Determining village extent and layout utilizing geophysical survey and excavation at the Mississippian site of Cane River, North Carolina

Geophysical techniques can help to clarify the extent of a site and show spatial relationships between structures, therefore guiding research and excavation strategies. When monuments and larger structural elements are absent, feature density can be a reliable proxy for occupation areas and village boundaries. Utilizing a combination of magnetometry and ground-penetrating radar survey at the Cane River site in North Carolina, we were able to locate borrow pits, storage pits, structures, and hearth features that are not readily detected using traditional archaeological methods. Subsequent coring and excavations over these geophysical anomalies provided evidence for continuity in village layout and allowed us to sample a variety of feature types, illuminating temporal and spatial patterns in community activities. This research has implications for understanding regional variability in Mississippian community social practices throughout the Appalachian Summit of North Carolina.

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