List of archaeological sites in Tennessee

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Tennessee Division of Archaeology maintains a database of all archaeological sites recorded within the state of Tennessee. As of January 1, 2009 this catalog contains more than 22,000 sites, including both prehistoric and historic resources. In Tennessee, Prehistoric is generally defined as the time between the appearance of the first people in the region (c. 12,000 BC) and the arrival of the first European explorers (c. 1540 AD). The Historic period begins after the arrival of those Europeans and continues to the present. Both these periods are further divided into subperiods and phases using established archaeological conventions for the region.[1]

The following list of archaeological sites in Tennessee encompasses sites that have either contributed substantially or have the potential to contribute substantially to research regarding people who have lived in what is now Tennessee. Note that a historical site is not necessarily an archaeological site. According to the Tennessee Division of Archaeology Site Survey Record, official site numbers are generally assigned to historic sites only if artifacts and/or historic documentation for that site support a pre–1933 date. Historical sites are included in the following list only if archeological field work has been conducted at the site.

The term cultural affiliation refers to the archaeological period when a site was created and/or occupied. Many sites were occupied during more than one archaeological period, and are therefore known as multicomponent. An example of a multicomponent site would be American Civil War earthworks constructed at the same location as a prehistoric Mississippian village. The cultural affiliation category in the list below refers only to periods in which the most significant occupation or event (e.g., a battle) took place at the site.

Archaeological sites recorded in Tennessee are assigned State Trinomials consisting of letter and number combinations that indicate the state and county where the site is found, and includes a sequential number identifying the specific site. For example, the trinomial 40DV11 designates the eleventh archaeological site recorded in Davidson County (DV) , Tennessee (40) .

Legend for cultural affiliations:

  • Paleoindian[2] — roughly 12,000 BC (and possibly earlier) to 8000 BC
  • Archaic — c. 8000 BC to 1000 BC
  • Woodland — c. 1000 BC - 1000 AD
  • Mississippian — c. 900 to 1600 AD
  • Cherokee — affiliated with proto-historic and historic Cherokee occupation (c. 1600-1800)
  • British colonial — affiliated with Euro-American expansion, pre-1776.
  • American — affiliated with Euro-American occupation or events post-1776

The sites are listed alphabetically by county.

Anderson County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40AN20 Woodland, Mississippian 1960s
40AN74 Woodland 1990s
Cox Site Mississippian 1934
40AN21 Woodland 1930s
40AN8 Woodland 1960s
40AN28 American pioneer 1977 DOE-owned
Freels Farm Mounds 40AN22 Woodland 1930s
40AN2 1960s

Bedford County[]

Benton County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40BN190 Paleo-Indian 1990s
Bridges Site[3] 40BN13 1941 Submerged
Cherry Site[3] 40BN74 1941
Danville Ferry Site[3] 40BN3 1940 Submerged
Earp Site[3] 40BN63 1941
Eva Site 40BN12 Archaic 1940 Submerged
Frazier Site[3] 64BN59 1941
Gatewood Site[3] 40BN47 1940
Harmon's Creek Site[3] 40BN8 1940 Submerged
Ledbetter Site 40BN25 1940
Lick Creek Site 40BN30 1940 Submerged
McDaniel Site 40BN77 1941
Odle Site 40BN23 1941
Stockdale Site 40BN32 1940
Sulphur Creek Site 40BN7 1940 Submerged
Thomas Site 40BN11 1940 Submerged
West Cuba Landing Site 40BN17 1941
Young's Landing Site 40BN60 1941

Bledsoe County[]

Blount County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40BT47 Woodland, Mississippian c. 1990
Apple Barn Site 40BT90 Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian, Cherokee 1999–2001
Peter Cable Complex 40BT34 American pioneer national park
40BT133 Archaic, American pioneer national park
Chilhowee 40BT7 Cherokee 1950s Submerged
Gas Company Site 40BT94 Woodland 1999–2001
40BT141 Woodland, Mississippian national park
Indian Grave Gap 40BT140 national park
Kinzel Springs Site 40BT89 Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian, Cherokee 1999–2001
John Oliver Complex 40BT55 American pioneer 1980s national park
Pony Ride Site 40BT91 Woodland, Mississippian, Cherokee, American 1999–2001
Prater Site 40BT2 1942
40BT129 Archaic, Woodland national park
Spence Field 40BT138 national park
Tallassee 40BT8 Cherokee 1955-1957 Submerged

Bradley County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Candy Creek 40BY14 1937
Chatata
40BY13 Mississippian 1930s
40BY15 Mississippian 1937
Varnell 40BY40 1939

Campbell County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40CP2 Mississippian 1930s
40CP9 Mississippian 1930s
40CP1 Woodland 1930s
40CP5 Mississippian 1930s
Saltpeter Cave 40CP3 Woodland 1930s

