ThesettlementofPovertyPoint,occupiedfromabout1700to1100BCandoncethelargestcityinNorthAmerica,stretchesacross345acresinnortheasternLouisiana.Thestructuralremainsofthisancientsite-itsearthenmounds,semicircularridges,andvacantplaza-intriguevisitorsasaplaceofartisticinspirationaswellasanarchaeologicalpuzzle.PovertyPoint:RevealingtheForgottenCitydelveshisenduringpieceofLouisiana’sculturalheritagethroughpersonalintrospectionandscientificexploration.WithstunningblackandwhitephotographybyJennyEllerbeandengrossingtextbyarchaeologistDianaM.Greenlee,thisimaginativeandinformativebookexploresinfullPovertyPoint’sLateArchaiccultureanditsmonumentalachievements.Ellerbe’slandscapesandcommentaryreflectthequestionsandmysteriesinspiredbyhermanyvisitstothesite,andGreenleedelvesintothemostrecentarchaeologicalfindings,explainingwhatpastexcavationshaverevealedabouttheworkinvolvedincreatingitsmoundsandthelivesofthepeoplewhobuiltthem.Theconversationbetweenartistandarchaeologistalsopresentssomeofthestill-unansweredquestionsaboutthisplace:Whatwasthecity’sfunctionintheancientworld?Howdiditspeopleacquiretheirstonematerials,someofwhichoriginatedoverathousandmilesfromPovertyPoint?RecognizedbyUNESCOasaWorldHeritageSitein2014,PovertyPointremainsahistoricaltreasurewithmanysecretsstillburiedinitspast.
