The preceding view of Poverty Point culture has been written much like
an ethnographer might have described it if he had been able to go back
some 3000 years in the past. Unfortunately, time travel and direct
observation of extinct cultures are beyond our capabilities, and that is
why much of the Poverty Point story must be written with such words as:
seems, appears, perhaps, maybe, and other equivocal terms. The Poverty
Point story is a patchwork of facts, hypotheses, guesses, and
speculations. Often there are many different ways to look at the same
set of data. This is why there are so many alternative interpretations
and differences of opinion among archaeologists who study this
fascinating culture. This should not be mistaken for a bad state of
affairs. It is good and healthy. It is a sign to all that much remains
to be done before we can present a detailed picture in which everyone
can be confident.
But more than agreement or disagreement is the responsibility thrust
upon everyone—archaeologist and public alike—who thirst for
understanding of humankind. Poverty Point represents a charge and a
commitment. The proud people who were carriers of Poverty Point culture
are all dead. But the things they created, their magnificent
achievements, their contributions to the saga of human development on
this planet live on. Theirs is a legacy worth understanding.