Natchez (rhymes with matches)!

I'm returning to the blog after many months because I'm working on an exciting new project, this time in the deep south! The UNC Research Labs of Archaeology and the State of Mississippi are making archaeological maps of mound sites for an interpretive trail. For those of you who are not archaeologists, this means that we are using surveying equipment to make detailed topographic maps of seven sites in the south- central part of Mississippi (there are a lot more on the trail that have already been mapped). The Mississippi Department of Archives and History has a fantastic website up already, with lots of details about the archaeology of the state: http://trails.mdah.ms.gov/mounds.htm.

I've been looking forward to this project for many reasons. I'm excited to learn more about archaeology in the southeastern U.S., especially because so many of my friends from UNC work down here. In fact, I am here with two close friends, Meg Kassabaum and Erin Nelson, whose dissertation sites are both in Mississippi - Erin works north of here, in the Yazoo Basin at a Mississippian site called Parchman, and Meg works outside of Natchez at a site called Feltus. I've been hearing their stories about MS for years and am excited for them to show me around!

Even though I've lived in the southeastern U.S. since 2005, I haven't spent much time in the "deep south". Anna and I drove through Natchez about 3 weeks before Hurricane Katrina, but she had a bad case of hives and we were trying to get to Tampa in a reasonable amount of time so I could get settled before grad school. So, I drove a lot, she slept a lot, and we didn't look around very much. Honestly, the things that stuck with me about Mississippi were the beautiful homes we saw briefly in Natchez and how many prisons we passed along the highway. I'm ready to complicate that impression by actually spending some time here.

In two days I've already been blown away by how fascinating, welcoming, and beautiful this place is. We are staying at the Natchez Children's Home (http://ntzchs.org/), a historic building that used to be an orphanage, but now runs programs for foster children and their families. As a field house, it's pretty ideal - we leave before the day starts and return after the kids are gone, there are lots of rooms and space, and (this is the most important part) their cook makes us dinner every night and stocks the fridge and pantry with whatever we need. !!!!!! Her name is Ms. Yolanda, and not only is she a superb cook, she is also one of the friendliest people I have ever met. I'm sure I'll write more about her as I get to know her better. Also, after having to cook my own food in the field last year, this feels like heaven!

I've already discovered the joys of exploring a historical town. On Sunday, we went for a long walk through our neighborhood, downtown, and along the path by the Mississippi River. Natchez has been a trading hub for centuries, making it a fascinating blend of cultures, people, and stories. I will definitely write more about its history as I learn it. In only two days, here are some snippets that I've learned:

• The Natchez Trace has been a trail for thousands of years, running from Natchez to Nashville. Traders would float down the Mississippi to Natchez and/or New Orleans, then walk back up the Trace. Since there were lots of people walking up a road with plenty of money, there were robberies and murders - it's kind of notorious and there lots of ghost stories. 
• There was a duel on a sandbar in the Mississippi River that came to a draw, but there was a brawl anyways and a guy named Bowie pulled his knife and killed someone. That's where we got the name for Bowie knives. 
• Today we mapped two mounds that we think date to sometime during the Archaic period - that's at least 3,500 years ago.
• After a brief exploration in the Natchez cemetery, I saw the headstones of a German family who all lived to be 100, lots of cool old fashioned names, and an intriguing mix of people from all over the world. I can't wait to go back.

Finally, within minutes of walking into a restaurant for brunch on Sunday morning, we were invited by Meg's friend to his krewe's private Mardi Gras party this coming weekend. It's at one of the historic houses (mansions?) in town, with an open bar and food, plus a New Orleans brass band. The party is progressive, so while we don't have invites to all the houses, we will flirt our best and try to get more invites. Something tells me it won't be that hard.....

By the time we left brunch, we had run into another one of Meg's friends (the girl knows everyone) who invited us to his parents' store that overlooks the main parade route for the largest krewe this Friday.

If these first two days are any indication, this month is going to be jam-packed with my favorite things - archaeology, parties, friends, exploring, and history. Plus a lot of other surprises!

Stay tuned....

 Sunset over the Mississippi River Bridge in Natchez

 Foster Mound - 1890s house built on a mound! We'll map it in the coming weeks