Cannon County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Hoover-Beeson Rock 40CN4 1963

Carroll County[]

Carter County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Fudd-Campbell Site 40CR3

Cheatham County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Ashland Bridge Site 40CH73 1983-1984
Mound Bottom 40CH8 Mississippian 1970s state archaeological site
Pack Site 40CH1 Mississippian 1930s
40CH87 American industry state park
Woodard Mound 40CH3 1936

Chester County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40CS24a Paleo-Indian 1970s

Claiborne County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40CE20 Mississippian 1930s
40CE28 Archaic, Woodland
40CE56 Woodland
40CE40 Archaic
40CE109

Clay County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40CY63-65 Archaic, Woodland 2001

Cocke County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Bible Site 40CK11 1966
Del Rio 40CK7
40CK6 Woodland 1960
Swaggerty Blockhouse 40CK201 American pioneer/American agricultural 2001 private property

Coffee County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40CF237 American industry
Old Stone Fort 40CF1 Woodland 1966 state park

Crockett County[]

Cumberland County[]

Davidson County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Buchi Site 40DV1 1936
Hermann SIAS #96 40DV2 1972
40DV4 Mississippian 1868, 1992
40DV5 Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian 1821, 1860s, 1880s, 1992, 2014 Mississippian features partially excavated during construction of First Tennessee Ball Park in 2014. Parts of the site are intact.
40DV9 Paleo-Indian, Archaic
Traveller's Rest 40DV11 Mississippian
West Site 40DV12 1964-1970
Prison Farm "B" 40DV35 Mississippian 1969
Brick Church Pike Site 40DV39 1970s
First American Cave, Regions Center (Nashville) 40DV40 Ice Age fauna, Woodland 1971
Brick Church Mound and Village Site 40DV39 Mississippian 1877, 1969, 1971-2001 Destroyed for residential development
The Hermitage 40DV100 American plantation Museum
The Ensworth School 40DV184 Paleoindian, Archaic, Mississippian 2003 Destroyed
40DV392 Mississippian, American military
40DV447 Archaic, Woodland
40DV551 Archaic, Woodland

DeKalb County[]

Decatur County[]

Dickson County[]

Dyer County[]

Fayette County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40FY436 Woodland

Fentress County[]

Franklin County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Owl Hollow 40FR7 Submerged
Mason Site 40FR8 1966
Brickyard Site 40FR13 1966
Tucker Rock Shelter 40FR16 1966

Gibson County[]

Giles County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40GL54 Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian, American military (Civil War) None Private
40GL85 Woodland
40GL25 Mississippian

Grainger County[]

Greene County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40GN228 Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian
Davy Crockett Birthplace 40GN12 Woodland, American pioneer 1977 state park
40GN229 Archaic, Woodland
40GN257 American pioneer

Grundy County[]

Hamblen County[]

Hamilton County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40HA84 Mississippian owned by Audubon Society
Citico 40HA65 Mississippian 1915 threatened with housing development
40HA1 Woodland, Mississippian 1930s Submerged
40HA301 Mississippian 2008 Destroyed for industrial development; location of material collected unknown
Davis Site 40HA2 1936
40HA146 Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian part of Moccasin Bend National Archaeological District, part of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
40HA3 Mississippian 1930s
40HA43 Mississippian 1940s, 1950s
40HA64 Archaic, Woodland owned by Audubon Society
40HA147 Archaic, Woodland part of Moccasin Bend National Archaeological District, part of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
Moccasin Bend 40HA63 Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian 1960s National Archaeological District, part of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
Sale Creek Site 40HA10 1937
40HA140 Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian
Woodland on state property

Hancock County[]

Hardeman County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Davis Bridge Battlefield 40HM106 American military

Hardin County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Shiloh Battlefield Site 40HR179 American military national military park
Shiloh Indian Mounds Woodland, Mississippian National historic landmark
Swallow Bluff Island Mounds 40HR16 Mississippian Private

The Holliston Mills site, a Mississippian town in Upper East Tennessee, is located on the north bank of the Holston River south of Kingsport in Hawkins County, Tennessee. The site was excavated by members of the Tennessee Archaeological Society between 1968 and 1972. It was excavated in ten-foot blocks using six-inch levels, revealing a large late prehistoric (and perhaps protohistoric) town represented by at least two palisades, more than 660 burials, a large public structure, and several smaller domestic structures. The excavators initially reported the recovery of what they believed to be Cobb Island pottery in the plow zone and much Dallas material from the level excavations, but they also noted that the site had been looted prior to their excavations. There is little, if any, Cobb Island pottery, but there are some Pisgah ceramics.

