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Where Did the People Who Made These Things Go?

Archaeologists have found that by about 1400 AD late prehistoric Indians were farming along the Watauga River in this county. Yet when the Moravians came in the 18^th Century to minister to the Indians, they could not find any. Where had they gone?

Scholars have several explanations. These Indians may have been enslaved by other Indian groups. Warfare among Indians of the Eastern U. S. was common at this time, and excavations at one village in Watauga County, the Ward Site, indicates that the village was surrounded by a wooden stockade. Then, too, these Indians might have outmigrated, though in which direction is not known. Also, diseases introduced by white explorers spread almost instantaneously through North American native populations, with a severity that was reminiscent of the European Black Death during the Dark Ages.

Why Are Archaeologists Important?

It is crucial that prehistoric native American sites not be disturbed or materials taken away. When objects are removed from sites before scientific recording and study can take place, valuable information is lost. Because the design of points, or arrowheads as they are commonly called, changed greatly over time, they are enormously useful as a dating tool when they are found in undisturbed sites. Points can be used to date 12,000 years of history while pottery can be used for dating only 3,000 years.

Scientists also have new ways of getting information from prehistoric artifacts. For example, microscopic examination of the cells found on the edges of stone tools can sometimes yield information about what types of plants or animals the tools were used against. Such study can lead to information about diet and agricultural practices.