Swift Creek paddle designs and the imperative to be unique. Issue 2 (4th May 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Smith, Karen Y.; Knight, Vernon J.
• Is Part Of: Southeastern archaeology. Volume 36:Issue 2(2017)
• Page Start: 122
• Page End: 130
• Publication Date: 2017-05-04
• Subjects: Creativity -- copying -- style; Southern States -- Antiquities -- Periodicals; Indians of North America -- Southern States -- Antiquities -- Periodicals; 930.1
• DOI: 10.1080/0734578X.2016.1246342
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0734-578X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The emergence of the Swift Creek style tradition represents a shift from two or three simple carved paddle designs to many thousands of unique paddle designs by middle Swift Creek then back to merely a few in late and post Swift Creek times. This explosion in designs is a striking phenomenon, in need of consideration. Increased design diversity implicates a rise in creativity, verging on an imperative to be unique, where none previously existed in this medium. In this paper, we offer a revised model of Swift Creek social dynamics by reference to the new-found creativity of paddle makers situated within the context of ethnographic case studies.