Collaborating with Farmers to Recover Indigenous Archaic Period History from Private Lithic Collections in Virginia's Rappahannock River Valley. Issue 1 (February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wertz, Gail Williams
• Editors: Pitblado, Bonnie L.; Rowe, Matthew J.; Schroeder, Bryon; Thomas, Suzie; Wessman, Anna
• Is Part Of: Advances in archaeological practice. Volume 10:Issue 1(2022)
• Page Start: 14
• Page End: 25
• Publication Date: 2022-02
• Subjects: Rappahannock Tribe -- Virginia Indigenous archaeology -- lithic collections -- lithic collection analyses -- decolonization -- Indigenous Archaic period history -- Archaic period Indigenous settlement -- consultation with the Rappahannock Tribe; la tribu Rappahannock de Virginia -- argueologia de los nativos Americanos de Virginia -- colecciones liticas -- colecciones de puntas de proyectil -- descolonización -- la historia del periodo arcaico de los nativos americanos -- coloboracion y consultacion con la tribu Rappahannock; Archaeology -- Methodology -- Periodicals; Archaeology -- Technological innovations -- Periodicals; Archaeology -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 930.1028
• DOI: 10.1017/aap.2021.35
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2326-3768

Abstract

Abstract: Recovering Archaic period history of Native Americans such as the Rappahannock Tribe of Virginia is problematic because most of their rich, riverfront lands were taken by European colonists. Remaining archaeological material culture is now the property of current landowners. I collaborated with farmers along the Rappahannock River to evaluate their previously unstudied lithic collections as archaeological data sources. I tested landowner collections made by decades of repeated surveys for reliability by comparing independently made collections from the same site. The collections were significantly similar in abundance and composition through time, indicating they were representative samples of the underlying population. Comparison of collections including ground-stone tools from two different sites gave evidence of demographic changes and shifting settlement patterns through the Archaic periods and informed narratives of long-term Indigenous cultural change. I consulted with present-day Rappahannock Tribe members, who consider these collections important for tribal history, to develop research questions and evaluate shared results. Although private collections often lack documentation, proactive collaboration with responsive collectors as described allowed essential information to be recovered, documented, and preserved for the archaeological record. Building bridges of trust and information transfer among collectors, archaeologists, and tribe members is key to maximizing the information value of private collections.