The Dallas phase (c. 1300–1600 CE) is an

archaeological phase In archaeology, a phase refers to the logical reduction of contexts recorded during excavation to nearly contemporary archaeological horizons that represent a distinct "phase" of previous land use. These often but not always will be a representat ...

, within the Mississippian III period, in the South

Appalachia Appalachia ( ) is a geographic region located in the Appalachian Mountains#Regions, central and southern sections of the Appalachian Mountains in the east of North America. In the north, its boundaries stretch from the western Catskill Mountai ...

Geologic province A geologic province or geological province is a spatial entity with common geologic attributes. A province may include a single dominant structural element such as a basin or a fold belt, or a number of contiguous related elements. Adjoining ...

in North America.Sullivan and Prezzano 281

Geography

Dallas peoples moved into what is now southwest

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

from northeastern

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

in the early 13th century.Sullivan and Prezzano 220 Dallas phase settlements ranged from along the

Holston River The Holston River is a river that flows from Kingsport, Tennessee, to Knoxville, Tennessee. Along with its three major forks (North Fork, Middle Fork and South Fork), it comprises a major river system that drains much of northeastern Tennessee ...

to Cobb Island, and up the

Nolichucky River The Nolichucky River is a river that flows through western North Carolina and East Tennessee in the southeastern United States. Traversing the Pisgah National Forest and the Cherokee National Forest in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the river's wate ...

and Little Pigeon Creek in Tennessee, and along the

Clinch River The Clinch River is a river that flows southwest for more than through the Great Appalachian Valley in the U.S. states of Virginia and Tennessee, gathering various tributaries, including the Powell River, before joining the Tennessee River in ...

in Virginia.Sullivan and Prezzano 208

Characteristics

The Dallas phase settlements typically have one to three

platform mound A platform mound is any earthwork or mound intended to support a structure or activity. It typically refers to a flat-topped mound, whose sides may be pyramidal. In Eastern North America The indigenous peoples of North America built substru ...

s; however, some (40Un11 and 40An44) have no mounds at all. Their society was hierarchical. It is characterized by distinctions between nobles and commoners in burial practices. Elites were buried in mounds, unlike the remaining population. Artifacts included shell gorgets, ear pins, and beads. Dallas peoples built "large log houses." Their towns had central plazas, surrounded by winter and summer homes.

Ceramics

Dallas Ware pottery was tempered with mussel shells and featured lugs, incised decoration, notched fillets, and strap handles. Two distinct styles were Dallas Plain and Dallas Cordmarked.

Sites

Dallas phase sites include the following: * Bussell Island (40LD17),

Loudon County, Tennessee Loudon County is a county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is located in the central part of East Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 54,886. Its county seat is Loudon. Loudon County is included in the Knoxville, TN Metro ...

* Chiaha,

Jefferson County, Tennessee Jefferson County is an exurban county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 54,683. Its county seat is Dandridge. Jefferson County is part of the Morristown Metropolitan Statistical Area with neigh ...

* Citico (40HA65),

Chattanooga Chattanooga ( ) is a city in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located along the Tennessee River and borders Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the south. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, it is Tennessee ...

Hamilton County, Tennessee Hamilton County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is located in the southern part of East Tennessee on the border with Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, ...

* Cox site (40AN19),

Anderson County, Tennessee Anderson County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is located in the northern part of the state in East Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 77,123. Its county seat ...

* David Davis Site (40HA301),

* DeArmond Site (40RE12),

Roane County, Tennessee Roane County is a County (United States), county of the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 2010 United States Census, census, the population was 53,404. Its county seat is Kingston, Tennessee, Kingston. Roane County is included in the Knox ...

* Fain's Island (40JE1), Jefferson County, Tennessee * Henderson Site (40SV4),

Sevier County, Tennessee Sevier County ( ) is a county of the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 98,380. Its county seat and largest city is Sevierville. Sevier County comprises the Sevierville, TN Micropolitan Statistical Area, which ...

* Henry Farm Site (40LD53), Loudon County, Tennessee * Hiwassee Island Site (40MG31), Meigs County, Tennessee * Hixon Site (40HA3),

* McMahan Mound Site (40SV1), Sevier County, Tennessee * Toqua (40MR6),

Monroe County, Tennessee Monroe County is a County (United States), county located on the eastern border of the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 46,250. Its county seat is Madisonville, Tennessee, Madisonville, ...

Overhill Cherokee The Overhill Cherokee were a group of the Cherokee people located in their historic settlements in what is now the U.S. state of Tennessee in the Southeastern United States, on the western side of the Appalachian Mountains. This name was used b ...

sites, such as Citico (40Mr7), Hiwassee Old Town (40Pk3), and Chilhowee (40Bt7) have Dallas phase artifacts; however, the Dallas phase is associated with ancestral

Muscogee Creek The Muscogee, also known as the Mvskoke, Muscogee Creek or just Creek, and the Muscogee Creek Confederacy ( in the Muscogee language; English: ), are a group of related Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern WoodlandsHiwassee Island phase ran from 1000 to 1250 CE, followed by Early Dallas from 1250–1450 CE. Late Dallas ranged from 1450–1650 CE, which was followed by the Overhill Cherokee and Mouse Creek phases.

Notes

References

*Harle, Michaelyn S
"Biological Affinities and the Construction of Cultural Identity for the Proposed Coosa Chiefdom."
''University of Tennessee. Trace: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange.'' 2010. * Peregrine, Peter Neal. ''Archaeology of the Mississippian Culture: A Research Guide.'' Taylor and Francis, 1996. . *Sullivan, Lynne P. and Susan C. Prezzano, eds
''Archaeology of the Appalachian Highlands.''
Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 2001. .

External links

The Archaeology of Everyday Life at Early Moundville Gregory D. Wilson

South Appalachian and Protohistoric Mortuary Practices in Southwestern North Carolina
{{Pre-Columbian North America South Appalachian Mississippian culture Pre-statehood history of Tennessee Native American history of Virginia Pre-statehood history of Virginia