Cultural Changes During the Protohistoric Period: An Oneota Case Study

Summary

George Milner points out in his 2015 work, "Population Decline and Culture Change in the American Midcontinent: Bridging the Prehistoric and Historic Divide", that reactions and changes by Native Americans during the Protohistoric period were highly localized, and that each tribe was affected differently through direct and indirect contacts with Europeans. The La Crosse locality was inhabited by the Oneota until c. 1625 when the area was abandoned for the Riceford Creek locality (in southeastern Minnesota). This study looks at how the Oneota were affected by European presence on the continent, even before direct contact was made. We see evidence of stress in a change in settlement patterns between La Crosse and Riceford to more protected areas, more utilitarian ceramic vessels, the abandonment of key resources (e.g. wild rice, large river fish, large river mussels, etc.), and an increase in catlinite pipes. During the Protohistoric period, we see the Oneota shifting to a more protective and secluded stance.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 21650