Vincennes Phase
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The Vincennes Phase is a Mississippian Culture phase dating from 1100-1350 CE. This poorly-understood phase occupied much of the Lower Wabash Valley in western Indiana and eastern Illinois. Robert Barth proposed that the Vincennes phase evolved from the Allison-Lamotte culture, however this isn't universally agreed upon[1]. The Vincennes phase people were agriculturalists, dependant on maize to sustain their population. They were a multi ethnic people, composed of cultural traits from Middle Mississippian, Upper Mississippian, Fort Ancient, and Woodland cultures[2].
Etchison Complex
editThis complex is defined by strong relations with Cahokia, with a lack of the typical Vincennes ceramics found in the southern Vincennes area. The focal point of the complex is the Collins site, a multi-mound ceremonial center. This is the earliest Mississippian settlement in the region, and thought to represent a Cahokian attempt of spreading Mississippian religion. Joshua Wells posits a conjoining of the Etchison Complex and Southern Vincennes cultural area as a hegemonic Vincennes Phase[2].
Settlement Pattern
editVincennes phase towns and villages are usually located near a floodplain of a secondary river of the Wabash River. However in some cases such as the Merom site, the settlement was located atop a hard to access bluff, persumembly for defense.
North Vincennes
editNorth Vincennes sites have a number of woodland components to them, namely Albee Phase housing styles and ceramics being commonplace in north Vincennes settlements. Villages seem to be disjointed from the ceremonial sites. Northern Vincennes sites:
- Secondino-Shew
- Smith-Phelps
- Farrand
South Vincennes
editThe Southern Vincennes cultural area is more reminiscent of Middle Mississippian communities, with Otter Pond being a large multi-mound ceremonial and residential center. Secondary settlements exist in a smaller form, seemingly subject to Otter Pond in some way. In short, this settlement pattern is suggestive of a chiefdom similar to those recorded by De Soto in the mid 16th century[3]. Southern Vincennes sites:
- Otter Pond
- Gray's Pond
- Merom
- Blann Village
- Heaton Farm
Material Culture
editThe material culture of the Vincennes Phase is unique for having influences from surround Woodland and Oliver Phase cultures.
Ceramics
editThe Vincennes everted rim jar is a major pottery type of the Vincennes Phase, representing 62% of all pottery recorded from Vincennes sites. Ceramics from Vincennes sites are often a hybrid, shell tempered Mississippian pottery being made in a Woodland Albee Phase style[2]. Grit tempered pottery is also present in Vincennes ceramic assemblages.
Lithics
editBy far the most prominent lithic type of the Vincennes Phase is the Madison Triangular form. This exhibits an intensive use of the bow and arrow by the Vincennes people. Humpbacked knives and flint drills make up the rest of the Vincennes Phase lithic assemblage.
Recent Study
editIn 2019, Jacob Skousen of Illinois State University performed a magnatomentery survey on the Otter Pond site[4].
References
edit- ^ Agency, Illinois Historic Preservation (1999-10). Cahokia and the Hinterlands: Middle Mississippian Cultures of the Midwest. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 978-0-252-06878-2.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b c Wells, Joshua. "The Vincennes phase: Mississippians and ethnic plurality in the Wabash drainage of Indiana and Illinois - ProQuest". search.proquest.com. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Hudson, Charles (1998). Knights of Spain, Warriors of the Sun: Hernando de Soto and the South's Ancient Chiefdoms. University of Georgia Press. ISBN 978-0-8203-2062-5.
- ^ Skousen, Jacob. "Magnetometry Survey at the Otter Pond Site" (PDF). Illinois Antiquity. 54.