Entangling Mississippian Identities: A case for postcolonial theory in the Upper Mississippian world

Summary

Postcolonial theory has provided a useful framework that archaeologists have applied over the last several decades to confront issues of social identity in colonial encounters. However, few have considered its utility in addressing cultural interaction in prehistoric contexts. This paper considers the applicability of postcolonial theory in the Upper Mississippian world between 900-1200 CE. In particular, I consider the material evidence and site distribution at multiple scales to argue that postcolonial theory, in conjunction with cultural transmission theory, can be usefully applied to understand the historical processes of the Mississippianization of the Upper Mississippi Valley. Through this case study, this paper offers new research avenues for archaeologists to evaluate the nature and scale of cultural interaction and transmission scenarios in the Mississippian world specifically, and in other prehistoric contexts more broadly.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)   •
• Breaking Boundaries: Exploring Colonialism in the Modern World and Beyond

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