Icehouse Bottom

Icehouse Bottom is an archaeological site along the Little Tennessee River that contains evidence of human settlement spanning thousands of years. The location has been underwater beneath Tellico Lake since 1979, when a dam was constructed on the river.

People began settling at this location around 7500 BC, making it one of Tennessee's earliest documented habitation sites. The continuous use of the area by different groups through the centuries shows its long-term importance to the region.

Pottery found at the site reveals trade routes that connected Indigenous peoples from Georgia, North Carolina, and Ohio around 1000 BC. The patterns on these ceramic pieces show how distant groups maintained regular contact and shared knowledge.

The site is accessible only through underwater archaeology since it is completely covered by Tellico Lake. Visitors can learn about excavation findings through information centers or museums in the surrounding area.

Excavations in the 1970s uncovered well-preserved clay hearths and burial areas before the site became permanently submerged. These discoveries provided rare insights into how people lived at this location across thousands of years.