and daub – a wooden frame covered with reed mats and plaster

Used Bow & Arrows to Hunt 51

Hunted large animals and small game 52

Improved Pottery 53

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Effigy Mound 55

Kolomoki Mounds Located in Southwest Georgia Largest Woodland Settlement in State Contained at Least 8 Mounds

Eastern Woodland Families Women held a lot of power in the Woodland culture Basic social unit was an extended family in which all the women were related Children were seen as belonging to the mother, not the father

Woodland Dates 1,000 B.C. – 1,000 A.D. Weapons Bow and Arrow Food Deer, Small Game, Nuts and Seeds, Squash and Gourds Dwellings Sturdy Houses in Villages Evidence of Religion Burial Mounds, Some with Ceremonial Objects 58

(1000 – 1600 AD) Mississippian Period

Mississippian Period Existed after the Woodland period beginning about 900 CE Were farmers living in the Southeast Period lasted until Europeans made contact with Native Americans in the late 15th century Lived in villages called chiefdoms (a small society in which one person, a chief makes most decisions and controlled distribution of all goods) Traded among themselves over a large area

What did they trade? Trade gave them access to many goods Shell, copper, and ceramic objects were made and traded widely in along the East Coast

Cultural Periods in Georgia History: Mississippian Also called the Temple Mound period Farmed with homemade tools and grew most of their food. Thousands might live in a single settlement, protected by fences and moats Very religious; used jewelry and body art 62

Decorative collarpieces created by the Mississippians

Horticulturalists They grew much of their food in small gardens. Used simple tools like stone axes, digging sticks, and fire. Corn, beans, squash, sunflowers, goosefoot, sumpweed, and other plants were cultivated. Wild plants were also eaten.

Villages located near waterways 65

Villages Plaza (located in the center of the town) served as a gathering place. Religious to Social Gatherings Houses were built around the plaza. Often arranged around small courtyards. Towns containing one or more mounds served as capitals of chiefdoms.

Some Mississippian villages has defensive structures. 68

Helped keep unwelcome people and animals from entering the village. Palisade Moats 69

Houses rectangular or circular pole structures Walls were made by weaving saplings and cane around poles. Outer surface of the walls was sometimes covered with sun-baked clay or daub (wattle and daub) Roofs were covered with thatch, with a small hole left in the middle to allow smoke to escape. The hearth dominated the center of the living space. Low benches used for sleeping and storage ringed the outer walls.

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Ocmulgee Mounds As impressive as the Kolomoki Mounds were, the Native Americans of Georgia will outdo themselves with the Ocmulgee Mounds. Located in Macon. Consist of 7 mounds and associated plazas. Built on top of the Macon Plateau – rise 56 feet high.

Native Americans began to build large mounds These mounds had different purposes Scientists are still not sure how all of them were used Some were burial mounds, others were places of worship, and some were the center of the village life. The Etowah Mounds site is located in Georgia. It contains at least six mounds.

Etowah Mounds Located in Cartersville. 54-acre site contains six earthen mounds, a plaza, village area, borrow pits and defensive ditch. Most Impressive chiefdom capital at this time. Most intact Mississippian Culture site in the Southeastern United States.

The Etowah Indian Mounds symbolize a society rich in ritual. 63-foot flat-topped earthen knoll was likely used as a platform for the home of the priest-chief. In another mound, nobility were buried in elaborate costumes accompanied by items they would need in their after-lives. Many artifacts show how the natives of this political and religious center decorated themselves with shell beads, tattoos, paint, complicated hairdos, feathers and copper ear ornaments. Well-preserved stone effigies and objects made of wood, sea shells and stone can also be seen here.

Earthen Lodge 76

Ritual Ceremony Taking Place in a Plaza

Social Structure Elites Commoners Organized as chiefdoms or ranked societies. Elites Commoners Received special treatment (larger homes and special food and clothing); didn’t have to work doing hard labor. Grew food, made crafts, and served as warriors and as laborers for public works projects.

Mississippians Dates 1,000 – 1,600 A.D. Weapons Bow and Arrow Food Deer, Turkey and Other Small Game, Corn, Beans, and Other Vegetables Dwellings Permanent Settlements with Wattle and Daub Houses Evidence of Religion Burial Mounds with Food and Ceremonial Objects 79

What is BCE? BCE stands for Before Common Era. CE stands for Common Era which marks the beginning of the first century. In the older Christian dating system, BCE is marked as B.C. meaning before Christ, and CE is written as A.D. meaning Anno Domini (in the year of our Lord).

Archaeological Periods in Georgia