BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Clarence B. Moore was a wealthy amateur archaeologist from Philadelphia who crisscrossed
the rivers of the southeast each year in his steam-powered paddleboat, the Gopher,
excavating sites near the shores in states ranging from Alabama to Tennessee. During his
twenty years of investigations, Moore explored an astounding number of archaeological
sites. He published the results of his investigations regularly, translating the field
notes he kept in small journals into the larger, neatly written notebooks that he later
used as the basis for his publications. During his excavations, Moore uncovered many
artifacts associated with Indian burials that later ended up in museums. These artifacts
are now subject to repatriation by tribal members working to reclaim their sacred
heritage. Natives and non-natives alike rely on Moore's field notes, which can provide
important clues about the history of an artifact, helping to further repatriation
claims.
