Upon the arrival of Europeans in Louisiana and their written
descriptions of the Indians, the prehistoric period came to an end.
However, our understanding of this prehistory is still incomplete.
Hundreds of major questions remain, including very basic ones: When did
the first Indians reach Louisiana? What sparked the development of the
Poverty Point Culture? Where and how were the Mexican plants of corn,
beans and squash introduced to Louisiana? Which prehistoric groups were
the ancestors of each of Louisiana’s historic Indian tribes? The answers
to these and many other questions remain buried in archaeological sites
throughout the state. If enough sites can be studied before they are
destroyed, there is hope that the story of the state’s prehistory can be
better explained.
The importance of archaeology in understanding Louisiana’s past does not
stop with the end of the prehistoric era. Historic archaeologists also
study Indian sites that date after the contact with Europeans. In this
way, archaeologists can document the many dramatic changes in Indian
culture during historic times. Archaeologists also excavate sites
associated with African-American and European-American life in
Louisiana. These archaeological investigations supplement, and often
correct, the written documents that describe the state’s history.
With the cooperation and participation of Louisiana’s citizens, the
archaeological study of our state will continue. Through the protection
of sites and the funding of scientific excavations, we can discover more
about the past. Then the story of Louisiana’s prehistory and early
historic development can be retold, more accurately and more completely.