Historical Archaeology of Arkansas : A Hidden Diversity

Arkansas’s diverse geography, spanning the Ozark Mountains, densely forested Timberlands, and Mississippi River Delta, and its complex Native American and Euro American history belie the inat­tentive historical treatment the Natural State has thus far received by scholars. Often disparaged as a cultural and intellectual backwater—and indeed perhaps best known for President Bill Clinton and Wal-Mart—this overly simplified image of Arkansas shadows a state rich in historic significance and the archaeological record. Carl G. Drexler aims to correct this bias in Historical Archaeology of Arkansas. In nine essays that range from Civil War sites to the Ozark Mountains to the nineteenth-century Jewish commu­nity, Drexler and his contributors present an Arkansas unknown to all but those dedicated individu­als working to publicize the state’s hidden diversity. The research presented herein depicts a strong state and federal commitment to documenting Arkansas’s history, perhaps unmatched by any other state in America, and the success of public archaeology through the efforts of the Arkansas Archaeo­logical Survey. Historical Archaeology of Arkansas not only showcases the natural beauty and rich history of Arkansas, but it also serves as a primer for historical inquiry for other state and federal organizations looking to bolster their own programs.