Second Creek Archaeology describes an archaeological survey in one of Mississippi’s most historically and prehistorically rich areas just south of Natchez. The Natchez Indians, the only tribe still constructing and using mounds in the 1600s, were long-time residents of the area. Their prehistoric ancestors resided at mound sites along major creeks and rivers nearby, and thousands of years before them Archaic peoples camped there. More recently, during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, some of the earliest settlers established large plantations there, and by the 1850s the region boasted more millionaires than any other in the country.
The authors, LaDu and Brown, do more than provide other archaeologists with an expanded database of prehistoric and historic sites along Second Creek. The Daily Log portion of the book is basically Brown’s journal, in which he describes what he hopes to accomplish each day, and what he actually does. It is proof that the best laid plans often go awry, especially when it comes to archaeological surveys, but we learn that isn’t always a bad thing.
With good humor, LaDu and Brown explain how essential persistence, connections, friends, cooperative landowners, and a sense of humor are to any archaeological project. Surveys involve detailed planning, lots of maps, and trips to courthouses in order to find and contact landowners and learn about the history of the target area. All this work results not only in updated maps, the recording of new sites, and data, but also great stories about generous, eccentric, and cranky people met along the way. —Jessica Crawford
