It is the little things that count: microartifact analysis and the importance of multiproxy data at the widows creek site, alabama.

Originally excavated in 1973, Widows Creek (1JA305) is a deeply stratified, multi-component site located on the Tennessee River in Jackson County, Alabama, with cultural deposits spanning the Early Archaic (ca. 10,000 B.P.) through the Mississippian (ca. 800 B.P.) periods. A recent study of sediment samples curated during the 1973 excavation was carried out to understand changes in the cultural and natural stratigraphy and the potential influence of one upon the other. A comparative analysis of microartifact, sedimentologic, geochemical, and macrobotanical characteristics yields new information concerning changes in the nature, timing, and intensity of human habitation at Widows Creek as well as the influence of changing environmental conditions on site occupation and the effects of site formation processes on stratigraphic characteristics. In addition to demonstrating the importance of multidisciplinary research to answer archaeological questions, this study highlights the value of analyzing curated samples collected from previously excavated sites. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]