Examining Hopewell Earthworks

Re-written from the Winter 2005-06 issue of American Archaeology (a publication of The Archaeological Conservancy).

"Three Investigations reveal new information about the once-magnificent structures in Hopewell National Historical Park"

Unfortunately, some of these structures have been demolished or diminished in recent times, due to plain erosion, or to the activities of farming. However, what remains is evocative and interesting.

Mark Lynott, an archaeologist at one Hopewell site, has undercovered evidence that not only did these structures create ceremonial space, but the actual building of them was a ceremonial act. Evidently, the builders took different soils, and layered them in, and burnt material in between the layers.

The Hopewell earthworks are in southern Ohio (I may possibly get to visit them this summer.) Largely, they are comprised of circles and squares. It seems from several studies that the walls were not built with soil from the immediate terrain, but imported for the purpose.

Due to the lack of internal weathering, it has been hypothesized that the walls under investigation were built over a few seasons. There is no sign of prolonged exposure to rain, for instance.

Lynott hypothesizes that the ceremonial building of these walls brought in laborers from many miles away, to accomplish this sacred duty. Everything, of course, had to be ported by hand as there was no wheel and no donkey or similar animal.

Ritual objects were incorporated - obsidian that hailed from the Rockies, mica that would have travelled from North Carolina, and shells and other sea artifacts that had to come from the Gulf.