Robert Cook
Wednesdays, 9:00am-11:45am

This course introduces the archaeological study of the ancient societies of eastern North America, with a focus on the Ohio River Valley region, the first frontier of the United States. We will explore inter-related aspects of religion, economy, technology, and human biology associated with the span of time ranging from the first arrival of humans to the European invasion of the continent. The emphasis is on key forms and changes in social organization associated with shifts between foraging and farming, the development of widely shared ideologies, and senses of place as expressed through persistent monumentality. We conclude the semester with a consideration of the various ways in which indigenous peoples of the Eastern U.S. shaped and were shaped by European colonizers and settlers. Final student research projects will inform the creation of a small exhibit in the Peabody Museum.