Mouse Creek phase facts for kids

The Mouse Creek phase was an archaeological culture in East Tennessee. It was part of the Mississippian chiefdoms, which were groups of people led by powerful chiefs. Experts T. M. N. Lewis and Madeline Kneberg first studied this culture in the Chickamauga Basin. This area has special artifacts, burials, and buildings that are different from other ancient settlements nearby. People lived here from about 1400 to 1600.

Archaeologists found settlements from this phase in Eastern Tennessee. They were located near the Hiwassee River and Mouse Creek.

How People Were Buried

The Mouse Creek phase had unique ways of burying people. A main difference was how bodies were placed. Also, they did not build large funeral mounds like some other cultures.

Burial sites were often chosen based on age and family. Most older children and adults were buried in their family's cemetery. Younger children, under four years old, were buried inside buildings. It seems that cemeteries were often in front of winter homes.

The Ledford Island site had a special burial area. A cemetery with 86 people was found in the main public square. Among those identified, 20 were adult males, 10 were younger people, and 9 were adult females.

This site also had the most objects buried with people. These objects were mostly found with males. However, in private family burials, objects were buried with both males and females.

Mouse Creek burials also differed in body position from other southern Appalachian groups. About 64% of bodies were found lying straight. About 11% were found in a bent or "flexed" position.

Homes and Buildings

The buildings at the Mouse Creek sites were quite similar. Each family group usually had a summer house, a winter house, and a cemetery. Public buildings were larger. They were built more like the strong winter homes. One building even had at least nine separate rooms inside.

Summer buildings were not as strong. They were usually rectangular. They measured about 3.7 to 4.9 meters wide and 6.1 to 18.3 meters long. Their frames were made of wood posts stuck into the ground. Roofs might have been made of wooden shingles. Or they could have been a mix of small trees, river cane, and wood strips. These homes usually had one or two doors. Walls were made of wooden boards.

Winter buildings were much stronger. They could be rectangular or circular. These homes were dug into the ground. Their walls were insulated with "wattle and daub." This is a mix of woven branches and mud. Winter buildings had only one small entrance.

Pottery and Art

Mouse Creek pottery is easy to spot. It is usually plain, shell-tempered pottery. This means crushed shells were mixed into the clay to make it stronger. The pottery often had carved designs. The rims, or edges, were sometimes decorated with a raised strip of clay.

Where They Lived

Archaeologists have studied several important Mouse Creek sites.

Rymer Site

The Rymer site covered about 1.94 hectares (about 4.8 acres). About 0.4 hectares (1 acre) were dug up. It is located on the south side of the Hiwassee River. This site is east of Interstate 75. Researchers found 34 buildings and 168 burials here.

Evidence shows that buildings were lined up along the riverbank. But there was a circular group of buildings on a small hill to the north.

Mouse Creek Site

The Mouse Creek site was explored in two main parts: north and south. It is on the north side of the Hiwassee River. This site is just west of Interstate 75.

The northern dig area covered about 0.24 hectares (about 0.6 acres). Here, 9 buildings and 85 burials were found. There was also evidence of a palisade. A palisade is a fence of strong wooden posts. This one ran from the northwest to the southwest. But it seems it was only used for part of the time the site was active.

The southern dig area covered about 0.4 hectares (about 1 acre). Here, 15 buildings and 81 burials were found. A mound was also found in this southern section. This mound dated back to the Late Woodland or Early Mississippian times. More palisades were found here. They ran from the southwest to the north-central area.

Ledford Island Site

The Ledford Island site is on the eastern side of Ledford Island. This island is where the Hiwassee River splits. The site covers about 4 to 6 hectares (10 to 15 acres). About 0.7 hectares (1.7 acres) were dug up. Archaeologists found 20 buildings and 468 burials here.

This site was different from the others. The Ledford Island site had a central public square. There was a very large public building on the north side. Burials were found on the northeastern and southwestern sides of this square.