Summary:
- This article provides a specialized archaeological analysis of the "Fourth Creek" occupation at the Etowah Mounds site, focusing on the under-documented period between 1600 and 1700 AD.
- It utilizes stratigraphic and artifactual evidence to challenge existing historical narratives, arguing for a significant, albeit often overlooked, indigenous presence during the protohistoric era.
- The research contributes to the field of Southeastern archaeology by re-evaluating site chronology and the complex socio-political dynamics of Mississippian-descendant populations during early European contact.