While much is known about the artistic traditions of Native Americans in other parts of North America, the culture of the Southeastern Mound-Builders is relatively obscure. Sites in Georgia on the Macon Plateau were among the first to be discovered in the region, yielding artifacts that shed light on ancient cultures lost or displaced by European conquests. Sadly, as recently as a generation ago, many mound sites were unknown, plundered, or used as sources for fill in construction projects.
The Southeast was once home to several major native civilizations, with sophisticated cities supporting populations in the thousands - with advanced farming, trading, and ritualistic traditions. Sites have been found scattered across the Southeast, in Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and the Carolinas. Links to other sites in the Midwest, including Arkansas, Illinois and Oklahoma have also been found, suggesting extensive trading operations dating back thousands of years.

The art of the Pre-Columbian Southeastern Native American cultures is a proud tradition that Ancient Hands is dedicated to honoring and preserving – through reproductions of pottery, traditional musical instruments, interpretive and contemporary works of art, and educational programs – to ensure that what is known is not lost. Using traditional materials and methods, Ancient Hands does more than serve the scientific community with reconstructions and reproductions of artifacts. We are assisting in the revival of a tradition.

Interested in a more in-depth look into artifacts, collections and issues? Check out the article Ancient Hands in Context for an inside look at the antiquities market.