Hopewell Ceremonial Landscapes of Ohio: More Than Mounds and Geometric Earthworks (American Landscapes)

Nearly 2000 years ago, people living in the river valleys of southern Ohio built earthen monuments on a scale that is unmatched in the archaeological record for small-scale societies. The period from c. 200 BC to c. AD 500 (Early to Middle Woodland) witnessed the construction of mounds, earthen walls, ditches, borrow pits and other earthen and stone features covering dozen of hectares at many sites and hundreds of hectares at some. The development of the vast Hopewell Culture geometric earthwork complexes such as those at Mound City, Chilicothe; Hopewell; and the Newark earthworks was accompanied by the establishment of wide-ranging cultural contacts reflected in the movement of exotic and strikingly beautiful artifacts such as elaborate tobacco pipes, obsidian and chert arrowheads, copper axes and regalia, animal figurines and delicately carved sheets of mica. These phenomena, coupled with complex burial rituals, indicate the emergence of a political economy based on a powerful ideology of individual power and prestige, and the creation of a vast cultural landscape within which the monument complexes were central to a ritual cycle encompassing a substantial geographical area. The labor needed to build these vast cultural landscapes exceeds population estimates for the region, and suggests that people from near (and possibly far) traveled to the Scioto and other river valleys to help with construction of these monumental earthen complexes. Here, Mark Lynott draws on more than a decade of research and extensive new data sets to reexamine the spectacular and massive scale Ohio Hopewell landscapes and to explore the society that created them. Table of Contents I. More than Mounds and Ditches, an Introduction to Ohio Hopewell Ceremonial Landscapes Ohio and the Beginning of North American Archaeology Mortuary Mounds and Artifacts Expanding Research Interests in earthworks and ceremonial centers Ohio Hopewell Constructed Landscapes and the Digital Revolution Ohio Hopewell an iconic name and iconic sites, but what is it? II. Current Issues in the Construction of Ohio Hopewell ceremonial landscapes Hopewell Variation and Distribution Time and Hopewell Archaeology Energy How many people did it take to build Ohio Hopewell Ceremonial Landscapes Sedentary Farmers or Mobile Foragers? Mensuration, Geometry, Alignments and Reading the Heavens Alignments and Reading the Heavens The Great Hopewell Road Were ceremonial landscapes planned designs? Models and hypotheses. III. The Hopeton Earthworks Project Geophysical Survey and Trench Excavations Embankment Wall Features Geoarchaeology Radiocarbon Results Non-embankment wall features Near The Triangle, Red Wing, Overly, and Cryder sites What have we learned about the Hopeton Earthworks? IV. Studies of Ohio Hopewell Ceremonial Landscapes Southeastern Ohio Newark Earthworks Marietta Scioto River Valley Seip High Bank Earthwork Anderson Earthwork Mound City Hopewell Mound Group Shriver Circle Southwest Ohio Brush Creek, The Great Miami and Little Miami River drainages Fort Hill, Highland County Fort Ancient Fosters Crossing Pollock Works Miami Fort Turner Group of Earthworks Stubbs Earthwork What do we know about Hopewell ceremonial landscapes? Constructed Landscapes, Site Preparation and Planning Material Selection and the Placement of art or engineering? Landscape Features - Unique and Diverse Time and Landscape Construction How Were Ceremonial Landscapes Used? Ritual Refuse Pits at the Riverside Site, Hopewell Mound Group The Moorehead Circle Craft Houses and Other Wooden Structures A Great Post Circle and Many Buildings Beyond the Enclosure at Mound City Some additional thoughts VI. Some Final What We Still Need to Learn Landscapes and Time The Meaning Behind Landscape Forms Beyond Southern Ohio Future studies and final thoughts VII. References Cover 1 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Contents 6 Editors’ Preface 8 Foreword 10 Acknowledgments 12 Chapter 1: More than mounds and ditches, an introduction to Ohio Hopewell ceremonial landscapes 14 Ohio and the beginning of North American archaeology 19 Mortuary mounds and artifacts 25 Expanding research interests in earthworks and ceremonial centers 35 Ohio Hopewell constructed landscapes and the digital revolution 41 Ohio Hopewell – an iconic name and iconic sites, but what is it? 47 Chapter 2: Current issues in the construction of Ohio Hopewell ceremonial landscapes 49 Hopewell variation and distribution 50 Time and Hopewell archaeology 70 Energy analysis: How many people did it take to build Ohio Hopewell ceremonial landscapes 78 Sedentary farmers or mobile foragers? 