People Of The Shoals Summary

Samuel Elenwo
ANTH 4813
10/25/2015

Social interaction between Settlers of the Coastline Was drag-and-jab pottery design synonymous to matrilocal post marital residence? Did the cluster of shell rings and pits features associate to close community settlement among natives? These topics remain prevalent and are explored in Kenneth Sassaman’s book People of the Shoals. People of the Shoals reveal the story of the Stalling Culture, an American Indian civilization that resided in the Savannah River Valley near the Tennessee River almost 4,000 years ago. Kenneth Sassaman provides an intricate yet engaging perspective to the “rise and fall of the Stallings” Island culture as well as illustrate the “archaeology that brings Stalling history to life” …show more content…
Shell ring and the presence of shells were very significant to cultural growth as they signified coastal life. Shell ring accumulations in the southeast were more often associated with social interaction through ceremonial events as well as location habitation where people live in close proximity to each other. Shell accumulation came about from Stallings diet involving immense amount of shellfish eating which was also evident in Ed Marshall and Mill Branch culture. The Mill Branch culture was present in the Savannah River Valley between 4,700 and 4,200B.P and was characterized by soapstone cooking slabs and bannerstones as well as some large stemmed biface called Savannah River Stemmed or, more appropriately named, the Mill Branch Point. Bone fishhook and hook making fragments of Stallings Island were used in order to fish and retrieve coastal feeding. Fish hooks were made of mostly the bones of white tail deer. To compliment the fishhooks were line weights which were made from soapstone and recycled cooking slabs. By pairing the hooks and the weights and using nets to trap fish, turtle, etc, a hook and line technique for fishing as well as noodling emerged. Stalling culture were also active hunter and gathers even though aquatic food became a staple resource. The use of deer hunting technology such as bifacial and stemmed shafts dominated Stallings assemblages through time. Modified bones and antlers shaped into knives were the primary hunting tool in Early Stallings society. These knives were first cultivated in Ed Marshall site and shared within other cultures for the use of hunting and gathering. These tools help blend and assimilate many cultures in Stallings Island by providing opportunity for co habitation and hunting

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