Maize, mounds, and the movement of people: isotope analysis of a Mississippian/Fort Ancient region

The development of farming traditions has long interested archaeologists worldwide. The relationship between this process and human movement has become increasingly well defined in recent years. Here we examine this issue in a case study concerning the longstanding question of the spread of maize agriculture and Mississippian cultural traditions throughout much of the Eastern U.S. Although it has long been common to interpret the spread of Mississippian maize agriculture partially as a result of human migration, there have been very few direct studies of the question. We do so here by analyzing human tooth enamel from burials for 87Sr/86Sr and δ13C. Our results suggest that Fort Ancient societies adopted maize agriculture quickly with high levels of consumption at early sites. The intensity of maize consumption declined over time, however, in contrast to the current model. There is evidence for the presence of non-local individuals at early Fort Ancient sites, particularly Turpin, with the majority likely attributable to neighboring Mississippian regions. These developments occurred at some of the larger Fort Ancient sites by the mouths of the Great and Little Miami Rivers in Ohio where the most abundant evidence for Mississippian house styles and objects is concentrated.