GEORGIA’S PREHISTORIC PAST

PREHISTORY – TIME BEFORE WRITTEN

RECORD

ARCHAEOLOGISTS

STUDY ARTIFACTS

(OBJECTS MADE BY

HUMANS) & ECOFACTS (OBJECTS MADE BY

NATURE) TO LEARN ABOUT THE CULTURE

(WAY OF LIFE) OF A SOCIETY

FORTMT.GA

• CLUES FOUND PROVIDE EVIDENCE THATEARLY NATIVE AMERICANS (NOMADS) MIGRATEDFROM ASIA (BERING STRAIT) DURING ICE AGE

• FOUR PERIODS OF GA’S NATIVE AMERICANS1. PALEO (10,000-8,000 BC)2. ARCHAIC (8,000-1,000 BC)3. WOODLAND (1000 BC-1000 AD)4. MISSISSIPPIAN (1000 AD – 1600)

BERINGIA

• PALEO- INDIAN PERIOD- NOMADICPALEO(ANCIENT) INDIANS MOVED IN BANDS• HUNTED WILD (mostly big) GAME FOR FOOD,TOOLS/WEAPONS, CLOTHING (HIDES)• GATHERED BERRIES, VEGETABLES• BUILT PITS OR BARK SHELTERS TOPROTECT AGAINST COLD

• DEVELOPED ATLATL (SPEAR MADE FROMCLOVIS/ROCK POINTS) FOR HUNTING FROMGREATER DISTANCES & WITH ACCURACY• BELIEVED IN AFTERLIFE AS ARTIFACTS AREFOUND IN BURIAL GROUNDS

MASTODON

ATLATL

• ARCHAIC INDIANS- TRIBES BEGAN TOADAPT TO WARMER CLIMATE & DISAPPEARANCE OF BIG GAME• HUNTED (SMALLER ANIMALS), FISHED,GATHERED• GREAT MIDDENS (HEAPS) OF SHELLS FROM SEA ANIMALS FOUND ALONG COASTOF GA – SIGN THAT THEY RETURNED EACHYEAR AS THEY ROAMED• LEARNED HOW TO USE ATLATL TO HUNTMANY TYPES OF ANIMALS FASTER• GAVE MORE TIME TO DEVELOP CLAY POTTERY

• WOODLAND INDIANS- BUILT MOUNDSUSED FOR BURIAL/CEREMONY – SOMEWERE ANIMAL SHAPES CALLED AN EFFIGY• LIVED WELL IN FOREST USINGHUNTING TOOLS• DEVELOPED AGRICULTURE BYSAVING SEEDS FROM NUTS/GRAIN WHICHINCREASED FOOD SUPPLY• BEGAN TO SETTLE & BUILT HOUSES,VILLAGES, ENGRAVED POTTERY• BEGAN TRADING ON EASTERN SIDE OF US• EVIDENCE THAT WOODLAND HAD RELIGION

ROCK EAGLE

• MISSISSIPPIAN PERIOD- DEVELOPEDALONG MISSISSIPPI RIVER MOVED EAST TOGA• USED GA’S LONG GROWING/HUNTING SEASON , RICH SOIL, & HUNTING GROUND(DEER/TURKEY)• PROTECTED VILLAGES BY USING PALISADE (WALL MADE OF TALL POSTS), MOAT, & HOUSES MADE OF CLAY/WOOD• DEVELOPED BOW& ARROW TO HUNT • TRADED EXTENSIVELY WITH OTHER TRIBES DEVELOPED ART, GAMES, & ADVANCED SYSTEM OF RELIGION/GOVERNMENT • BUILT MOUNDS (ETOWAH, OCMULGEE) ON WHICH TOCONDUCT CEREMONIES FOR RELIGION OR CHIEFS• CULTURE THAT FIRST ENCOUNTERED HERNANDO DE SOTO - CHEROKEE/CREEK TRIBES DESCENDENTS

ETOWAH