Hawkins County[]

Haywood County[]

Henderson County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Parker's Crossroads Battlefield 40HE118 American military

Henry County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Big Sandy Site 40HY18 1940
Centerville Landing Site 40HY4 1939
Kays Landing Site 40HY13 1940
McAdoo Site 40HY10 1939
Obion Mounds 40HY14 Mississippian 1940
Thompson Village 40HY5 1939
Williams Site 40HY1 1939

Hickman County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Paleo-Indian, Archaic, Woodland
40HI133 Paleo-Indian, Archaic, Woodland
40HI131 Paleo-Indian, Archaic, Woodland

Houston County[]

Humphreys County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40HS168 American industry
American military State park
40HS6 Mississippian
40HS60 Paleo-Indian

Jackson County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Fort Blount 40JK125 American frontier, Middle Woodland 1989–1994
40JK129 Archaic
40JK145 Archaic

Jefferson County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40JE41-44 American military
Zimmerman's Island 40JE2 Mississippian 1940s Submerged

Johnson County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40JN159 Mississippian 1990s national forest

Knox County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Bowling Site 40KN29 1961
Copper Ridge 40KN2 1961
Cruikshank Bend 40KN27 1961
Looney Island Village Midden 40KN4 1961
Marble Springs 40KN125 American pioneer state historic site
40KN86
40KN39 Woodland 1961
Peak Site 40KN27 1961
40KN23 Mississippian Submerged
Ramsey House 40KN120 American plantation 1995 Museum
40KN142 American military
U.T. Agriculture Farm Mound 40KN16 Woodland
William Blount Mansion American pioneer National Historic Landmark

Lake County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40LK54 American military
40LK10 Mississippian

Lauderdale County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Fort Pillow 40LA50 American military state park

Lawrence County[]

Lewis County[]

Lincoln County[]

Loudon County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40LD35 Archaic 1976
Bat Creek Site 40LD24 Mississippian 1975 Partially submerged
Bussell Island 40LD17 Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian, Cherokee 1970s Location of Tellico Dam
Henry Site 40LD53 1981
40LD38 Archaic 1970s
40LD208 Mississippian 1989
Kittrell Mound 40LD183 1985
40LD211-212, etc. American military
Mainland Village 40LD18 1980
Morganton 40LD105 American river town 1978 Submerged
40LD179 Woodland
40LD107 Cherokee 1970s Submerged

Macon County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Bugtussle 40MC1 American military 1983

Madison County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Cochran Site 40MD23 Archaic, Woodland 1970s Grouped with Pinson Mounds
Denmark Mound Group 40MD85 Mississippian
40MD3 Woodland
Pinson Mounds 40MD1 Woodland 1960s, 1970s, 1980s state archaeological park

Marion County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Bible 40MI15 1965
Lay 40MI20 1965
Nickajack Cave 40MI108 1960s Submerged
Pittman-Alder 40MI5 1964
Westmoreland 40MI11 1964

Marshall County[]

Maury County[]

McMinn County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40MN3 Woodland, Mississippian 1930s, 1980s

McNairy County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Big Hill Pond Fortification 40MY95 American military
40MY111 American military

Meigs County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Hiwassee Island 40MG31 Mississippian 1930s state wildlife refuge

Monroe County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40MR25 Archaic, Woodland 1960s, 1970s submerged
Bell Rattle 40MR211 1981
40MR41 Archaic, Woodland 1970s submerged
Chota 40MR2 Cherokee 1960s, 1970s submerged; monument in raised area
Citico 40MR7 Mississippian, Cherokee 1970s submerged
Fort Loudoun 40MR1 English colonial military 1930s, 1970s original site raised with fill; fort reconstructed
Galyon Farm
Great Tellico/Chatuga 40MR12 Cherokee
40MR8 Cherokee 1970s submerged
40MR21 Archaic, Woodland 1970s submerged
Hodge Site 40MR46 1973
Howard Site 40MR66 1976
Icehouse Bottom 40MR23 Archaic, Woodland 1970s submerged
John Carson Site 40MR24 1967, 1977
Jones Ferry Site 40MR76 1976, 1979
40MR20 Mississippian 1960s, 1970s submerged
Mayfield I 40MR26 1967
Mayfield II 40MR27 1967
McGhee Cabin 40MR30 1967
Mialoquo 40MR3 Cherokee 1970s submerged
Pate Mound 40MR16 1981
Patrick Site 40MR40 1972-1973, 1975
Patrick Quarry Site 40MR45 1979
Peery I Site 40MR67 1976
40MR44 Archaic, Woodland 1970s submerged
Sloane Bridge Site 40MR226 1981
40MR32 Cherokee 1960s
Tanasi 40MR62 Cherokee 1960s, 1970s submerged; marked by monument
Tellico Blockhouse 40MR50 American military 1970s state park
Tomotley 40MR5 Cherokee 1970s submerged
Toqua 40MR6 Mississippian, Cherokee 1970s submerged
Tuskegee 40MR24, 40MR64 Cherokee 1960s, 1970s submerged
40MR71 English colonial military 1970s

