When I asked Andrew what I should blog about he told me he was listening to an audiobook that mentioned the Hopewell Mounds in Ohio, something neither of us had heard of.

The clearest definition of the Hopewell culture (or tradition) that I found comes from TouringOhio.com: “The term Hopewell describes a broad network of economic, political, and spiritual beliefs and practices among different Native American groups. That culture is characterized by the construction of enclosures made of earthen walls, often built in geometric patterns and mounds of various shapes. The culture is known for a network of contacts with other groups, stretching from the Atlantic coast to the Rocky Mountains. This expansive network brought materials such as mica, shark’s teeth, obsidian, copper, and shells to Ohio.”

What do we know about the Hopewell culture?

The Hopewell culture flourished from approximately 100 B.C. to A.D. 500. The people lived in small villages of thatched huts. They grew crops, hunted, and fished. We know that they used tools and weapons made of bone, flint, and obsidian, and made refined pottery. Their huge geometric earthworks served a ceremonial purpose and often enclosed burial mounds.

Where did the name come from?

The people of the Hopewell culture did not use a writing system and we do not know what name or names they used for themselves. Here is how the name “Hopewell” came about.

Giant earthworks were first noticed by European settlers around Chillicothe, Ohio in the 18th century. In 1820 Caleb Atwater drew the first map of the earthworks, calling them Clark Fort after the owners of the field. In 1848 the first book published by the Smithsonian Institution (Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley by Ephraim Squier and Edwin Davis) included a map of the site, which they called “North Fork Works” after a nearby river. Several decades later Warren Moorehead excavated in the area in search of artifacts to awe the crowds at the 1893 “World’s Columbian Exposition” in Chicago (the same exposition where the first Ferris Wheel made its appearance!). By this time the land was owned by Mordecai Hopewell and thus “Hopewell culture” acquired his name.

What happened to the Hopewell culture?

According to the Archaeological Institute of America, “Some archaeologists characterize the end of the Hopewell as a cultural collapse because of the abandonment of the monumental architecture and the diminishing importance of ritual, art, and trade. Yet the population seems to have increased and it simply may be that villages became more self-sustaining and inwardly focused.”

What’s going on with the Hopewell sites today?

The Archaeological Institute of America also explains: “The Newark Earthworks is the largest set of geometric earthworks built by the Hopewell culture. The Fort Ancient Earthworks is the largest example of a hilltop enclosure. The largest set of Hopewell burial mounds is at the Mound City Group in Chillicothe. All three of these sites are National Historic Landmarks and are being considered for nomination as World Heritage sites.”

Sources

• “Who Were the Hopewell?” via Archaeological Institute of America
• “Hopewell Culture” via Ohio History Central
• “Hopewell Mound Group” via National Park Service
• “Hopewell Culture: Moundbuilders of the Midwest” by Owen Jarus via LiveScience
• “Hopewell Culture National Historical Park” via Touring Ohio