Temporary Residents
Anthropology: A series of archeological digs took place at Russell Cave up until about 1950 or so. They determined that Native American groups have used the cave for about 10,000 years, usually as a temporary residence, though there was evidence of occasional long-term residency. The national park service commemorates this residency with a series of bad mannequins. The cave is near the Tennessee River, a well-traveled waterway for tribal people. Most often, the cave was used as a hunting camp. Sometimes, it was a winter haven. It was rarely occupied by more than a couple of dozen people at any time, usually large, nomadic family groups. The cave evidently fell out of favor in more recent centuries--say, the last six or seven centuries. The Cherokee who dominated the region at the time of European settlement had moved beyond this cave. They never used it.
Consider this. The entirety of Western Civilization traces back about 5,000 years. The modern groups that formed the European nations Americans most often consider our origin go back maybe a little over a thousand years. Imagine all the different eras of history that would have passed through this region over all that time, the line of generations stretching far beyond the memories of anybody who lived here. The United States has a history just shy of 240 years. Nations just as old could have come and gone 40 times over the human history of this cave.
Temporary Residents
Anthropology: A series of archeological digs took place at Russell Cave up until about 1950 or so. They determined that Native American groups have used the cave for about 10,000 years, usually as a temporary residence, though there was evidence of occasional long-term residency. The national park service commemorates this residency with a series of bad mannequins. The cave is near the Tennessee River, a well-traveled waterway for tribal people. Most often, the cave was used as a hunting camp. Sometimes, it was a winter haven. It was rarely occupied by more than a couple of dozen people at any time, usually large, nomadic family groups. The cave evidently fell out of favor in more recent centuries--say, the last six or seven centuries. The Cherokee who dominated the region at the time of European settlement had moved beyond this cave. They never used it.
Consider this. The entirety of Western Civilization traces back about 5,000 years. The modern groups that formed the European nations Americans most often consider our origin go back maybe a little over a thousand years. Imagine all the different eras of history that would have passed through this region over all that time, the line of generations stretching far beyond the memories of anybody who lived here. The United States has a history just shy of 240 years. Nations just as old could have come and gone 40 times over the human history of this cave.