Final answer:
Evidence of conflict during the Mississippian period is found through defensive structures, trauma on skeletal remains, weaponry artifacts, and warfare depictions in Mississippian art and iconography.
Step-by-step explanation:
Anthropologists find evidence of conflict during the Mississippian period through various archaeological discoveries. During this time, the Mississippian culture, which thrived from around 500 to 1400 CE, was marked by large settled agricultural communities and complex chiefdoms across the Eastern Woodlands, particularly in the Mississippi River valley. Evidence of conflict is identified in the remains of defensive structures, such as palisades around settlements, as well as in trauma observed in human skeletal remains. Artifacts such as weapons and fortifications also provide insights into the conflict dynamics of the period. Additionally, depictions of warfare and violence in Mississippian iconography, especially found in pottery, figurines, and the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex, contribute to understanding the nature of conflict during this era.