The Tennessee, Green, and Lower Ohio Rivers Expeditions of Clarence Bloomfield Moore

A landmark archaeological record of the ancient peoples, sacred landscapes, and river civilizations of the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys.

The Tennessee, Green, and Lower Ohio Rivers Expeditions of Clarence Bloomfield Moore, edited and introduced by Richard R. Polhemus, is a significant contribution to the study of North American archaeology and the Indigenous cultures of the Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio River valleys. This richly illustrated volume brings together the results of Moore's northernmost expeditions, conducted during the early twentieth century, and preserves a remarkable record of archaeological sites, burial grounds, mound complexes, and artifact assemblages discovered along some of the most important waterways in the eastern United States.

Drawing on extensive field investigations, Moore documented numerous prehistoric sites that later became the focus of major archaeological excavations or were ultimately lost to river erosion, reservoir construction, or other forms of development. His reports contain invaluable information about Indigenous lifeways, ceremonial practices, trade networks, and mortuary traditions, including notable discoveries at sites such as Indian Knoll on Kentucky's Green River. These observations continue to provide researchers with important primary-source data for understanding the region's ancient cultures.

Enhanced by Polhemus's scholarly introduction and updated contextual analysis, this volume bridges the history of archaeology with contemporary interpretation. It remains an essential reference for archaeologists, historians, anthropologists, and anyone interested in the rich cultural heritage of the Tennessee, Green, and Lower Ohio River valleys.