Recognizing Variation in Pisgah Identity Across Space and Time

Summary

The late Mississippian Pisgah culture, dating from 1200- 1500 CE, is found across a wide geographic area including western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and southwestern Virginia. Pisgah sherds are often recognized by the presence of distinct rectilinear and later curvilinear stamped decoration with sand, grit, and/or mica temper. Excavations by Dickens (1976), Keel (1976), and Moore (1981; 2002) better defined changes over time in Pisgah ceramics while simultaneously showing the variation in Pisgah-associated features, households and settlements. This paper will examine Pisgah ceramics from two sites, Cane River in western North Carolina and Carter Robinson in southwestern Virginia, using an attribute analysis approach and taking into account the artifact, features, and household contexts in which these sherds are found. In addition, comparative data from other Pisgah collections in Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina will be used to better understand Pisgah identity.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

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

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 20363