webb] ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NORRIS BASIN 375 



only a few typical illustrations, seem to be regional rather than tribal 

 in their distribution, and their diagnostic value, so far as Cherokee 

 relation goes, of little or no value. This fact becomes very important 

 in this connection when we consider how very many traits in this 

 group are found on sites far removed from known Cherokee connec- 

 tion. Because of this widespread distribution of many so-called 

 Cherokee traits, it may well be doubted whether it will ever be possible 

 to definitely fix on a list of traits defining Cherokee material culture. 



(2) In comparing the traits at any site in Norris Basin with such 

 a provisional Cherokee complex, it has not been possible to consider 

 in the comparison the additional traits presented by rectangular town 

 houses, and multiple occupation of sites as observed in Norris Basin. 

 Such traits have never been reported by any writer from any Chero- 

 kee site, although such traits may have been present. Thomas, as 

 previously suggested, reports on post-mold patterns in mounds at 

 Toqua and Settaco, but he does not indicate what was the form of the 

 structure discovered. Harrington suggests that some of the truncated 

 pyramidal or platform mounds along the Tennessee Kiver may have 

 been sites of town houses, but again no definite information is avail- 

 able. The same is true of the Nacoochee report. 



There are available many rather complete descriptions of the Chero- 

 kee town house as seen by early travelers, in particular by Timberlake 

 and by Bartram. All agree that the Cherokee town house was circu- 

 lar in form and built on a mound. Timberlake says that the town 

 house at Chote was "built in the form of a sugarloaf ", which is taken 

 to mean a right circular cone. At no time has any suggestion 

 appeared that the Cherokee had ever used any form of town house 

 other than the circular form or "rotunda." This trait, like many 

 other Cherokee traits, seems to have been shared with other peoples, 

 especially with the Creeks, who also had circular town houses. The 

 fact that all sites in the Norris Basin showed only rectangular struc- 

 tures is an obstacle in the way of accepting Cherokee connection, even 

 if a considerable similarity in other traits may be evident. This fact 

 is particularly impressive when considered in connection with an 

 absence of rectangular structures reported from known Cherokee sites 

 and the definite knowledge that in historic times the Cherokee used 

 circular town houses. 



(3) Had the Norris Basin been inhabited by any members of the 

 Cherokee tribe as late as 1725 it could hardly have escaped detection 

 by early travelers, who would have left some historic reference to it. 

 Col. George Chicken 8 certainly would have learned of any such set- 

 tlement of Cherokee on Clinch or Powell Rivers when he came on an 

 official mission to the Over Hill Cherokee. On August 2, 1725, accord- 



8 Chicken, in Williams, Early Travels, p. 102. 



