An Exploratory Network Analysis of the Historic Caddo Period in Northeast Texas

Abstract

The goal of this exploratory network analysis is the production of novel hypotheses generated through the use of artifact assemblages recovered from northeast Texas, and assumed to date to the Historic Caddo period based upon taxonomic assignment. Through combining ceramic vessels and arrow point assemblages, it is further assumed that the cultural resolution of the aggregated network will be greater than that of an independent ceramic or lithic network. Some of the communities and sub-communities identified in the network articulate with currently-defined Historic Caddo groups and phases, while others represent previously undefined groups that warrant additional scrutiny and testing.

Perdiz arrow points from Caddo burial contexts aid in defining discrete behavioral regions

“…A social network analysis of diagnostic artifacts from Historic Caddo (post-CE 1680) sites in northeast Texas, which included Perdiz arrow points, demonstrated two spatially discrete behavioral regions based upon the co-presence of diagnostic types [65,Figure 12.4]. The network analysis was limited to Historic Caddo types; however, Formative/Early Caddo (CE 800 -1200) Gahagan bifaces and Caddo bottle types have been found to express significant morphological differences across the same spatial extent as the behavioral regions [62,63,64,66], extending the prehistoric longevity for the behavioral regions based on local alterity.…”

“…The co-presence of diagnostic artifact and attribute types was leveraged in defining Caddo phases and periods, which serve as a heuristic tool that aids archaeologists in the explanation and retrojection of the local cultural landscape, whilst simultaneously highlighting the regional alterity that occurs between landscapes. The Historic Caddo network expands those efforts, augmenting the previously-defined phases and periods, and emphasizing the dynamic and manifold relational connections that reinforce and transcend current epistemic categories [65]. This was achieved by enlisting a multi-scalar methodological approach [43,48], where northern and southern communities were parsed into constituent groups using the co-presence of diagnostic types paired with a modularity algorithm [17,45].…”

“…This was achieved by enlisting a multi-scalar methodological approach [43,48], where northern and southern communities were parsed into constituent groups using the co-presence of diagnostic types paired with a modularity algorithm [17,45]. Most constituent groups identified in the network analysis were found to articulate with known Caddo polities [65].…”