Summerour Mound Site facts for kids
Location | Forsyth County, Georgia, ![]() |
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Region | Forsyth County, Georgia |
History | |
Periods | Late Woodland period to Early Mississippian Woodstock Phase |
Cultures | Mississippian culture |
Site notes | |
Excavation dates | 1951-1954 |
Architecture | |
Architectural styles | platform mound |
The Summerour Mound Site (also known as 9FO16) is an archaeological site in Forsyth County, Georgia. An archaeological site is a place where people find old objects and structures from the past. This site was once on a flat area near the Chattahoochee River. Today, it is covered by the water of Lake Lanier, which is also called the Buford Reservoir.
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Discovering the Summerour Mound Site
Archaeologists are like history detectives. They study old places and objects to learn about people who lived long ago. The Summerour Mound Site was explored by an archaeologist named Joseph Caldwell. He led digs there between 1951 and 1954.
What is a Platform Mound?
At the Summerour site, Caldwell found a special type of earth structure called a platform mound. Imagine a large, flat-topped hill made by people. This mound was very wide and not very tall. It was about 225 feet (68 meters) long and 150 feet (45 meters) wide. It stood about 9 feet (2.7 meters) high.
Buildings on the Mound
On top of this large mound, Caldwell discovered the remains of a building. It might have been a temple or another important public building. This structure was rectangular, about 18.5 feet (5.6 meters) long and 16 feet (4.8 meters) wide. Its outer walls were made from small posts set into ditches in the ground.
Who Lived at the Site?
Archaeologists try to figure out when people lived at a site. This is called its chronology. For the Summerour Mound Site, there is some discussion about its exact age.
Ancient Cultures in Georgia
Some experts, including Joseph Caldwell, believe the mound was built during the early Mississippian period. This was a time when Native American groups built large towns and complex societies. Other archaeologists think it might be older, from the late Woodland period. The Woodland period came before the Mississippian period.
Pottery Clues
One way archaeologists learn about past cultures is by studying pottery. Pieces of broken pottery, called sherds, were found at the Summerour site. These sherds showed different styles, like B-complex Swift Creek, Napier Complicated Stamped, and plain pottery. These styles help experts understand which groups lived there and when.