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Single Component Sites with Long Sequences of Radiocarbon Dates: The Sunwatch Site and Middle Fort Ancient Village Growth

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Robert A. Cook
Robert A. Cook*
Affiliation:
Ohio State University, Department of Anthropology, Newark Campus, 1179 University Drive, Newark, OH 43055-1797 (cook.426@osu.edu)
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Abstract

Radiocarbon dates from single-component prehistoric sites often span temporal sequences too long to be accounted for by spatial overlap in the patterning of features. One such example is the SunWatch site, which was long interpreted as a single-component occupation of relatively short duration (15–20 years), although the radiocarbon sequence comfortably spans a 500-year period (ca. A.D. 1000 to 1500). This study compares spatial contexts of the SunWatch radiocarbon dates with other temporal indicators, including architectural rebuilding, feature form and volume, and diagnostic artifact attributes. Two distinct portions of the radiocarbon sequence can be accounted for by reference to these other lines of evidence. Village growth is linked with internal and external processes, including the arrival of a small Mississippian group and the possibility of site reoccupation, common among shifting agricultural systems.

Résumé

Résumé

Fechas por radiocarbono de los sitios prehistóricos de un solo componente frecuentemente abarcan secuencias temporales demasiado largas para ser considerados por patrones espaciales de elementos. Un ejemplo es el sitio de SunWatch, interpretado por mucho tiempo como sitio de un solo componente de ocupación de duración relativamente corta (15–20 años), aunque la secuencia de fechas por radiocarbono abarca fácilmente un periodo de quinientos años (ca. D.C. 1000 a 1500). Este estudio compara contextos espaciales de las fechas por radiocarbono de SunWatch con otros indicadores temporales, incluyendo reconstrucción arquitectónica, forma y volumen de elementos, y atributos diagnósticos de artefactos. Dos porciones distintas de la secuencia de fechas por radiocarbono pueden considerarse para referencia a estas otras líneas de evidencia. El crecimiento del pueblo se asocia con los procesos internos y externos, incluyendo la llegada de un pequeño grupo Mississippian y la posibilidad de reocupación del sitio, común entre los sistemas agrícolas cambiantes.

Type
Articles
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 72 , Issue 3 , July 2007 , pp. 439 - 460
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 2007

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