Monumental Landscape and Community in the Southern Lower Mississippi Valley During the Late Woodland and Mississippi Periods

Abstract

Much of what is known today about ancient Native American cultures of the Lower Mississippi Valley (LMV) stems from studies of sites with earthen mounds, along with ceramic artifacts that have provided a major source of cultural-historical information. Phillips et al. described the LMV in their landmark survey as extending more than 900 kilometers (559 miles), from the Ohio River to the Gulf of Mexico. This includes the area north of the Arkansas River, subsequently referred to as the Central Mississippi Valley. Northern and southern segments of the LMV have long been distinguished largely on the basis of ceramics, separated around the Arkansas Lowland. This article focuses on Native American communities of the southern LMV during the centuries following the Middle Woodland or Marksville period (AD 1–400), although the northern LMV and earlier periods are mentioned in comparative context.