Functional Changes in Late Prehistoric Enclosures in Indiana

During the Late Prehistoric period, earthen enclosures were constructed in north-ern, central, and southern Indiana. In northern Indiana, as in southeastern Michi-gan, the earlier enclosure sites appear to have served a "special purpose" function related to the integration of dispersed populations. Later in this period, nucleated villages, with a variety of domestic structures, were located within the earthworks, which were palisaded. These palisaded enclosures suggest a defensive purpose and have been identified in northeastern Indiana, as well as central and southern Indi-ana. This paper examines the archaeological evidence for changing functions over time from five of these enclosure sites.