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Early metal use and crematory practices in the American Southeast

2018; National Academy of Sciences; Volume: 115; Issue: 33 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1073/pnas.1808819115

1091-6490

Matthew C. Sanger, Mark A. Hill, Gregory D. Lattanzi, Brian D. Padgett, Clark Spencer Larsen, Brendan J. Culleton, Douglas J. Kennett, Laure Dussubieux, Matthew Napolitano, Sébastien Lacombe, David Hurst Thomas,

Historical and Cultural Archaeology Studies

Significance Chemical sourcing of a Late Archaic (ca. 4100–3980 cal B.P.) copper artifact reveals extensive trade networks linking the coastal southeastern United States with the Great Lakes. Found alongside the cremated remains of at least seven individuals and in the direct center of a plaza defined by a circular shell midden, the copper artifact demonstrates the existence of long-distance networks that transmitted both objects and mortuary practices. In contrast with models that assume coastal hunter-gatherer-fishers typically lived in small, simple societies, we propose that trading for and utilizing copper is evidence of emergent hierarchical social organization during the Archaic and the likelihood that power was gained and displayed during large-scale gatherings and ceremonial events.