The Sea Wasp (Ryk E. Spoor)

that theory would be severely undercut by the fact that Mississippian culture became an intensive mono-agriculture, with little meat in the diet - the record of nutritional deficiency is writ in their bones, too. Mississippians became shorter, and had signs of dietary deficiencies, etc.

Also, weren't the Vikings supposed to be in NA shores in the 800s? If so, the real die-off to look at would be around 800-1000CE, based on how fast the diseases spread from Spanish Conquistidors up the Mississippi River Valley, etc.

There's another theory that the American SW version of bubonic plague had a couple of years of extreme viralness and was the last blow to the Mississippian culture in 1400 - but iirc, that particular epidemic happened either too early or too late for the actual event.

i can't remember the latest theory - something about the mound cities being abandoned completely as the culture collapsed, and culture evolving into a nomadic one. not sure how much stock i put into that - haven't had time to research it and decide whether i 'like' it or not.

-bs