Ohio History Connection
Ohio History Connection
Virtual First Ohioans » Section Five-B: Middle Woodland Period » The Hopewell Culture » 5b.8 Constructing the Earthworks
 
 
5b.8 Constructing the Earthworks
5b.3 Seip Earthworks Complex 5b.4 Excavation of Seip Earthworks 5b.5 Research at Seip Earthworks 5b.6 Seip Earthworks Objects
5b.7 Activities At A Hopewell Earthworks Complex 5b.8 Constructing the Earthworks 5b.9 Trading 5b.10 Trade Networks
5b.11 Craft Specialists 5b.12 Funeral Processions 5b.13 Daily Life 5b.14 Seip Mound

5b.8 Constructing the Earthworks

Building an earthworks complex required a great deal of planning and organizing by Hopewell leaders. In addition, much muscle power was needed to do the actual work. Some earthworks may have been built to face the rising of the sun or moon at certain times of the year. Even though the circles, squares, and octagons enclose large areas, they could have been laid out using simple tools. A complex such as Seip may have been designed all at one time. However, it was probably built over a period of years. Certain sites may have been the "property" of particular Hopewell clans or other kinship-based groups. Helping build the earth walls may have given the people a sense of unity and a feeling of belonging to a large group.

Image Number: SquierDavisPlateXXI

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