[Why our area has its unique political and religious attitudes.]

We are continuing to pursue the first people in our area from pre-historic time. Pre-history simply means before a written history. Nevertheless, archaeologists have developed a significant record from artifacts. History is not static.

What happened to the people at the first mound in North America, Watson Brake? We do not know. That is to be determined. How could they disappear for 1900 years and reappear, with a similar non-hierarchal culture at Poverty Point?

The original people were predominantly on the Louisiana side of the Mississippi River. Louisiana has 800 identified Indian mounds and myriad not found.

Looking at the terrain and swamp land with the jungle like environment, there is little doubt other large structures still exist. The changing course of the river tributaries inundated some. Farms, development, and towns destroyed or built over others, unaware or uncaring about the ancient culture.

As an example, Archaeology Archive states in 1998, “Watson Brake was discovered by Reca Bamburg Jones, a local resident, more than 30 years ago (ca 1981) after a timbering operation cleared the land.”

To identify the ancient civilization requires extensive, tedious work by an archaeology team. Typically, archaeologists are university professors who must do research and publish results to keep employment and obtain promotion.

The archaeologist must do in depth investigation about the possible early people. Then they do more research to find where the people may have been. Next comes field work to scout potential locations. So far, not a trowel has touched dirt.

All this costs large amounts of money. Who funds the preliminary research? Who funds the excavation? The archaeologist must locate potential interested parties and petition them to support the work?

Seldom does the federal government get involved, until the value of the project is known. Then they place restrictions to prevent the work from damaging the culture or artifacts. That is intriguing since no one would know without the fastidious work of the archaeologist in the first place. State governments tend to take over significant sites, after the leg work, again in the name of protecting the heritage. But, the legacy would be unknown except for the archaeologist work.

So, who funds the early work? Not infrequently, the researcher must find small grants to keep going. Depending on the project and the university, in the early years, the archaeologist is self-funded, relying on people and groups he knows. Help a starving archeologist. You never know what the dirt holds.

Clearly this is not the path to wealth and riches. Conversely, it is the path to negative commentary from people who should know better, about why that site cannot be. Unlike Indiana Jones, archaeologists do not get to keep the finds.

Now to the excavation. Not so quick. If the site is government-controlled land, permits are next to impossible to obtain. If it is private owned land, a care-taker or trust must purchase or lease the property. Ouch, more money is necessary.

If archaeologists dig on property, the site requires preservation for many years, so that the excavation may continue. That is not what most people want in their yard, regardless of the reason. Particularly in scenic, pastoral, rural properties, the land-owner does not want to sell, because that particular terrain of land is irreplaceable.

Purchase of half of the Watson Brake site placed the land under the control of the state. The other half is private property, whose owners allow some access, but do not permit excavation and understandably do not desire to sell.

We have written before “Something happens between man and the land. What causes such an emotional, physical attachment to dirt?”

After land access is obtained, the archaeologists must assemble a team to scientifically and painstakingly excavate one-layer of dirt at a time. Trowels, brushes, and dust pans are the tools allowing accurate documentation of each significant fragment.

Who are these people on the team? Many are students, others are self-funded non-career archaeologists. Recovery of artifacts necessitates retaining more experts. These include carbon dating with very expensive equipment, scientists, biologists, zoologists, metallurgists, artisans, artists to illustrate, pottery analysts, and myriad others depending on the findings.

The process is a major endeavor of people, money, and property. That is why 800 sites remain for excavation and a plethora to be found, just in Louisiana. The Watson Brake ancestors of the Mississippian Culture morphed into the Spiro Mound people in our neck of the woods, with our innumerable, undocumented mounds.

If some natural feature appears unusual, do not disturb until you have identified the anomaly. However, do not be surprised if the archaeologist is not as excited as you. They need funding and support to investigate even the smallest feature.

After the disappearance of the Watson Brake culture, large mounds did return and evidence shows a correlation and relationship to these earliest mound builders, with related tools, spear points, jewelry, and non-hierarchal government.

Think about: We know so little about our ancestors. What they did then determines who we are now. Our culture, religion, and even foods descend from the ancients.

Excerpts from our book:

Where Indians, Outlaws & Oilmen Were Real, ISBN: 9781658834643.