The Village, the Region, and Beyond: Stuart Struever (1931–2022) and the Lower Illinois River Valley Research Program

This collection contains the abstracts of the papers presented in the session entitled "The Village, the Region, and Beyond: Stuart Struever (1931–2022) and the Lower Illinois River Valley Research Program" at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Archaeology in the North American midcontinent and beyond has been keenly influenced by Stuart McKee Struever (1931–2022). Struever’s achievements between 1958 and 1984 in the lower Illinois River valley (LIV) helped shape knowledge of the regional archaeological record, studies of subsistence-settlement systems, multidisciplinary archaeology, archaeological database development, public archaeology, contract archaeology, deep site archaeology, and bioarchaeology. Struever’s archaeological projects attracted specialists from across fields such as zoology, botany, palynology, malacology, and geology. These scientists studied LIV archaeological materials and influenced subsequent developments of archaeological specialties. The Koster Project (1969–1979) was Struever’s most visible archaeological research and outreach effort, attracting thousands of professionals, students, and volunteers to the LIV. Struever’s charisma drew many to Kampsville, which was variously characterized as an exciting cauldron of new ideas and an archaeological commune. Struever pioneered deep site archaeology, multidisciplinary archaeology, and archaeological outreach at a grand scale. These research, education, and outreach efforts continue to guide programming in Kampsville, where the Center for American Archeology celebrates its 71st year. Here we emphasize Struever’s quarter century of midcontinental archaeological achievements and explore their influence in and beyond the region.