Footprints- In the Footprints of Squier and Davis: Archeological Fieldwork in Ross County, Ohio

TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements....................................................................iList of Tables...................................................................vii List of Figures...................................................................ix Contributors .........................................................................xiii Chapter 1 In the Footprints of Squier and Davis : Archeological Fieldwork in Ross County, Ohio Mark J. Lynott................................................................................1 Previous Studies in Ohio ...................................................1 Hopewell Studies Today ................................................................4 Recent Field Research ..........................................................................6 Goal of this Volume ................................................................................12 Chapter 2 In Non-mound Space at the Hopewell Mound Group Jennifer Pederson Weinberger .........................................13 Geophysical Survey .......................................................15Western Village Area.....................................................................16 Near the East Village .....................................................................18 Central Area ............................................................................19 Discussion .......................................................................................19 Chapter 3 Field Studies of the Octagon and Great Circle, High Bank Earthworks Ross County, Ohio N’omi B. Greber and Orrin C. Shane III ..............................................23 Excavations at the Octagon ............................................................25 Geophysics at the Great Circle ............................................................30 Excavations at the Great Circle ..........................................................33 Radiocarbon Assays ...........................................................................41 Comments ....................................................................................44 Addendum ..........................................................................................46 Chapter 4 Spruce Hill Earthworks: The 1995-1996 National Park Service Investigations Bret J. Ruby .............................................................................................49 Background .......................................................................................49 The Spruce Hill Earthworks .......................................................................49 Spruce Hill Revisited ......................................................................53 The 1995-1996 National Park Service Investigations ............................53 Discussion and Conclusions ..............................................................61 Chapter 5 Falling Through a Crack in the Core: The Surprise and Demise of Anderson Earthwork William H. Pickard and Jeffrey W. Weinberger ........................................ 67 History and Setting ..................................................................................68 1993 Excavations ..................................................................................70 Discussion ..............................................................................................72 Conclusion ............................................................................................74 Chapter 6 Middle Woodland and Other Settlement Remains in the Overly Tract Near The Hopeton Earthwork, Ross County, Ohio William S. Dancey .....................................................................................................77 Research Design.............................................................................77 Artifact Categories and their Distributions..............................................80 Discussion............................................................................................92 Chapter 7 Hopewell Occupation at the Hopeton Earthworks: Large Scale Surface Survey Using GPS Technology Jarrod Burks and Dawn Walter Gagliano................................................97 The Survey Area ................................................................................98 Survey Methodology .............................................................................99 Survey Results ...................................................................................99 The Surface Data: A Siteless Approach .................................................103 Discussion and Conclusion .........................................................................106 Notes ...................................................................................................107 Chapter 8 Hopewellian Centers in Context: Investigations In and Around the Hopeton Earthworks Bret J. Ruby And Mark J. Lynott .................................................................109 Surface Survey ......................................................................................110 Redwing Site ...........................................................................................111 Comparisons .........................................................................................118 Conclusions ......................................................................................122 Chapter 9 Searching for Hopewell Settlements: The Triangle Site at the Hopeton Earthworks Mark Lynott ...................................................................................... 125 Field Investigations ............................................................................127 Geophysical Survey ............................................................................128 1998 Season ....................................................................................128 Features, Artifacts and Radiocarbon Dating ........................................130 Animal Remains ...............................................................................137 Plant Remains ................................................................................138 Interpretations ..............................................................................139 Chapter 10 Geophysical Investigations at the Hopeton Earthworks John Weymouth, Bruce Bevan, and Rinita Dalan ...............................145 The Cesium Gradiometer Survey ...........................................................146 Cesium Gradiometer Results ...................................................................146 Geoscan Instrument Surveys ..............................................................148 Comparison of Cesium Magnetic and Resistance Data ........................148 Small Circles...........................................................................................149 Trench Excavations ...................................................................................149 Discussion ................................................................................................152 Conclusions ......................................................................................157 Chapter 11 Archeological and Geoarcheological Study of the Rectangular Enclosure at the Hopeton Works Mark J. Lynott and Rolfe D. Mandel ......................................................159 The Study of the Rectangular Earthwork ................................................161 Geophysical Survey ..............................................................................163 Trench Excavations .............................................................................164 Chronology ........................................................................................170 Geoarcheological Analysis of Trench 1 .................................................172 Interpretations ................................................................................174 Chapter 12 Ohio Hopewell Ritual Craft Production Katherine A. Spielmann ............................................................ 179Raw Material Procurement ....................................................................180 Hopewell Crafting ................................................................................181 Deposition ...........................................................................................186 Conclusions ....................................................................................188 References Cited .....................................................................................................18

