Abstract
Our introduction provides the background for the subsequent case studies in this edited volume by reviewing the historical development and significance of stylistic and iconographic approaches to Mississippian imagery. It also explores the three topics that organize the larger volume: (1) the use of style in Mississippian iconographic studies, (2) interpreting Mississippian imagery, and (3) situating and historicizing Mississippian symbols. The first section considers how style has been conceptualized in archaeological studies, and the way it has how been employed to develop and infer regional styles in Mississippian imagery. The second section discusses how iconographic analyses can be employed to assess the referents of Mississippian imagery, as well as how the (ethno)historic narratives, beliefs and traditions of Native American peoples can be used to infer their significance. The third section examines the way that historical approaches and assessments of Mississippian symbols’ depositional contexts can enhance archaeological perspectives. In the final portion of this chapter, we discuss the subsequent chapters and how they advance through a series of well-contextualized case studies.
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