85 Mensuration, geometry and the sky 88 Alignments and reading the heavens 94 The Great Hopewell Road 99 Were ceremonial landscapes planned designs? Models and hypotheses 101 Chapter 3: The Hopeton Earthworks Project 107 Geophysical survey and trench excavations 111 Embankment wall features 115 Geoarchaeology 118 Radiocarbon results 123 Non-embankment wall features 129 Near the earthworks: Triangle, Red Wing, Overly, and Cryder sites 139 What have we learned about the Hopeton Earthworks? 145 Chapter 4: Studies of Ohio Hopewell ceremonial landscapes 153 South-eastern Ohio 154 Newark Earthworks 157 Marietta 167 Scioto River valley 169 Seip 172 High Bank Earthwork 178 Anderson Earthwork 181 Mound City 182 Hopewell Mound Group 190 Shriver Circle 194 Spruce Hill 198 South-west Ohio – Brush Creek, the Great Miami and Little Miami River drainages 200 Fort Hill, Highland County 200 Fort Ancient 204 Foster’s Crossing 213 Pollock Works 215 Miami Fort 219 Turner Group of Earthworks 222 Stubbs Earthwork 229 Chapter 5: What do we know about Hopewell ceremonial landscapes? 231 Constructed landscapes, site preparation and planning 233 Material selection and the placement of material: art or engineering? 236 Landscape features – unique and diverse 237 Time and landscape construction 242 How were ceremonial landscapes used? 244 Ritual refuse pits at the Riverside site, Hopewell Mound Group 244 The Moorehead Circle, Fort Ancient 247 Craft houses and other wooden structures 250 A great post-circle and many buildings 252 Beyond the enclosure at Mound City 253 Some additional thoughts 255 Chapter 6: Some final thoughts: what we still need to learn 257 Landscapes and time 259 Southern Ohio before monument construction 261 The meaning behind landscape forms 262 Settlement sites and ceremonial landscapes 264 When and why did the Hopewell era end? 267 Beyond southern Ohio 269 Future studies and final thoughts 270 Appendix 1: A model of the construction chronology of the Hopeton Earthworks 274 Appendix 2: Ohio Hopewell ceremonial sites open to the public 279 Bibliography 284 Chapter 1. More Than Mounds And Ditches, An Introduction To Ohio Hopewell Ceremonial Landscapes. Ohio And The Beginning Of North American Archaeology -- Mortuary Mounds And Artifacts -- Expanding Research Interests In Earthworks And Ceremonial Centers -- Ohio Hopewell Constructed Landscapes And The Digital Revolution -- Ohio Hopewell : An Iconic Name And Iconic Sites, But What Is It? -- Chapter 2. Current Issues In The Construction Of Ohio Hopewell Ceremonial Landscapes. Hopewell Variation And Distribution -- Time And Hopewell Archaeology -- Energy Analysis : How Many People Did It Take To Build Ohio Hopewell Ceremonial Landscapes -- Sedentary Farmers Or Mobile Foragers? -- Mensuration, Geometry, And The Sky -- Alignments And Reading The Heavens -- The Great Hopewell Road -- Were Ceremonial Landscapes Planned Designs? : Models And Hypotheses -- Chapter 3. The Hopeton Earthworks Project. Geophysical Survey And Trench Excavations --^ Embankment Wall Features : Geoarchaeology; Radiocarbon Results -- Non-embankment Wall Features -- Near The Earthworks : Triangle, Red Wing, Overly, And Cryder Sites -- What Have We Learned About The Hopeton Earthworks? -- Chapter 4. Studies Of Ohio Hopewell Ceremonial Landscapes. South-eastern Ohio : Newark Earthworks; Marietta -- Scioto River Valley : Seip; High Bank Earthwork; Anderson Earthwork; Mound City; Hopewell Mound Group; Shriver Circle; Spruce Hill -- South-west Ohio : Brush Creek, The Great Miami And Little Miami River Drainages : Fort Hill, Highland County; Fort Ancient; Foster's Crossing; Pollock Works; Miami Fort; Turner Group Of Earthworks; Stubbs Earthwork -- Chapter 5. What Do We Know About Hopewell Ceremonial Landscapes? Constructed Landscapes, Site Preparation And Planning -- Material Selection And The Placement Of Material : Art Or Engineering? -- Landscape Features : Unique And Diverse -- Time And Landscape Construction --^ How Were Ceremonial Landscapes Used? : Ritual Refuse Pits At The Riverside Site, Hopewell Mound Group; The Moorehead Circle, Fort Ancient; Craft Houses And Other Wooden Structures; A Great Post-circle And Many Buildings; Beyond The Enclosure At Mound City -- Some Additional Thoughts -- Chapter 6. Some Final Thoughts : What We Still Need To Learn. Landscapes And Time -- Southern Ohio Before Monument Construction -- The Meaning Behind Landscape Forms -- Settlement Sites And Ceremonial Landscapes -- When And Why Did The Hopewell Era End? -- Beyond Southern Ohio -- Future Studies And Final Thoughts -- Appendix 1. A Model Of The Construction Of Hopeton Earthworks / By Timothy Schilling -- Appendix 2. Ohio Hopewell Ceremonial Sites Open To The Public. By Mark J. Lynott. Includes Bibliographical References (pages [271]-287). Content: Chapter 1. More than mounds and ditches, an introduction to Ohio Hopewell ceremonial landscapes. Ohio and the Beginning of North American archaeology -- Mortuary mounds and artifacts -- Expanding research interests in earthworks and ceremonial centers -- Ohio Hopewell constructed landscapes and the digital revolution -- Ohio Hopewell : an iconic name and iconic sites, but what is it? -- Chapter 2. Current issues in the construction of Ohio Hopewell ceremonial landscapes. Hopewell variation and distribution -- Time and Hopewell archaeology -- Energy analysis : how many people did it take to build Ohio Hopewell ceremonial landscapes -- Sedentary farmers or mobile foragers? -- Mensuration, geometry, and the sky -- Alignments and reading the heavens -- The great Hopewell road -- Were ceremonial landscapes planned designs? : models and hypotheses -- Chapter 3. The Hopeton Earthworks Project. Geophysical survey and trench excavations -- Embankment wall features : geoarchaeology radiocarbon results -- Non-embankment wall features -- Near the Earthworks : Triangle, Red Wing, Overly, and Cryder sites -- What have we learned about the Hopeton Earthworks? -- Chapter 4. Studies of Ohio Hopewell ceremonial landscapes. South-eastern Ohio : Newark Earthworks Marietta -- Scioto River valley : Seip High Bank Earthwork Anderson Earthwork Mound City Hopewell Mound Group Shriver Circle Spruce Hill -- South-west Ohio : Brush Creek, the Great Miami and Little Miami River drainages : Fort Hill, Highland County Fort Ancient Foster's Crossing Pollock Works Miami Fort Turner Group of Earthworks Stubbs Earthwork -- Chapter 5. What do we know about Hopewell ceremonial landscapes? Constructed landscapes, site preparation and planning -- Material selection and the placement of material : art or engineering? -- Landscape features : unique and diverse -- Time and landscape construction -- How were ceremonial landscapes used? : Ritual refuse pits at the Riverside site, Hopewell Mound Group The Moorehead Circle, Fort Ancient Craft Houses and other wooden structures A great post-circle and many buildings Beyond the enclosure at Mound City -- Some additional thoughts -- Chapter 6. Some final thoughts : what we still need to learn. Landscapes and time -- Southern Ohio before monument construction -- The meaning behind landscape forms -- Settlement sites and ceremonial landscapes -- When and why did the Hopewell era end? -- Beyond southern Ohio -- Future studies and final thoughts -- Appendix 1. A model of the construction of Hopeton Earthworks / by Timothy Schilling -- Appendix 2. Ohio Hopewell ceremonial sites open to the public. Nearly 2000 years ago, people living in the river valleys of southern Ohio built earthen monuments on a scale that is unmatched in the archaeological record for small-scale societies. The period from c. 200 BC to c. AD 500 (Early to Middle Woodland) witnessed the construction of mounds, earthen walls, ditches, borrow pits and other earthen and stone features covering dozen of hectares at many sites and hundreds of hectares at some. The development of the vast Hopewell Culture geometric earthwork complexes such as those at Mound City, Chilicothe; Hopewell; and the Newark earthworks was accompanied by the establishment of wide-ranging cultural contacts reflected in the movement of exotic and strikingly beautiful artefacts such as elaborate tobacco pipes, obsidian and chert arrowheads, copper axes and regalia, animal figurines and delicately carved sheets of mica. These phenomena, coupled with complex burial rituals, indicate the emergence of a political economy based on a powerful ideology of individual power and prestige, and the creation of a vast cultural landscape within which the monument complexes were central to a ritual cycle encompassing a substantial geographical area. The labour needed to build these vast cultural landscapes exceeds population estimates for the region, and suggests that people from near (and possibly far) travelled to the Scioto and other river valleys to help with construction of these monumental earthen complexes. Here, Mark Lynott draws on more than a decade of research and extensive new datasets to re-examine the spectacular and massive scale Ohio Hopewell landscapes and to explore the society that created them. This first volume in our major new series American Landscapes examines the cultural, economic, constructional and logistical background to the development of the vast and varied ceremonial landscapes of the prehistoric Hopewell societies of Ohio (c 200 BC-AD 500).