Prehistory

The Archaic Period

Evidence of the paleoenvironment at Restoration Park indicate many changes during the period from 10,000 years ago to 2,500 years ago. The giant mammals such as mammoths and mastodons have become extinct, and the forests were changing to more modern types of trees such as hardwoods (such as oaks, hickory, beech, ash, and gums) and conifers (such as pine). The climate became markedly warmer. The Native American Indians of this period, known as the Archaic Indians, also changed from their Paleoindian ancestors.

The Archaic Indians began to make use of the many resources along the rivers and associated floodplains such as various types of fish, whitetail deer, squirrel, rabbit, raccoon, ducks, and turkey. There is archeological evidence that they were fishing using bone hooks and line as well as various types of nets. Hunting was done with spears and smaller spears known as darts. During the Archaic, a new invention known as the atlatl (or spear thrower) was employed. Probably made of various types of wood, the atlatl increased the range and probably the accuracy of thrown spears for hunting. In addition to fishing and hunting, the Archaic Indians gathered various types of nuts such as hickory, wild pecan, and acorns as well as other types of plants.

The Archaic Indians also began to become less mobile and to make more permanent camps. These Indians probably re-visited sites during the year for fishing or hunting. One of the most dramatic changes during the Archaic is the construction or building of mounds. Mound building, once thought to have begun about 3,500 years ago, has been demonstrated to have occurred over 5,500 years ago at sites such as the Watson Brake Site (approximately 8 miles (12.875 kilometers) away) in southern Ouachita Parish. The Late Archaic was marked by an increasing reliance on native starchy and oil seed plants. This would eventually lead to cultivation of these and related plants by the Indians. The increased dependence on plants probably led to the production of pottery and ceramic vessels.