Neutron activation analysis of pottery from Pinson Mounds and nearby sites in western Tennessee : Local production vs. long-distance importation

Investigations at Pinson Mounds, a large Middle Woodland ceremonial center in western Tennessee, recovered considerable quantities of stylistically nonlocal pottery. Neutron activation analysis was conducted at the Missouri University Research Reactor on 114 pottery samples from the site, using 40 pottery samples from sites near Pinson Mounds as a locally produced compositional baseline. This study indicates that all analyzed pottery from Pinson Mounds was produced locally; no evidence was found for long-distance importation of pottery.