TOPICS
ARCHAEOLOGY
New Archaeology
How new tools are enabling new discoveries at previously-explored sites; demonstration by Dr. Jarrod Burks, then a curator at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park.
Naming these Cultures
Historian Dr. Geoffrey Plank talks urges caution in using the common archaeological categories to define ancient groups, beliefs, or practices.
Defining Adena
Archaeologist Martha Otto, former curator at the Ohio Historical Society, talks about how to characterize the "Adena" culture (800 BC to AD 100).
Preservation
Ohio State University archaeologist Dr. William Dancey explains how the state of Ohio, despite its ancient treasures, still lacks strong preservation laws.
Sacred Landscape
Archaeologist Dr. Mark Seeman discusses the relation between the hills and valleys of the Ohio River landscape and the formations of the earthworks and mounds.
Reincarnation
Archaeologist Dr. James Brown explains how the earthworks may have been scenes of ritual adoption and the spiritual reincarnation of revered ancestors.
The Cosmological Plan
Dr. James Brown suggests that the geometric earthworks reflected the cosmos on earth, allowing potential enemies to meet within a common order.
World Renewal
Archaeologist DeeAnne Wymer explains why some Hopewell deposits suggest the traditional ceremonies of world renewal, still celebrated by many Native American tribes.
Light and Shadow
Archaeologist Dr. Gwynne Henderson of the University of Kentucky talks about the aesthetic power of light and shadow in earthwork design.
Agricultural Practices
Archaeologist Bret Ruby explains how the land for miles around earthworks was probably marked by extensive farm fields.
