Hardaway Revisited: Early Archaic Settlement in the Southeast

The Hardaway site is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Southeast. It is located in Stanly County, North Carolina, and it was first excavated in the 1930s by Joffre Coe. Coe's work at Hardaway helped to establish the Early Archaic period as a distinct cultural period in the Southeast, and it also provided important insights into the subsistence strategies and settlement patterns of the people who lived in the region during this time.

Hardaway Revisited: Early Archaic Settlement in the Southeast

by I. Randolph Daniel

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Language	:	English
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In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in the Hardaway site. This interest has been sparked by the development of new archaeological techniques and the discovery of new artifacts and features at the site. As a result of this new research, we now have a much better understanding of the Hardaway site and its significance to the study of Early Archaic period in the Southeast.

History of Excavations

The Hardaway site was first excavated in the 1930s by Joffre Coe. Coe's work at the site focused on the excavation of a large midden, or trash deposit. Coe's excavations revealed a wealth of artifacts, including stone tools, pottery, and animal bones. These artifacts provided important insights into the subsistence strategies and settlement patterns of the people who lived at the Hardaway site during the Early Archaic period.

In the 1960s, the Hardaway site was revisited by a team of archaeologists from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This team conducted a more extensive excavation of the site, and they also excavated a number of test pits in the surrounding area. The results of this excavation provided new insights into the size and layout of the Hardaway site, and they also helped to identify the location of a number of new features, including a large earthwork.

In the 21st century, the Hardaway site has been the focus of a number of new archaeological investigations. These investigations have used a variety of new techniques, including ground-penetrating radar and lidar, to map the site and identify new features. The results of these investigations have provided new insights into the complexity of the Hardaway site, and they have also helped to identify a number of new areas for future research.

Artifacts and Features

The Hardaway site has yielded a wealth of artifacts, including stone tools, pottery, and animal bones. These artifacts provide important insights into the subsistence strategies and settlement patterns of the people who lived at the site during the Early Archaic period.

One of the most important types of artifacts found at the Hardaway site is stone tools. These tools were used for a variety of purposes, including hunting, butchering, and woodworking. The stone tools found at the Hardaway site are made from a variety of materials, including quartz, quartzite, and chert.

Another important type of artifact found at the Hardaway site is pottery. The pottery found at the site is made from a temper of crushed rock, and it is typically decorated with simple stamped or incised designs. The pottery found at the Hardaway site is similar to pottery found at other Early Archaic sites in the Southeast.

In addition to stone tools and pottery, the Hardaway site has also yielded a number of animal bones. These bones provide important insights into the diet of the people who lived at the site. The animal bones found at the Hardaway site indicate that the people who lived there ate a variety of animals, including deer, rabbits, and fish.

In addition to artifacts, the Hardaway site also contains a number of features. These features include hearths, pits, and earthworks. The hearths found at the Hardaway site were used for cooking and warmth. The pits found at the site were used for storage and refuse disposal. The earthworks found at the site are thought to have been used for defensive purposes.

Subsistence Strategies

The people who lived at the Hardaway site during the Early Archaic period were semi-sedentary hunter-gatherers. They relied on a variety of resources for food, including plants, animals, and fish. The people who lived at the Hardaway site used a variety of techniques to hunt animals, including spearing, trapping, and stalking. They also used a variety of techniques to gather plants, including digging, collecting, and harvesting.

The people who lived at the Hardaway site also relied on fish as a source of food. The site is located near the Uwharrie River, and the people who lived there used a variety of techniques to catch fish, including spearing, netting, and hook-and-line fishing.

The people who lived at the Hardaway site also used a variety of plants for food. These plants included nuts, berries, and fruits. The people who lived at the Hardaway site also used a variety of plants for medicinal purposes.

Settlement Patterns

The Hardaway site was occupied during the Early Archaic period, which lasted from about 9000 to 6000 BC. During this time, the people who lived at the Hardaway site lived in a variety of different types of settlements. These settlements included small campsites, larger base camps, and villages.

The small campsites were typically located near water sources, and they were used for short-term stays. The larger base camps were typically located in more permanent locations, and they were used for longer-term stays. The villages were the largest and most permanent type of settlement, and they were typically located in areas with access to a variety of resources.

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