AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE EARSPOOLS OF THE ARKANSAS RIVER VALLEY AND SURROUNDING REGIONS

Abstract

Earspools dating from the Mississippi Period are found throughout the Southeast region of North America. Some of these artifacts were recovered from sites in the Arkansas and Red River Valley regions which share similarities with those from other Mississippian sites in form, material type, size, and decorative motifs. The variability suggests that not all earspools were intended to be identical. They may have been constructed to communicate different information about the individual who wore them and to the intended audience who viewed them. Differences in stylistic attributes also provide insight into regional difference, changes in cultural practices over time, and individual identity.