A comparative study of argoecological land use patterns using GIS between the early agricultural societies of the Monongahela & the Oneota

Abstract

This project is a multidisciplinary study between Archaeology and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Looking at the transition from hunters and gathers to agricultural subsistence and how this is reflected in the settlement patterns with the positive association of suitable agricultural soils. Furthering research begun in 2009 by Anderson & Simon, this project compares the highly maize dependent Monongahela to the maize horticultural practices of the Oneota. The Monongahela upland pattern can be linked to more productive maize agricultural soils proving suggesting an increase in agriculture not warfare shifted the settlement pattern. Furthermore, the archaeological record demonstrates the transition in settlement patterns as non-agricultural Archaic and Woodland have been demonstrated to have quantifiably lower soil correlations than agricultural time periods, peaking in the Middle Monongahela. On the other hand, Oneota localities show two different patterns. The Middle Fox River Passageway reflect the middle of the spectrum with the patterns leaning towards agricultural land use, while the La Crosse Terrace shows little preference for agriculturally suited soil suggesting that other subsistence resources remained more important or pointing to an explanation of intensive ridge field systems. This dichotomy in Oneota localities is evidence arguing for the separation of the La Crosse Terrace Region from other Oneota localities throughout Wisconsin.