the mound 14 sector at request of jackson archaeological society , national park service, in december 1961 university of tennessee archaeologists fred fisher , charles mcnutt carried out first major excavation of pinson mounds. in mound 14 sector, fisher , mcnutt discovered remains of 21 18 feet (6.4 m × 5.5 m) house surrounded posthole-lined wall-trench , containing central hearth , storage pits. based on vast amount of pre-mississippian culture debris found @ site , radiocarbon dating of charcoal, fisher , mcnutt concluded pinson mounds built during middle woodland period, c. 1-500 ad. mound 12 excavations dan morse , richard polhemus in 1963 uncovered believed oval-shaped house, large hearth, , various refuse pits. morse , polhemus agreed mounds built during middle woodland period. state purchased prehistoric property in 1965 williams , saul families. added national register of historic places same year. in 1970s, john broster of tennessee division of archaeology carri...