Russell Cave

 

This isn’t a mound or a ceremonial spot, just a place to live.  Indians for 9,000 years stopped at Russell Cave in Alabama.  We've been slowly learning more about the Native American history. Here's a summary of the eras and cultures:

40,000 - 8,000 BCE - Paleo-Indians - Big Game Hunters - These are the people that first inhabited the continent and moved without a permanent home and had basic stone tools.

8,000 - 1,000 BCE - Archaic People - Hunters and Gatherers - Minor mound building. Basket making began during this time. Weapons included spears, atlatl, and darts.

1,000 BCE - 800 CE - Woodland - Early Agriculture, Pottery, and Mound Building - Bows and arrows were developed during this time though spears and blowguns were still used.

800 - 1500 CE - Mississippian - True Agriculture and Mound Building - Maize or corn was a major crop.  Most of the mounds we saw on the trace were built during this time.
 

1500 AD on - Historic Tribes (Choctaw, Chickasaw, Natchez)

This cave was used by all these groups and time periods.  From a sign:

 "Archeologists still consider the cave to contain one of the most complete archeological records of prehistoric cultures discovered in North America.”  They’ve done excavations and have removed 2 TONS of archeological finds in this cave.  The museum has both original artifacts and some reproductions.

 

The place is beautiful!  There is water in part of the cave and set in woods when hunting would be possible.  The cave passages extend several miles, but you can just go into the front now.  That’s fine!