Although tabbing was the extent of our participation in the archaeological process, we were exposed to further research that took place utilizing the work we did. On Wednesday evening, Dr. King gave a presentation discussing discoveries in the Late Woodland study as well as work he conducted based on sites such as the German Site. The presentation was themed with a curious salmon-pink gradient with the white outlines of a flamingo-looking bird lined up in a strip across the screen. We later learned that this bird was a Floridian Roseate Spoonbill which represented a very notable discovery made regarding the Late Woodland period. After giving introductory information on the structural characteristics of Jersey Bluff Era mounds and discussing the Cahokians' ideas regarding the construction of the universe, Dr. King discussed how despite the bird being native to a region across North America, it was still very present in Cahokia’s culture, being represented on pottery and being present in a grave site.
Another peculiar artifact Dr. King discussed was a smoke pipe depicting a raven “speaking” to a human, with the speech being represented as a thin line that spiraled down to a man’s head. Through discoveries such as these, archaeologists have been able to theorize and piece together the cultural thoughts, practices, economic systems, and religion of the indigenous people.
I think the presentation was immensely helpful in allowing us to realize how our work plays a part in a larger academic organization through which we can theorize and understand past cultures. It was also inspiring to see the research archaeology majors had conducted in pursuing their own interests.