Montgomery County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Dunbar Cave 40MT43 Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian state park
Fort Defiance/Fort Bruce 40MT287 American military
Riverview Mounds 40MT44 Mississippian

Moore County[]

Morgan County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40MO161 Woodland, Mississippian part of Brushy Mountain prison complex

Obion County[]

Overton County[]

Perry County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Sanford Rock 40PY1 1936

Pickett County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40PT38 American pioneer
40PT39 American pioneer

Polk County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40PK1 Woodland, Mississippian, Cherokee 1930s
Hiwassee Old Town 40PK3 Woodland, Mississippian, Cherokee 1980s

Putnam County[]

Rhea County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Hampton Site 40RH41 1940
40RH35 American pioneer
Leuty Site 40RH6 1940
McDonald Site 40RH7 1940
Smith Site 40RH42 1940
Spivey Site 40RH39 1940
Watts Bar Waste Site 40RH64 1979

Roane County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Alford Site 40RE4 1940
Bell Site 40RE1 1935
40RE137 Mississippian
Dearmond Site 40RE12 1940
Elben Cave Site 40RE118 1964
Fort Southwest Point 40RE119 American military 1970s, 1980s museum
Long Island Site 40RE17
40RE243 Woodland
Tarwater Site 40RE33 1941
Thief's Neck Site 40RE19 1942
Wilson Site 40RE6 1972

Robertson County[]

Rutherford County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40RD177 American military National battlefield
40RD23 American plantation

Scott County[]

Sequatchie County[]

Sevier County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40SV51
40SV43 Mississippian 1980s
McMahan Mound Site 40SV1 Mississippian 1980s

Shelby County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Chucalissa 40SY1 Mississippian state park
40SY615 American plantation

Smith County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40SM134 American military
Beasley Mounds Site 40SM43 Mississippian culture 1895

Stewart County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Wells Creek Crater[4] 40Sw73 Paleo Indian 1960s Can drive through[5]

Eastman Rockshelter Sullivan County, TN

Sullivan County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Cain/Wolford Site 40SL31 1975 Submerged
Linville Cave[6] 40SL24 Woodland

Sumner County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Bledsoe's Station 40SU32 American pioneer 1990s Public park
Camp Trousdale Site 40SU107 American military
Castalian Springs 40SU14 Paleo-Indian, Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian
40SU15 Mississippian
Wynnewood 40SU75 state historic site

Tipton County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Island 35 Mastodon 40TP84 Pleistocene Faunal 1900 Destroyed

Trousdale County[]

Unicoi County[]

Union County[]

Van Buren County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Big Bone Cave 40VB103 Woodland, American

Warren County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40WR15 Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian
40WR5 Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian

Washington County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40WG17 Woodland, Mississippian 1976- Current Active

Wayne County[]

Weakley County[]

White County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
40WH65 Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian
40WH43 Woodland, Mississippian
40WH98 1980s

Williamson County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Anderson Site 40WM9 Archaic
Brentwood Library Site 40WM210 Mississippian
Carnton 40WM32 American plantation national historic landmark
Coats-Hines Site 40WM31 Paleo-Indian 1995
Fewkes Group Archaeological Site 40WM1 Mississippian 1920, 1998 NRHP
Harpeth Furnace 40WM83 American industry
40WM10 Mississippian
Old Town Archaeological Site 40WM2 Mississippian NRHP
Roper's Knob Fortifications 40WM101 American military
Triune Fortification 40WM106 American military

Wilson County[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Sellars Indian Mound 40WI1 Mississippian Managed by Long Hunter State Park

Location not publicized[]

Site Designation Cultural affiliation(s) Year(s) excavated Status
Mississippian 1980s

See also[]

Tennessee Division of Archaeology

History of Tennessee

Notes[]

  1. ^ Site data on file, Tennessee Division of Archaeology Site Survey Record, Nashville
  2. ^ Although the Wikipedia entry for Paleoindian inserts a hyphen into the word, accepted scientific and archaeological nomenclature omits this punctuation; see links under Resources below for correct usage.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Chapman, J. (2006). The Archaeological Collections at the McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture. Frank H. McClung Museum Occasional Papers, (7), 1–34. Retrieved from https://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/78/2019/05/ArchaeologyCollectionsGuide.pdf
  4. ^ Don W. Dragoo Archaeology of Eastern North America Vol. 1, No. 1 (SPRING 1973), pp. 1-56 Published by: Eastern States Archeological Federation Article Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/40914129
  5. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-02-03. Retrieved 2012-08-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ^ Franklin, Jay. "The Archaeology of Linville Cave (40SL24), Sullivan County, Tennessee". Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

Resources[]

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