The complex construction history of Poverty Point’s timber circles and concentric ridges

Abstract

The Poverty Point World Heritage Site (ca. 1700–1100 BC) is one of the world’s unique fisher-hunter-gatherer sites. Magnetic gradient surveys of ca. 25 ha together with magnetic susceptibility studies, coring, targeted excavations, and stratigraphic investigations have yielded important new discoveries about aspects of the construction history of the site’s monumental concentric ridges and massive plaza. Thirty-six timber circles with diameters ranging up to 62 m are located in and near the plaza. The closely spaced posts and circle clusters suggest extensive rebuilding. Ridge construction components have been identified through the presence of distinctive linear magnetic anomalies. The components provide evidence for ridge single and multistage construction, repairs, and possible deconstruction. The innermost two ridges are inferred to be the earliest, as they exhibit evidence for longer, more complex construction histories than the outer ridges. We now see that Poverty Point’s construction history is both more complex and more accessible than previously thought.

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