Join us as Dr. Ben Steere of Western Carolina University presents research from his forthcoming book The Fire Yet Burns in These Great Mounds: Archaeology and Resilience in the Cherokee Heartland. Dr. Steere’s presentation will be followed by a Q&A session.
Dr. Steere says of his work: Mound and village sites like Kituwah, Nikwasi, and Cowee are prominent places in the Cherokee heartland of western North Carolina. Despite a history of encroaching development and site destruction, these resilient places serve as sacred and enduring monuments to Cherokee communities. Drawing on recent scholarship from archaeology, indigenous studies, and Cherokee cultural experts, I argue that Cherokee mounds and towns are not only sites of historical importance, but are also integral, living parts of the cultural landscape of the Southern Appalachian mountains.
Our speaker is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at Western Carolina University, where he teaches courses in anthropology and archaeology and directs the Cherokee Studies program. His primary areas of interest for research and teaching include Southeastern archaeology, Cherokee archaeology, household archaeology, indigenous archaeology, and regional settlement pattern studies. He has worked on collaborative archaeological research and preservation projects with the Tribal Historic Preservation Office of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians since 2011.