Hopewell Archeology: Volume 5, Number 1, June 2002

1. Preliminary Report, 2001 Investigations, Hopeton Earthworks Although the Hopewell mounds and earthworks of Ross County, Ohio, have been well known to the scientific community for more than 150 years, many simple and basic questions have yet to be answered about the sites, and about the people and culture who built them. Early archeological research focused on mounds and mortuary behavior (e.g., Squier and Davis 1848; Thomas 1894; Mills 1922; Moorehead 1922) and yielded a great deal of information about the artistic and ritual aspects of Hopewell life. Recent trends in Hopewell research have emphasized settlement pattern analysis and the relationships of the larger mound and earthwork sites to smaller villages and hamlets (Dancey and Pacheco 1997; Pacheco 1996). Comparisons among the large mound and earthwork sites have demonstrated some broad general similarities, but the structure and configuration of most sites are surprisingly diverse. The most thoughtful attempts to build broad explanatory models about the Hopewell world continue to be plagued by a lack of understanding about the chronology, structure, and function of individual earthwork sites. We believe this can be overcome with sustained, multi-year studies of individual earthwork sites. The Midwest Archeological Center has initiated a long-term study of the Hopeton Earthworks. This paper summarizes the results of research conducted in 2001. Research Area 2. The John L. Cotter Award for Excellence in National Park Service Archeology PREFACE: In honor of his long and distinguished career and his pioneering contributions to professional archeology within the National Park System, this unofficial annual award was established by agency staff as inspiration for student and professional archeologists to continue Dr. John L. Cotter’s model of excellence. PURPOSE: To recognize a specific archeological project within a unit of the National Park System, conducted by National Park Service staff, cooperator, permittee, or consultant as guided by senior National Park Service staff archeologist(s), each fiscal year, which meets or exceeds the criteria below. AWARD: The selected project lead person(s) will receive a commemorative non-monetary award and certificate bearing name(s) of principal investigator(s), project dates and field unit name. Presentation of award shall be at a suitable gathering of NPS archeological staff, followed by a brief project presentation. The award will be announced through official NPS public affairs channels. 3. Reply to Mark Lynott’s Review of Mysteries of the Hopewell In the previous issue of Hopewell Archeology (Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 8-9) Dr. Mark Lynott reviewed Mysteries of the Hopewell: Astronomers, Geometers, and Magicians of the Eastern Woodlands by William F. Romain. Mr. Romain’s response to the review is presented here. 4. Meeting Calendar Midwest Archaeological Conference 48th Annual Meeting October 3-6, 2002 Ramada Hotel and Conference Center, Columbus, Ohio. Conference information is available at Southeastern Archaeological Conference 59th Annual Meeting November 6-9, 2002 Beau Rivage Resort and Casino, Biloxi, Mississippi. Conference information is available at Forthcoming The next issue of Hopewell Archeology will feature the discovery of a new earthen circle at the Hopewell site and an update on the continuing research at the Hopeton Earthworks. We are always looking for short contributions relating to Hopewell archeology. Potential authors should contact the editor. 5. Detecting the Shriver Circle Earthwork, Ross County, Ohio Ephraim Squier and Edwin Davis surveyed the Mound City Group area over 150 years ago. Although primarily interested in this earthwork complex, with its more than 20 mounds surrounded by a low embankment, their map also depicted an oblong circular enclosure located less than 1,500 feet from Mound City’s southern embankment wall. Named after Henry Shriver, owner of the surrounding farmland in the mid-1800s, the Shriver Circle consists of a large circular embankment flanked by an exterior ditch (Figure 1). Six gateways break the circumference of the circle, which has a diameter exceeding 1,000 feet. In the 1840s, the embankment measured 5 feet high and 25 feet wide at the base, while the ditch was 4 feet deep and 20 feet wide (Squier and Davis 1848:Plate XIX). Reference Cite

