ONLINE: Wisconsin Archeological Society-Charles E. Brown Chapter

press release: Identifying Oneota Cuisines: The Archaeology of Identity and Diet in the Late Pre-Contact of Wisconsin

Join Richard W. Edwards IV and the Charles E. Brown Chapter of the Wisconsin Archeological Society as he presents research on the late pre-Contact diet and cuisine in Wisconsin. Food is both a biological necessity and a deeply cultural construction. It shapes and mediates social interactions at all levels of society. As individuals, families, and communities, we share rules that govern what can be eaten, how it should be prepared, and how it is consumed. These rules and practices can reinforce group membership and act as a marker of social boundaries. This pattern holds true in the past and is archaeologically visible. During the Late Precontact (ca. AD 1000-1600), many different archaeologically identifiable groups lived in what is now Wisconsin, many of which are often referred to as Oneota or Upper Mississippians. An examination of the floral, faunal, ceramic, and lithic data allow for a partial reconstruction of each groups’ cuisine. In turn, this cuisine-oriented approach has helped to shape our understanding of social boundaries in the past. 

Zoom presentation:   February 10, 2022 , 7:00 PM. Free and Open to the Public