Chiefdom on the Cumberland: The History and Evolution of Middle Tennessee Archaeology

For all practical purposes, archaeology in one form or another has been ongoing for over two centuries in many areas of Tennessee. Indeed, the once abundant vestiges of the late prehistoric past in the central Cumberland Valley were first noticed at least as early as the 1790s. It is unfortunate, however, that the disproportionate level of attention long directed to the thousands of stone lined graves in the region has resulted in this now vanished and enigmatic culture frequently being perceived as a “death cult” rather than a once vibrant society. Intended as a guide for advanced students and the interested public alike, this volume represents an extended personal inquiry into two interrelated topics: (1) the little-known history and folklore of archaeological explorations in the central Cumberland Valley during the 19th century; and (2) what we have learned from both these early pioneering efforts and more modern studies with an emphasis on interpreting the social organization of the populous late prehistoric Native American culture—herein defined as the Cumberlandia chiefdom—which formerly occupied this region.

Although some notable exceptions exist (particularly the works of Dr. Joseph Jones, Gen. Gates P. Thruston, and William Edward Myer), studies in Middle Tennessee archaeology undertaken prior to the days of the Great Depression have typically attracted only piecemeal attention. This book examines these and other early writings (many of which creatively espoused a region peopled with long vanished “races” of pygmies and giants) and merges their findings with modern research to fill a long-standing void in our knowledge of the history and evolution of archaeology in the Cumberland Valley. This volume’s copious footnotes, extensive bibliography, and detailed index in concert with the reprinting of a number of obscure early sources should greatly simplify the task of further examining the sometimes colorful but always informative body of literature relevant to this chiefdom level society.