Abstract

With support from the National Science Foundation, Dr. Vernon Knight will continue his archaeological research at the site of Moundville. Located near the Black Warrior River in Alabama this site marks one of the highest cultural achievements of pre-Columbian Native Americans. It consists of a large number of mounds arranged in roughly symmetrical order, many containing tens of thousands of cubic meters of fill. Archaeological evidence indicates that these structures, which were likely built over extended periods of time contained religious structures at their tops and also served as burial chambers. Several have yielded large series of skeletons and burial goods. Of central importance is not the structures themselves but the natureof the social organization which made them possible. To construct such massive earthworks requires a social and political organization which can mobilize a large amount of labor for long periods of time. Dr. Knight's research should provide insight into this underlying social structure. Building on past work, Dr. Knight will conduct a number of analyses of excavated material. To understand the sequence of mound construction, careful chronometric dating is essential. This can be accomplished through AMS radiocarbon dating of single pieces of charcoal since this avoids the potential problem of sample mixing. Artifacts will be analyzed, photographed and illustrated in preparation for publication. The award will also provide summer time to permit Dr. Knight to write up the results. This research is important for several reasons. It will provide data of interest to many scientists. It will also increase our understanding of how, at a technologically simple level, complex societies develop and are maintained. ¥ ¢Á¥¥%Á_Á>¥ ¢?¥Á¢ />? ?¥©Á? ÂÁ/¥??Á¢ ??%% ?Á ?/?ÁÂ?%%` ¢???Á`Á? />? ?Á????Á? ¼©?¢ ?Á¢Á/??© ?¢ ?_???¥/>¥ Â?? ¢Á?Á?/% ?Á/¢?>¢ ¿¥ ??%% ??????Á ?>Â??_/¥??> ? ¥©Á ©?¢¥??` /º ^ ¥?%?¥` ? / ???Á%` ??/?¥??Á? ¥?/??¥??>/% /À????%¥??/% ¥Á?©>???Á ¿¥ ??%% ¢©Á? >Á? %?À©¥ ?> %?>À ¥Á?_ ©?_/> Á>????>_Á>¥ ?>¥Á?/?¥??> />? ??????Á ?/¥/ ? ?>¥Á?Á¢¥ ¥? ??¥© /??©/Á?%?À?¢¥¢ />? >/¥??/% ¢??Á>¥?¢¥¢

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences (BCS)
Type
Standard Grant (Standard)
Application #
9727709
Program Officer
John E. Yellen
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
1998-01-01
Budget End
1999-12-31
Support Year
Fiscal Year
1997
Total Cost
$60,879
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Tuscaloosa
State
AL
Country
United States
Zip Code
35487