The Mississippian production of space through earthen pyramids and public buildings on the Georgia coast, USA
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 3919266 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Victor D Thompson (0000-0003-1389-2979) |
| Year | 2009 |
| Volume | 41 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 445-470 |
| Publication date | 2009-09-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | World Archaeology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0043-8243 • E-ISSN: 1470-1375 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/00438240903112435 |
| OpenAlex | W2033153401 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 32 |
| References cited | 67 |
Any attempt at understanding social action must consider space. This paper questions the assumption that changes in architecture, specifically monumental architecture and public buildings, correspond directly to changes in political organization. Lefebvre's conceptual framework is used herein to gain insight into the variations in the use and construction of space, as they are reflective of different political and ideological agendas. As a case study, this paper examines the use of space and architecture at the Irene site (9CH1), a Mississippian site on the Georgia coast. Previous interpretations of the site suggest that changes in space and architecture relate to a shift towards a more egalitarian social organization. In contrast to these ideas, the argument is offered that such changes actually reflect the changing forum and expression of power by political actors rather than a wholesale shift in socio-political complexity. Keywords: Social spaceMississippiansouth-east United StatesNative Americanearthen pyramids Acknowledgements Comments by John Worth and Keith Stevenson greatly improved earlier drafts of this paper which has also benefited from conversations with Mark Williams, John Worth and David Hally regarding the Irene site specifically and Mississippian societies in general. John Worth also provided key sources relating to the ethnohistory of council houses. Two anonymous reviewers provided thoughtful comment and critique. I am indebted to my graduate students at the University of West Florida who attended my seminar class on space, architecture, and landscape and helped me, over the course of a semester, work though some of the key issues presented here. I would also like to acknowledge Joseph Caldwell and Catherine McCann and the WPA field crew whose work and attention to detail made writing this article possible. Finally, I thank Amanda Roberts, John Turck, Sarah Mitchell and Matt Napolitano for their help with the figures and general formatting the paper
Archaeology · Architectural engineering · Argument (complex analysis · Environmental ethics · Ethnohistory · Ideology · Media studies · Political science · Politics · Power (physics · Public space · Sociology · Space (punctuation) · Anthropological Studies and Insights · Anthropology · Architecture · Engineering · Geographies of human-animal interactions · Historical and Cultural Archaeology Studies · History · Law
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| Unique citing works | 32 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 2 |
| Citation span | 2010 - 2026 (17) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 32 |