Hopewell Newsletter- June 2010

1. Small Scale Geoarchaeological Investigations of Earthen Wall Construction at the Hopeton Earthworks (33RO 26) Several geoarchaeological and geophysical investigations have been conducted at the Hopeton Earthworks (33RO26) and met with good success (Figure 1). As such, soil cores excavated in the summer of 2007 were studied using a two-pronged methodology of soil profile characterization and magnetic susceptibility testing. These techniques were employed to closely examine three sections of earthen wall at different locations at Hopeton as a means of understanding the soil composition of the walls and assessing possible uniformity in wall construction across the site. The following focuses solely on the geoarchaeological study of the selected locations. 2. The Role of Geophysics at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park Hopewell Culture National Historical Park is best known for its earthwork complexes built by the Hopewell during the Middle Woodland period. The park was originally established in 1923 to preserve the Mound City site after its use as a World War I training camp. In the past two decades, the park has added four additional earthworks—Hopeton Earthworks, Hopewell Mound Group, Seip Earthworks, and High Bank Works—and recently had its boundaries increased to include Spruce Hill. The recent growth in land located within the park has provided opportunities for archaeological research, most of which used some sort of geophysical technique. 3. Recent Investigations at the Mound City Group Ohio Hopewell earthworks have been studied extensively, both in historic and in modern times. Mound excavations during historic and modern times have revealed much about the construction and use of mound space. More recent research at Hopewell sites in Ohio has focused on non-mound areas both within and adjacent to the earthworks. This article focuses on current research conducted outside of the enclosure at the Mound City Group. 4. Clues to the Relationship of the Riverbank Site (33RO1059) to other Ohio Hopewell Sites Through Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis on Pottery Excavations were conducted at the Riverbank Site (33RO1059), located by the Hopewell Site (33RO27), in 2004 and 2006 to gather data from the site before it is eroded away by the Paint Creek and to improve understanding of the role of small sites located near large Hopewell earthworks. Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) was conducted on pottery from the Riverbank Site to help clarify its relationship with other nearby sites. Fifteen sherds from the site were sent to the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) for INAA, and the results were compared to the larger database of Hopewell ceramics. Based on the results, which show that the fifteen sherds formed a unique trace element compositional group, the site likely represents a shortterm occupation, possibly for a pilgrimage to the Hopewell Site, and the ceramics were likely either locally constructed for use at the site or constructed elsewhere to carry items on the way to Hopewell. 5. Feature Finds from the Riverbank Site, 33RO1059 Located just south and east of the Hopewell site’s Square Enclosure by about 225 meters is the Riverbank site, 33RO1059, which represents multiple occupations spanning the Archaic through historic periods, and includes a significant Middle Woodland component. Particularly noteworthy are two impressive pit features that were encountered in 2006 during a data recovery project undertaken by the Midwest Archeological Center. These pits, Features 7 and 8, would have been contemporaneous with Hopewell activities at the nearby earthwork complex, and the material culture recovered from them provides an intriguing glimpse of activities outside of the earthwork walls. 6. The Initial Phase of the Magnetic Investigations of the Mound City Group (32RO 32) at the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, Ross County, Ohio The Mound City Group (Site 32RO32) covers approximately 13 acres. It contained at least 23 mounds when Squier and Davis made the first study of the mound complex in 1846. In the summer of 2009, the Midwest Archeological Center conducted the initial phase of a magnetic survey of the entire site. The magnetic survey in the southern portion of the site covered 11,200 m2 or 2.77 acres. The magnetic data indicated the presence of numerous magnetic anomalies associated with the Hopewell occupation and with the World War I training facility of Camp Sherman

