The complex construction history of Poverty Point’s timber circles and concentric ridges

ABSTRACT

The Poverty Point World Heritage Site (ca. 1700–1100 BC) is one of the world’s unique fisher-hunter-gatherer sites. Magnetic gradient surveys of ca. 25 ha together with magnetic susceptibility studies, coring, targeted excavations, and stratigraphic investigations have yielded important new discoveries about aspects of the construction history of the site’s monumental concentric ridges and massive plaza. Thirty-six timber circles with diameters ranging up to 62 m are located in and near the plaza. The closely spaced posts and circle clusters suggest extensive rebuilding. Ridge construction components have been identified through the presence of distinctive linear magnetic anomalies. The components provide evidence for ridge single and multistage construction, repairs, and possible deconstruction. The innermost two ridges are inferred to be the earliest, as they exhibit evidence for longer, more complex construction histories than the outer ridges. We now see that Poverty Point’s construction history is both more complex and more accessible than previously thought.

KEYWORDS:

• Late Archaic
• Poverty Point
• geophysics
• construction history
• ridges
• timber circles

Acknowledgments

We thank the Louisiana Division of Archaeology, particularly Chip McGimsey and Rachel Watson, for coordinating research permits; the Louisiana Office of State Parks, especially PPWHS site managers, Dennis LaBatt and David Griffing, and staff for supporting our work during many research visits; Thurman Allen, Bruce Bevan, Lewis Somers, Alisha Wright, and other colleagues who shared their knowledge; the many volunteers who assisted with the magnetic survey, magnetic susceptibility analyses, coring, and excavation, including students from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, Mississippi State University, Minnesota State University Moorhead, and Idaho State University. Use of geophysical equipment was provided by Cultural Resource Analysts, Geoscan Research, and ERDC CERL.

Data availability statement

Magnetic gradient and related data are curated by Michael Hargrave and R. Berle Clay; magnetic susceptibility and related data are curated by Rinita Dalan. These, and soil core and excavation data, are also curated by the Poverty Point Station Archaeology Program. Data and associated reports are available from the respective authors.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

Contributions by Greenlee were conducted through the State of Louisiana’s Poverty Point Station Archaeology Program, based at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, and financed with state funds and with federal funds from the National Park Service, US Department of the Interior, through a grant from the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism. Minnesota State University Moorhead faculty development grants provided funding for Dalan’s research.

Notes on contributors

Michael L. Hargrave

Michael L. Hargrave (retired) formerly led the Land and Heritage Conservation program at ERDC CERL. His research interests include archaeological applications of near-surface geophysics and early historic pottery production in the Midwest.

R. Berle Clay

R. Berle Clay (retired) was a senior researcher and geophysical specialist for Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc. With archaeological fieldwork in the Ohio Valley, French Upper Paleolithic, and New Guinea, his research interests have focused on the later precontact period of Eastern North America, particularly near-surface geophysical survey, architecture, and ceramics in the Ohio Valley Early-Middle Woodland periods.

Rinita A. Dalan

Rinita A. Dalan is a Professor of Anthropology and Earth Science at Minnesota State University Moorhead. Her research interests focus on the integration of exploration geophysics and soil magnetism in the study of archaeological landscapes and the development of geophysical technology.

Diana M. Greenlee

Diana M. Greenlee is the Poverty Point Station Archaeologist and an Adjunct Professor of Archaeology at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.