In Years Past...
Photo by Clayton Ferrell/USFWS
The story of man in Tennessee begins with the last retreat of the Ice Age glaciers, when a colder climate and forests of spruce and fir prevailed in the region. Late Ice Age hunters probably followed animal herds into west Tennessee some 12,000-15,000 years ago. These nomadic Paleo-Indians camped in caves and rock shelters and left behind their distinctive arrowheads and spear points. About 12,000 years ago, the region’s climate began to warm and the predominant vegetation changed from conifer to our modern deciduous forest. Abundant acorns, hickory, chestnut, and beech mast attracted large numbers of deer and elk. Warmer climate, the extinction of the large Ice Age mammals, and the spread of deciduous forests worked together to transform Indian society. During what is known as the Archaic period, descendants of the Paleo-Indians began to settle on river terraces, such as those found along the Tennessee River, where they gathered wild plant food and shellfish in addition to hunting game. Sometime between 3,000 and 900 BC, natives took the crucial step of cultivating edible plants such as squash and gourds—the first glimmerings of agriculture. Archaic Indians were thereby ensured a dependable food supply and freed themselves from seasonal shortages of wild plant foods and game. With a more secure food supply, populations expanded rapidly across what is now west Tennessee and scattered bands combined to form larger villages. Several Archaic Indian settlements have been found within or near current Tennessee NWR lands throughout recent years.
