Earliest Residents of Travellers Rest

Earliest Residents of Travellers Rest. . From 1270-1316 A.D., more than five hundred years before John Overton purchased the land which would later be known as Travellers Rest, the area was occupied by Native Americans during what archaeologists call the Mississippian period (circa 1000-1450 A.D.)., Water was extremely important to Native peoples, especially during the Mississippian period. In order to support a higher population Native Americans developed various farming practices, which required a nearby reliable source of water. It is very likely that the spring just northeast of Travellers Rest would have initially attracted Native Americans to the area., During the Mississippian period, Native Americans often built earthen mounds in or near their settlements. Because there was no written language during the Mississippian period, it is difficult for archaeologists to say with certainty what purpose these earthen structures served. Most believe it may be related to religion or social/political structure. These mounds would commonly contain layered burials., In the area surrounding what is now Nashville, Native Americans often interred the deceased in 'stone boxes' in which limestone slabs were used to create a coffin for the dead. Ornate objects were often interred along with the deceased as a sign of status and included ceramic effigy vessels, shell beads, bone jewelry, and sometimes a ceramic mosaic floor., The first written account of Travellers Rest as an archaeological site is an 1805 description by Dr. Rush Nutt, physician and scientist from Mississippi., "In digging the cellar under one part of the house...was taken up at least 35 or more human skulls and a vast number of bones. This appears as if the whole face of the enclosed earth was used as burying places.", Native American cultural heritage at Travellers Rest and in the Middle Tennessee region contributes to understanding our diverse human history and the landscape on which it developed. , Captions , (left, left): This clay hearth was excavated by the Southeastern Indian Antiquities Survey from house site #4, which was located near the current visitor center. In 2019, charcoal was removed from the hearth and radiocarbon dated to provide an absolute date for the prehistoric occupation of the site. Image courtesy of the Tennessee Division of Archaeology. , (left, right): This filleted, notched rim prehistoric ceramic bowl was found during the excavation of house site #1, located to the northeast of the historic house and performed by the Southeastern Indian Antiquities Survey in 1967. The bowl is filled with burned freshwater snail shells, which were likely cooked and eaten, and include species that are still commonly found in rivers and streams in Middle Tennessee. , (right): Above: This carved marine shell gorget was likely removed from a stone box burial by the Overton's gardener, Edward Cross, in the late 1800s. The exact purpose of these Native gorgets is unknown, but they are commonly found in burial contexts during the Mississippian period. The design features four pileated woodpeckers, which may represent the four cardinal directions. Image from the Peabody Museum at Harvard University online collection.