The Hopewell Culture
The Hopewell Culture
The Hopewell culture left a magnificent legacy behind of earthworks and mounds that are found in what is now southern Ohio and across the United States. These earthworks would be lost if they were not federally protected by congress. What is so special about the mounds the Hopewell culture built is that they are the largest of any found earthworks and mounds. The Hopewell culture was known for the construction of huge geometric mounds, as the walls were built from the earth, which is believed to be used for burials or as religious temples. Found in these mounds were pottery and carvings of animals, along with the finest raw materials; such as, copper, silver and iron.
During their time they farmed foods; such as, wild rice, squash, barley, sunflowers and other wild seeds. However, corn was not thought to be part of their harvest. They also hunted for meat as another food source. The Hopewell people used their farming, hunting and raw materials as a trading system. This culture was not a single group of people, but a trading system of many different Native tribes and cultures that stretched from the Atlantic coast to the Rocky Mountains. The Hopewell culture was estimated to exist about 2000 years ago. It is believed that their existence was before 200BC to 400AD, which at that time they started to parish.
So little is known about the Hopewell culture, because there has never been any written evidence found that the Hopewell people left behind. Archeologists does not know if the culture had a written language or not, since none has been discovered; at least not yet. It is also not exactly known what the culture’s true origin, but evidence found by the artifacts that have been discovered implies the possibility that they may have originated from Mexico or Central America and migrated into what is now the United States. Also, it cannot be certain if the culture was
The Hopewell culture left a magnificent legacy behind of earthworks and mounds that are found in what is now southern Ohio and across the United States. These earthworks would be lost if they were not federally protected by congress. What is so special about the mounds the Hopewell culture built is that they are the largest of any found earthworks and mounds. The Hopewell culture was known for the construction of huge geometric mounds, as the walls were built from the earth, which is believed to be used for burials or as religious temples. Found in these mounds were pottery and carvings of animals, along with the finest raw materials; such as, copper, silver and iron.
During their time they farmed foods; such as, wild rice, squash, barley, sunflowers and other wild seeds. However, corn was not thought to be part of their harvest. They also hunted for meat as another food source. The Hopewell people used their farming, hunting and raw materials as a trading system. This culture was not a single group of people, but a trading system of many different Native tribes and cultures that stretched from the Atlantic coast to the Rocky Mountains. The Hopewell culture was estimated to exist about 2000 years ago. It is believed that their existence was before 200BC to 400AD, which at that time they started to parish.
So little is known about the Hopewell culture, because there has never been any written evidence found that the Hopewell people left behind. Archeologists does not know if the culture had a written language or not, since none has been discovered; at least not yet. It is also not exactly known what the culture’s true origin, but evidence found by the artifacts that have been discovered implies the possibility that they may have originated from Mexico or Central America and migrated into what is now the United States. Also, it cannot be certain if the culture was