A Spatial Analysis of Bounded Cemeteries at the Town Creek Site (AD 1150-1400) in the Southern Piedmont of North Carolina

Abstract

Previous mortuary studies have explored the links between the presence of bounded cemeteries and the existence of corporate groups within ancient communities. This thesis examines two cemeteries at Town Creek, a Mississippian civic-ceremonial center located in the southern Piedmont of North Carolina that was occupied from approximately AD 1150-1400. The site consists of a platform mound and central plaza surrounded by archaeological features indicative of kin group cemeteries. The spatial distribution of individuals, artifacts, and select burial attributes within each cemetery are used to investigate variability between groups, and to place these groups within the context of the site's history. Analysis suggests the presence of distinct sub-groups of burials within each cemetery, and comparisons among cemeteries suggest that considerable variation in spatial arrangement occurred among cemeteries. Through examination and comparison of the internal structure of such spatially discrete areas, archaeologists can continue to investigate the creation of social memory and identity of corporate kin groups as a method of understanding connections to economic and political control.