The Beginnings of Cultivation in the Midwest-Riverine Area of the United States

Archaeology has become increasingly concerned with the interpretation of prehistoric subsistence settlement systems. In the area of the major river valleys south of the Great Lakes, a significant example of this concern has been the question of the role of cultivation in changing subsistence economies from the Late Archaic through Woodland periods. This article assembles all published (and unpublished) archaeological information on the remains of cultivated plants recovered from Woodland sites in the Midwest-Riverine area. It then reviews current hypotheses for the beginnings of cultivation in light of this evidence.