Poverty Point

The Poverty Point site, occupied from about 1700 to 1100 BC and once the largest settlement in North America, stretches across 345 acres in northeastern Louisiana. The structural remains of this ancient site—its earthen mounds, semicircular ridges, and huge plaza—intrigue visitors as a place of artistic inspiration as well as an archaeological puzzle. Poverty Point: Revealing the Forgotten City delves into this enduring piece of Louisiana's cultural heritage through personal introspection and scientific exploration. With stunning black-and-white photography by Jenny Ellerbe and engrossing text by archaeologist Diana M. Greenlee, this imaginative and informative book explores Poverty Point's Late Archaic culture and its monumental achievements in full. Ellerbe's landscapes and commentary reflect the questions and mysteries inspired by her many visits to the site, and Greenlee delves into the most recent archaeological findings, explaining what past excavations have revealed about the work involved in creating its mounds and the lives of the people who built them. The conversation between artist and archaeologist also raises some still-unanswered questions about this place: What was the site's function in the ancient world? How did its people acquire their stone materials, some of which originated over a thousand miles from Poverty Point? Recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2014, Poverty Point remains a historical treasure with many secrets still buried in its past. This updated edition, which includes new and revised images, describes how different technologies applied over the past ten years are adding to our understanding of—and raising more questions about—the site.