Hopewell Archeology: Volume 6, Number 1

1. A Message from the Editor: Introducing a New Format; by Mark J. Lynott Hopewell Archeology was initiated in 1995 to “promote interest in the study and interpretation of Hopewell archeology” (Vol. 1, No. 1, p. 2). Since its inception, we have managed to produce 11 issues (counting the one you are now reading) featuring a wide range of topics. The first issue of this newsletter was printed on standard white paper, and subsequent issues were printed on green paper. This is the first issue of Hopewell Archeology since Volume 5, Number 2 was printed in December 2002. In 2002 the Midwest Archeological Center was selected for a Competitive Sourcing Initiative Study by the National Park Service. The Competitive Sourcing Initiative (CSI) is designed to compare the cost of activities performed by government workers with the cost of doing those same activities by the private sector. From September of 2002 through October of 2003, employees at the Midwest Archeological Center spent a tremendous amount of time generating information for the CSI Study. Regrettably, this meant that production of Hopewell Archeology and many other important programs at the Center were put on hold while employees worked to generate data to justify keeping their jobs. The Department of the Interior elected to halt the CSI Study at the Center in October of 2003 (“Threats of Privatization Beaten Back”, Lincoln-Journal Star, October 29, 2003). 2. Abstracts of the Summer Lecture Series 2004 at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park Residents of central and southern Ohio and visitors to Hopewell Culture National Historical Park in Chillicothe made a habit of attending the annual Thursday evening summer lecture series. This annual series has been very well received in past years, and the 2004 series was also very popular. The speakers for 2004 generated considerable interest about Ohio archeology, with most of the speakers focusing on Ohio Hopewell. Abstracts of these wonderful lectures are presented below. Plans for next year’s lecture series are already underway, and readers are encouraged to contact Hopewell Culture National Historical Park for details in 2005. Hopewell Culture National Historical Park was pleased to host the summer archeological lecture series. The following is a list of speakers, titles, and abstracts of the topics presented. 3. The Field Museum Hopewell Catalogue Project: Getting the Word Out The Hopewell Collection at the Field Museum is the world’s second-largest (next to the Ohio Historical Society’s) collection of material culture from the Hopewell site. Recently, Field Museum staff rediscovered cataloging forms from the 1980s and decided to use the information from this unfinished project as a starting block for creating a Hopewell catalogue. The catalogue (which we hope will be published) will act as a tool for disseminating data on the collection as well as serving to pique the interest of additional scholars in the Field Museum’s collection. 4. Survey and Excavations in 2004 at 33RO1059 The Hopewell site (33RO27), with its extensive earthwork complex, is renowned as the type site for the Hopewell culture and has long been a focus for archeological research, beginning as early as 1845 with Squier and Davis. Recently, active erosion along the bank of the North Fork of Paint Creek has drawn attention to archeological resources located outside of the complex that are threatened by the encroaching stream. Site 33RO1059 is located south and east of the Square Enclosure in a formerly cultivated field flanked by Paint Creek on the south (Figure 1). The site was originally identified through observation of artifacts on the surface of the field, but relatively little was known about this site and its relationship, if any, to the earthwork complex. 5. New Discoveries Right in Our Own Front Yard: Preliminary Results of Recent Research at Mound City Group Mound City Group is probably the most extensively excavated Hopewell earthwork in Ohio. Squier and Davis (1848), William Mills (1922), and a whole host of more recent archaeologists, have conducted excavations within and between the site’s 23 mounds and ca. 950 m of earthen embankment. In addition to their diggings in the mounds, Squier and Davis produced the first map of the 15.6-acre earthwork complex, which included other mounds and earthen enclosures in the vicinity of Mound City (Figure 1). Among these additional mounds and earthworks are a circular enclosure and four mounds to the west and northwest of Mound City. The larger of the two mounds located just south of the small circular enclosure northwest of Mound City, known as the Briggs Mound (33RO7), was excavated in the 1897 by Clarence Loveberry (Moorehead 1899). While Moorehead (1899:136) also mentions another mound that was excavated at the same time in the near vicinity, to our knowledge none of the remaining mounds west and northwest of Mound City that appear on the Squier and Davis map were excavated prior to their disappearance from the landscape. Additionally, only limited work has been conducted in non-mound areas among these enclosures and mounds. To better understand how prehistoric peoples used these earthworks and mounds near Mound City, exploration of non-mound areas must be undertaken. A project begun in June 2003 sought to address this need by studying a small area in the front yard of the visitor center at Mound City. 6. Earthwork Construction and the Organization of Hopewell Society The mounds and geometric enclosures of southern Ohio have fascinated scholars for two centuries, but many of the questions that sparked the interest of 19th-century antiquarians have yet to be fully addressed today. Contemporary scholars are proposing new and interesting interpretations about these impressive sites, but the sites themselves are disappearing. None of the great geometric enclosures has survived unscathed, and many of them can only be studied now by examining old aerial photographs or reading historic accounts. The need for field investigation of the remaining sites has never been greater. Archaeological study of geometric enclosures in southern Ohio has been limited, with most work being focused on mounds associated with the enclosures. The large size of these sites has certainly served to deter excavations, and most studies have been limited to one or two summers of excavation. While these studies have generated useful information about some aspect of individual earthworks, none have generated a holistic view of any large geometric enclosure. Fortunately, geophysical survey instruments make it possible to map large areas; these data can be used to plan strategic excavations. The utility of this approach is illustrated by recent work on the rectangular enclosure at the Hopeton Earthworks, Ross County, Ohio. 7. Meeting Calendar for Hopewell Archeology, Volume 6, Number 1, in chronological order: 8. On Referencing and Citing the Newsletter and Other Internet Documents This is an essay on referencing and citing Internet documents, with special attention to citing this issue and future issues of Hopewell Archeology. The essay begins with a true story about an archaeologist, his conference paper, and the archaeological community. It might seem at first that the introductory story has nothing to do with the Internet, but I hope to show by the end of this essay that the story relates to Internet citation and referencing in several ways. References Cite