How a small Pee Dee chiefdom built the most important Native American site in North Carolina

Town Creek Indian Mounds

Between 1150 and 1400 CE, the Pee Dee people built an earth mound and temple complex on a bluff where Town Creek meets the Little River in North Carolina.

Each year, clans gathered for the busk ceremony where they cleaned temples, resolved disputes, and shared embers from a sacred fire to light their home hearths.

Here’s the story of “the people of one fire” and how you can visit this preserved ceremonial center today.

How The Pee Dee Emerged in the Carolina Piedmont

The Pee Dee culture began around 1100 CE in the Carolina Piedmont. They were part of the South Appalachian Mississippian tradition that spread from Georgia to North Carolina.

The Pee Dee grew as a regional center rather than arriving from the south. Their influence spread through trade routes linking Georgia, South Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and North Carolina.

When Town Creek Began as a Circular Village

From 1150-1250 CE, Town Creek started as circular houses built around a central plaza. This layout put community life at the center of their daily activities.

Clan leaders met here to discuss matters affecting all their communities. The Pee Dee picked this spot for its water access, good farming soil, and natural protection above the river.

Building The Sacred Earth Lodge

Around 1200 CE, the Pee Dee built their first ceremonial structure – a rectangular earth lodge. They set wooden posts in holes to form the walls.

They piled earth around these walls and over the roof to create the “earthen lodge.” This building hosted important ceremonies and political meetings that shaped Pee Dee society.

Creating The Platform Mound Temple

When the earth lodge collapsed, the Pee Dee covered its remains with soil to create a low platform mound. They built a temple on top that raised spiritual leaders above the community.

After fire destroyed the first temple, they added more soil to make the mound bigger. A second temple was built on top with an east-facing ramp leading to the plaza. This direction toward the sunrise held special meaning.

Defending The Sacred Space

The Pee Dee surrounded the mound, plaza, and village with a wall of wooden posts. This palisade protected them and marked the boundary between sacred and ordinary space.

They rebuilt this stockade at least five times. The posts were covered with a mix of clay and straw called daub to make them stronger. Guards watched over entrances at the north and south sides.

The Sacred Plaza for Ceremonies

A flat open plaza in front of the mound hosted ceremonies and community gatherings. This space let everyone take part in important events.

Special buildings stood around the plaza edge, including burial and mortuary houses. Between 1300-1400 CE, the area around the plaza became family cemeteries with their own ceremonial buildings.

The Busk Ceremony of Renewal

The busk was the most important Pee Dee ceremony. This yearly ritual marked the start of a new year and brought communities together.

People cleaned their homes and fixed the temple and grounds before the ceremony. They put out all fires and settled debts and arguments. Families traveled from distant villages to join this important renewal ritual.

Purification Rituals at the Mound

The busk featured several cleansing rituals including ceremonial bathing and fasting. These practices cleaned both body and spirit.

Participants had their skin scratched with sharp garfish teeth to remove impurities. They also drank special medicines that caused purging. These rituals prepared everyone for spiritual renewal and the new year ahead.

The Poskito Celebration

After purification came a feast called “poskito” where celebration replaced cleansing. This marked the shift from purification to renewal.

People from nearby tribes gathered to eat the first corn harvest together. This meal showed thanks for good crops and strengthened bonds between Pee Dee communities.

The People of One Fire

When the ceremony ended, visitors took embers from the sacred fire back to their homes. Each family used these embers to relight their own hearths.

This act connected each household to the ceremonial center. Sharing fire unified all Pee Dee communities, giving them the name “people of one fire” despite living in different places.

Visiting Town Creek Indian Mound State Historic Site

Town Creek Indian Mound welcomes you at 509 Town Creek Mound Rd. in Mt. Gilead, NC 27306. You can explore the reconstructed ceremonial center including the platform mound, temple structure, mortuary house, and protective stockade.

Self-guided tours run during regular operational hours with free admission.

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