Published as Southern Indian Studies (NoCar E 78.S55 S6), Vol. 41 Issue , Oct 1992, p1-50.

Abstract: Problems with past attempts at historical and archaeological reconstructions of the environment are discussed, and two key concepts--patches and disturbance--are proposed to aid in more dynamic reconstructions of landscape and land use by human groups of the past. The study region is defined as Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and northern Georgia. The time period of the study is set from first contact of the aboriginal inhabitants with Europeans until the early 1700s. Historical documents and journals are used to obtain information about how the native inhabitants of this region altered and managed their landscape to increase productivity of plants and animals, particularly those of interest as human food resources. It is argued that through the well-organized use of burning, clearing, and planting these Indians created and maintained a mosaic of managed patches that yielded high subsistence returns and ensured the short-term stability of their anthropogenic ecosystem.