James A. Ford
Encyclopedia
James Alfred Ford was an American archaeologist. He was born in Water Valley, Mississippi
, on February 12, 1911. He became interested in work on Native American
mound research while growing up in Mississippi
.
in Macon, Georgia
, under Arthur Randolph Kelly
. Also in 1934, he investigated the Tabby ruins at Elizafield Plantation near Brunswick, Georgia
. From August 1 to September 1, 1934, he worked for the Georgia State Parks Service; and later that year, from September 2 to October 15, he worked for the Southeast Fair Association to develop an American Indian Exhibition in Atlanta, Georgia
. In 1937, he became involved in a restoration project of an earthen lodge
at Ocmulgee National Monument for the National Park Service
. In the winter of 1939-40 he excavated the Medora Site
for the Louisiana State Archaeological Survey, a joint project of Louisiana State University
and the Work Projects Administration. The excavations of the site were instrumental in defining the characteristics of the Plaquemine culture
and period.
In the early 1950s he led the first large scale excavations at Poverty Point
, Louisiana; a project that took him with breaks until his death. He discovered the ridge structure of the precolumbian earthworks as the unique features of that site. His experiments with loess
soil to find the purpose of the hundreds of thousands Poverty Point objects were the beginnings of experimental archaeology
in North America. His theories over the origin of the Poverty Point culture
later became obsolete, his samples and results of radiocarbon dating
were inaccurate due to the very early stages of that technology. In 1958 he excavated the Menard-Hodges Site
in southeastern Arkansas
.
James A. Ford died of cancer on February 25, 1968 in Gainesville, Florida
.
Water Valley, Mississippi
Water Valley is a city in Yalobusha County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 3,677 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Water Valley is located at ....
, on February 12, 1911. He became interested in work on Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
mound research while growing up in Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
.
Archaeological work
In 1933 Ford build a tentative chronology of the cultures on the lower Mississippi River. Between 1933 and 1934, he worked at the Ocmulgee National MonumentOcmulgee National Monument
Ocmulgee National Monument preserves traces of over ten millennia of Southeastern Native American culture, including major earthworks built more than 1,000 years ago by Mississippian culture peoples: the Great Temple and other ceremonial mounds, a burial mound, and defensive trenches...
in Macon, Georgia
Macon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
, under Arthur Randolph Kelly
Arthur Randolph Kelly
Arthur Randolph Kelly was a professional archaeologist born in Hubbard, Texas to Thomas Lucius Kelly and Mamye Lewis Kelly on October 27, 1900....
. Also in 1934, he investigated the Tabby ruins at Elizafield Plantation near Brunswick, Georgia
Brunswick, Georgia
Brunswick is the major urban and economic center in southeastern Georgia in the United States. The municipality is located on a harbor near the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 30 miles north of Florida and 70 miles south of South Carolina. Brunswick is bordered on the east by the Atlantic...
. From August 1 to September 1, 1934, he worked for the Georgia State Parks Service; and later that year, from September 2 to October 15, he worked for the Southeast Fair Association to develop an American Indian Exhibition in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. In 1937, he became involved in a restoration project of an earthen lodge
Earth lodge
An earth lodge is a semi-subterranean building covered partially or completely with earth, best known from the Native American cultures of the Great Plains and Eastern Woodlands. Most earth lodges are circular in construction with a dome-like roof, often with a central or slightly-offset smoke...
at Ocmulgee National Monument for the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
. In the winter of 1939-40 he excavated the Medora Site
Medora Site
The Medora Site is an archaeological site that is a type site for the prehistoric Plaquemine culture period. The name for the culture is taken from the proximity of Medora to the town of Plaquemine, Louisiana. The site is in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, and was inhabited from approximately...
for the Louisiana State Archaeological Survey, a joint project of Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
and the Work Projects Administration. The excavations of the site were instrumental in defining the characteristics of the Plaquemine culture
Plaquemine culture
The Plaquemine culture was an archaeological culture in the lower Mississippi River Valley in western Mississippi and eastern Louisiana. Good examples of this culture are the Medora Site in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, and the Anna, Emerald Mound, Winterville and Holly Bluff sites located...
and period.
In the early 1950s he led the first large scale excavations at Poverty Point
Poverty Point
Poverty Point is a prehistoric earthworks of the Poverty Point culture, now a historic monument located in the Southern United States. It is from the current Mississippi River, and situated on the edge of Maçon Ridge, near the village of Epps in West Carroll Parish, Louisiana.Poverty Point...
, Louisiana; a project that took him with breaks until his death. He discovered the ridge structure of the precolumbian earthworks as the unique features of that site. His experiments with loess
Loess
Loess is an aeolian sediment formed by the accumulation of wind-blown silt, typically in the 20–50 micrometre size range, twenty percent or less clay and the balance equal parts sand and silt that are loosely cemented by calcium carbonate...
soil to find the purpose of the hundreds of thousands Poverty Point objects were the beginnings of experimental archaeology
Experimental archaeology
Experimental archaeology employs a number of different methods, techniques, analyses, and approaches in order to generate and test hypotheses, based upon archaeological source material, like ancient structures or artifacts. It should not be confused with primitive technology which is not concerned...
in North America. His theories over the origin of the Poverty Point culture
Poverty Point culture
Poverty Point culture is an archaeological culture that corresponds to an ancient group of Indigenous peoples who inhabited the area of the lower Mississippi Valley and surrounding Gulf coast from about 2200 BCE - 700 BCE...
later became obsolete, his samples and results of radiocarbon dating
Radiocarbon dating
Radiocarbon dating is a radiometric dating method that uses the naturally occurring radioisotope carbon-14 to estimate the age of carbon-bearing materials up to about 58,000 to 62,000 years. Raw, i.e. uncalibrated, radiocarbon ages are usually reported in radiocarbon years "Before Present" ,...
were inaccurate due to the very early stages of that technology. In 1958 he excavated the Menard-Hodges Site
Menard-Hodges Site
The Menard-Hodges Site , is an archaeological site in Arkansas. It includes two large mounds as well as several house mounds. It is the type site for the Menard phase, a protohistoric Mississippian culture group. It is considered as a possible candidate for the Province of Anilco encountered by the...
in southeastern Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
.
James A. Ford died of cancer on February 25, 1968 in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
.
Further reading
- O'Brien, Michael John & R. Lee Lyman. 1998. James A. Ford and the Growth of Americanist Archaeology. University of Missouri Press.
- Evans, Clifford. 1968. "James A. Ford 1911-1968". American Anthropologist vol. 70, pp. 1162–1167
External links
- Register to the Papers of James Alfred Ford Robert Montgomey, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian InstitutionSmithsonian InstitutionThe Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
November 2000