Finely made projectile points, Mound 72, Cahokia.

Another group of artifacts, the finely made Cahokia arrow points from several elite burials, also suggests the possible presence of craft specialists at Cahokia. The pressure flaking on these points is particularly impressive. Nevertheless, the singular nature of this burial event suggests that specialists were not necessary to manufacture the cache of points; they could have been produced by one or two individuals in a short period of time. This is not to say that all Mississippian flint-knappers were equally skilled. Clearly, some individuals had the ability and/or the time to produce points of better workmanship than most flint-knappers. Differential levels of craftsmanship, however, do not necessarily indicate the presence of an artisan class employed by the elite (SCTY).

Rather, even the production of elite goods may have been the exclusive rights of the elite. That is, once Mississippian elite were entrenched - when offerings of surplus labor, food, and goods were no longer rationalized as obligatory gifts to important kin, but were required by religious and ideological custom - it may have been in their interests not only to manipulate, but also to create symbols of power. The act of creating figurines, for example, may have been part of the process of communicating with beings from the upper and lower worlds.

Moreover, it is important to remember that, with the exception of Mill Creek Chert hoes and some knives, little effort went into making most stone tools. Scrapers, flakes, drills, punches, and notched flakes were the result of expedient manufacture.

[Previous] [Next] [Up] [Top]