Creekside: An Archaeological Novel

Fire Ant Books

by Kelli Carmean

In Creekside , dedicated archaeologist Meg Harrington guides her students in a race against time to protect the legacy of the past before bulldozers rip it to shreds. The setting is a Kentucky pasture slated for development—the construction of the new Creekside subdivision. Once, that same beautiful stretch of land was home to three generations who experienced love, loss, and tragedy in their log cabin beside the creek. It was here during the late 18th century that Estelle Mullins struggled to build her home on the dangerous frontier. In Meg’s 21st-century world of archaeology we read about excavation techniques, daily experiences at a dig, tight construction deadlines, the use of heavy equipment, report writing, artifact analysis, damage from looters and collectors, and the reality of site destruction in the path of modern development. The depiction of Estelle’s frontier life includes Kentucky’s early Euro-American settlement of the Cumberland Gap, encounters with Shawnee defending their land, Protestant fragmentation, the rise of religious fundamentalism, the immigrant stampede down the Ohio River, and the persistent issue of class-based land ownership. The two partially interwoven story lines link artifact and place, ancestors and descendants, the present and the past, and inspire us to explore the personal connections between them all in fresh and vital ways.

Genres: Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published July 25, 2010

Reviews

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Not many people drew maps anymore - it was one of those rarely used traditional skills that was disappearing as fast as baking a pie."

Gentle memories of a past boyfriend who worked on some archeological digs.

Mention of Transylvania University - member of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference!

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am one of those professors who used this book as a class reading assignment. I initially thought it would be a fun way to talk about historical archaeology, but it ended up being the student's least favorite experience of the class. The book tried to balance entertainment with education but could not deliver on either front. I do have a few good things to say about it! For a full review, check out this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eric-olson7/episode....

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book that switched between the past and present stories during an archaeological dig. Feel like I connected with the academic setting of this book a lot too.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love it when I stumble across some little known book, especially when it is totally worth reading. Meg Harrington is a current day archaeologist sent to excavate a field before it is bulldozed for a new subdivision. In alternating chapters, Carmean tells the story of Meg and of the three generations who lived on the land in the 1800's. Nicely done. An enjoyable read from the University of Alabama Press and the Cahokia Mounds Museum Society. Not going to win any literary prizes, but definitely fulfills the author's dual goals of public outreach in archaeology and entertainment.

[Hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this for class and it was just truly awful