Social complexity and mound ceremony in the Coles Creek culture: Research at the Raffman Mound Center in Madison Parish, Louisiana
Description
The Coles Creek culture that developed during the Late Woodland period in the Lower Mississippi River valley is known for the construction of numerous earthen mound-and-plaza centers. An important characteristic of Coles Creek mound centers was the widespread use of mounds as platforms for activities and wooden-post buildings. Several archaeologists have interpreted the structural remains and midden deposits on Coles Creek mounds as evidence that high status leaders began living on mounds (e.g., Brown 1987; Kidder 1992a; Steponaitis 1986:385--386; Williams and Brain 1983:333--336, 407) To investigate the functions of Coles Creek platform mounds, excavations were conducted at the Raffman site, a large Coles Creek mound-and-plaza center in Madison Parish, Louisiana. The two primary goals of this research project were to refine the construction chronology at the site and to test the hypothesis that Coles Creek platform mounds were residence locations for high status leaders. Extensive excavations were conducted on Mound B at Raffman to determine whether this platform mound was the location of a residence, and if so, whether the occupants had privileged access to material goods Stratigraphic profiles, diagnostic ceramics, and radiocarbon dates from recent excavations on Mounds B and G as well as from previous excavations at Raffman were used to examine the construction chronology of the site. Radiocarbon dates and ceramics from mound midden deposits suggest multiple platform mounds may have been used at the same time, but larger ceramic samples and additional radiocarbon dates are needed to clarify the timing of mound use at the site Investigations at Raffman thus far do not support the idea that Coles Creek mounds were chiefly residential locations. However, this research does not definitively resolve the issue. Although the material culture remains on Mound B could be interpreted as domestic debris, cultural features suggest the mound was not the location of a permanent or semi-permanent residence. Debris from food preparation and consumption and from limited lithic reduction activities is located on the summit and eastern slope of the mound. Structural debris was uncovered on the mound summit, but the sparse pattern of postmolds suggests the structure was not used and maintained for a long period of time. A plausible alternative interpretation of the features and artifacts associated with Mound B is that they are the result of periodic, ceremonial events at the mound site