McQueen Shell Circle

The McQueen Shell Ring is a Late Archaic archaeological site off the coast of Georgia, notable for its surplus of copper artifacts recovered during multiple excavations. This Late Archaic Occupation, constructed between 2300 and 1800 cal. B.C., is marked by radiocarbon dates from artifacts found at the site. Notable excavation findings include a conical pit, sheet copper, and calcined human and animal bones. The McQueen Shell Ring is part of a network of ring buildings where Native Americans created significant deposits of shells derived from oysters and clams. These shell networks, believed to be villages, ritual gathering points, and having multiple uses over time, date back to the Late Archaic period. The copper artifacts have been meticulously analyzed at the Elemental Analysis Facility at the Chicago Field Museum of Natural History.

Background

The Late Archaic period, a time of significant social transformations, is a crucial backdrop for understanding the cultural significance of sites like the McQueen Shell Ring on St. Catherine's Island. Excavation data from these shell rings, such as those on St. Catherines Islands, suggests a steady flow of individuals and materials in and out of these rings, hinting at complex social dynamics. Native American philosophers and writers offer brief insights into shell rings, their communication, and how they are populated by powerful forces, adding a layer of cultural significance to these sites. The main focus of the shell rings is to provide insight into hunter-gatherer societies and their traditions, rituals, challenges, and ways of life, as well as copper, which is heavily analyzed and studied.

One of the most significant insights the McQueen Shell Ring offers is the storage practices used by hunter-gatherers, which shed light on the vast social ramifications of collection, storage, processing, and consumption in these societies. Understanding these practices is crucial for comprehending the Late Archaic Native American History and the complex societies that existed during this period. Although excavations at McQueens Shell Ring were relatively minimal, they provided substantial evidence about these complex societies, including bones, trash pits, ground burials, and pits. Additionally, they provided insight into coastal economies, political organization, and settlement patterns in Native American Communities.

Significant findings

The analysis and discussion surrounding copper found in the McQueen Shell ring gives information about probable sources of the copper, including the Minong Mine site on Isle Royale, the most probable source for over twelve artifacts. However, the McQueen copper fragments are more similar to themselves than any other copper sources analyzed. It has been concluded that later mining activity and Geological processes have significantly impacted the ability to source and document copper studies. However, for the most part, the McQueen Shell Ring remains intact, mainly with a 'gradual increase in shell deposition' towards the northern pole. In addition to copper, pits contained crushed shells, one piece of Late Archaic Pottery, and fragments of charcoal. Additional excavations showed multiple shells such as clams, mussels, whelks, and periwinkles. Most notably, there were whole clam shells and substantial bone fragments.

These shell rings also showed evidence of ceremonial villages where the residents held intermittent gatherings and ceremonies, explaining why living structures were not found. Theories include people from nearby villages traveling here for ceremonial visits for special events and not habitation. Native American and Indigenous communities used shell rings for a variety of reasons, including residential villages, gathering points, and ceremonies; these prominent sites are considered sacred landscapes and a prominent way to engage with and understand history.

Implications of Late Archaic shell rings

Late Archaic Shell rings are widely tied to Native American and Indigenous villages. The rings are interpreted as a place where Native Americans socialized the area and established communication with non-human forces. Excavation and studying of Indigenous archaeology has led to vast knowledge of Indigenous goals, methods, values, and knowledge while progressing towards implementing political, methodological, and social goals of understanding and unpacking Indigenous history. However, the study has also opened up the possibility of 'insidious colonial tendencies' where Indigenous voices have been in the background. The discovery of shell rings has increased interest in engaging, remembering, and reinventing the past. McQueens shell ring contributes valuable insight into the transformation of cultural practices and power structures in the Late Archaic.