Hiwassee Island Mound
Hiwassee Island (40MG31) · Hiwassee Island Site
Mississippian (Hiwassee Island / Dallas)·Mississippian (Tennessee Valley)·🇺🇸 Tennessee, Meigs County, United States
About
About Hiwassee Island Mound
Multi-component 5-mound island town at the confluence of the Tennessee and Hiwassee rivers, with stratified Dallas Mississippian over Hiwassee Island phase (Hiwassee type site, c.900–1400 CE) atop Woodland deposits. WPA 1930s excavations by T.M.N. Lewis and Madeline Kneberg revealed platform mound 4 m high, village palisade, and 400+ burials withHiwassee Island Complicated Stamped ceramics, defining southeastern Tennessee cultural sequence. Reservoir-influenced but mound island still extant in Chickamauga Lake pool.
Why it mattersType site for Hiwassee Island ceramics and phase; cornerstone of Tennessee Valley chronology from Woodland to Dallas.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Island choice for defensibility vs fertility — strategic island fortification
- 02Extent of shell gorget production as wealth item
Theories
- 01Island palisaded refuge during Dallas expansion and endemic warfare
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.900–1400 CE (Hiwassee Island phase peak 1200–1350)
- Period
- Mississippian (Hiwassee Island / Dallas)
- Culture
- Mississippian (Tennessee Valley)
- Builders
- Mississippian (Hiwassee Island inhabitants)
- Purpose
- Riverine island town, mound ceremonialism and long-distance shell trade node
- Abandoned
- c.1400 CE
- Rediscovered
- WPA excavations 1937–39
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
On the ground
Structures & features
35.4205° N · 84.9925° W · 210 m · 2 mapped features
Mound 1 (Hiwassee platform)
mound4 m high 55 m base platform atop island ridge, Dallas phase summit
35.4208° N · 84.9922° WIsland palisade village area
earthwork300 m palisaded village terrace with midden and burials surrounding plaza
35.4202° N · 84.9930° W