Description: Ceramic rimsherd shows typical Hopewell decoration, including incised cross-hatched lines and a row of triangular punctates (indentations). The neck portion is plain. Tempering is crushed stone (grit). It is dark gray with a very pale brown streak. Item was excavated from Seip Mound in Paxton Township, Ross County, Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL07299
Subjects: Seip Mound (Ross County, Ohio); Ohio History--Natural and Native Ohio
Places: Paxton Township (Ohio); Ross County (Ohio)
 

Description: Stylistically carved duck has a long bill that rests on the back. The bill widens slightly toward the end. The tail is slightly flared or fan-shaped. An area between the neck and the bill has been drilled out. Body has been hollowed out. The effigy is made of dark reddish brown stone. Item was excavated from Seip Mound in Paxton Township, Ross County, Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL07300
Subjects: Seip Mound (Ross County, Ohio); Ohio History--Natural and Native Ohio; Archaeology; Hopewell Culture (A.D. 1-400) (A.D. 1–400)
Places: Paxton Township (Ohio); Ross County (Ohio)
 

Description: Rimsherd from a McGraw Cordmarked ceramic pot is black and strong brown on the exterior surface and very pale brown on the broken edges. Under the rim, on the neck of the pot, vertical impressions made by pressing a cord-wrapped tool into the clay are visible. Clay used to make the pot was mixed, or tempered, with grit. Item was excavated from Seip Mound in Paxton Township, Ross County, Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL07301
Subjects: Seip Mound (Ross County, Ohio); Ohio History--Natural and Native Ohio; Archaeology; Hopewell Culture (A.D. 1-400) (A.D. 1–400)
Places: Paxton Township (Ohio); Ross County (Ohio)
 

Description: Sherd from a ceramic vessel has a series of incised parallel lines that create triangular shapes, separated by long, narrow, oval lines. Between the lines, the surface alternates between visible cordmarks and smoothed-out areas. There is not enough of the sherd remaining to indicate from which part of the vessel it originates. The sherd is reddish yellow, very dark gray, gray and yellow in color. Item was excavated from Seip Mound in Paxton Township, Ross County, Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL07302
Subjects: Seip Mound (Ross County, Ohio); Ohio History--Natural and Native Ohio; Archaeology; Hopewell Culture (A.D. 1-400) (A.D. 1–400)
Places: Paxton Township (Ohio); Ross County (Ohio)
 

Description: Large projectile point known as the Pricer spear, in reference to the person who found the point. Made of gray and white novaculite, it has a long, triangular blade with a broken tip. The stem is short and the basal edge is shorter on one side than the other. A portion of the basal edge has possibly broken away. The remaining basal edge is straight. One barb is slightly pointed and the other has been chipped on the edge. Item was excavated from Seip Mound in Paxton Township, Ross County, Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL07304
Subjects: Seip Mound (Ross County, Ohio); Ohio History--Natural and Native Ohio; Archaeology; Hopewell Culture (A.D. 1-400) (A.D. 1–400)
Places: Paxton Township (Ohio); Ross County (Ohio)
 

Description: View showing a number of mounds in the Mound City Group from a distance, ca. 1920. Reverse reads, "Mound City Group Ross Co., O. Looking northwest." Mound City is a burial mound and earthwork complex located in Union Township, Ross County, Ohio. It is situated on the west bank of the Scioto River opposite the Hopeton Earthworks, a few miles north of Chillicothe. The site was constructed between approximately 100 BC and AD 400 by people of the Hopewell Culture and consists of 22 variously sized mounds surrounded a low, four-sided, earthen embankment that encloses about 13 acres. During World War I Mound City became part of an expansive army training facility called Camp Sherman. In an attempt to preserve as much of the site’s integrity as the army would allow, the mounds were flattened or truncated and camp buildings built over them and not intruded into them. Beginning in the 1920s, the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society (now the Ohio History Connection) funded restoration of the site and in 1923 the Mound City Group was elevated to the status of National Monument. Since 1992 Mound City has served as the focal point of the Hopewell Culture National Historic Park. Restoration lasted several years and was the beginning of the movement toward archaeology as a disciplined profession. One interesting aspect learned during the restoration process was that, for whatever reason, burials at Mound City were of a more egalitarian nature and not just of apparent high status as seen at other locations. The Mound City Group is one of seven Ohio Hopewell Ceremonial Earthwork sites presently under consideration by the United States Department of the Interior for nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV17_B03F05e04_01_1
Subjects: Hopewell Culture (A.D. 1-400) (A.D. 1–400); Mounds--Ohio--Ross County; National parks & reserves;
Places: Ross County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph identified on its reverse as showing the "'Entrance' to fort" on the south end of Spruce Hill. Spruce Hill Fort is located on a high, plateau-like hill along Paint Creek near Bourneville in Ross County, Ohio. Together with Fort Ancient and Fort Hill, Spruce Hill comprises the third major hilltop enclosure in southwest Ohio. The walls of Spruce Hill measure just over 2 1/4 miles in length and are made mostly of rubble stone. Their true nature has sparked debate over the years as to whether the walls were actually constructed or are just weathered bedrock. In any case they enclose over 140 acres, making Spruce Hill Ohio’s largest hilltop enclosure. However, unlike the numerous gaps in the walls at Fort Hill or Fort Ancient, the walls of Spruce Hill are mostly continuous with very few gateways. The only practical approach to Spruce Hill is along a ridge from the south with access to the site’s interior confined mostly to a few narrow gaps in a series of short, U-shaped walls. There are no absolute dates for Spruce Hill although recent archaeology there would indicate Hopewell (100 BC - AD 400) origins. As with Fort Hill and Fort Ancient, Fort Hill was likely a ceremonial space and not for military defense, and certainly not a Viking-era iron forge as is long held in local lore. Spruce Hill lies within the boundaries of the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park but is not presently part of its system. Spruce Hill Earthworks itself is owned by the Arc of Appalachia. Hopewell Culture National Historical Park co-manages Spruce Hill and provides site interpretation. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV17_B04F04_E02_001
Subjects: Hopewell Culture (A.D. 1-400) (A.D. 1–400); Mounds -- Ohio -- Ross County; Earthworks (Archaeology)
Places: Ross County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph taken during the excavation of Seip Mound, 1906-1908. Seip Mound, sometimes referred to as the Seip-Pricer Mound, is located in Paxton Township, Ross County, Ohio. It was constructed between 100 BC and AD 400 by people of the Hopewell Culture and situated at the center of Seip Earthworks, an extensive earthwork complex occupying more than 150 acres along Paint Creek in southwest Ross County. There was also a large three-part burial mound associated with the earthworks later referred to as the Seip Conjoined Mound to avoid confusion. When first surveyed, Seip Mound measured 240’ x 130’ x 30’ and counted as one of the four or five largest Hopewell burial mounds ever built. Between 1925 and 1928 Henry Shetrone of the Ohio History Connection conducted excavations at Seip Mound, recovering over 100 burials and numerous funerary and other objects made of exotic materials. Shetrone also recovered series of “Great Pipes” that were uncharacteristic of Hopewell themes and designs and likely of southern origin. This strongly suggests at least cultural ties to contemporary groups below the Ohio River. During the 1970s investigations within the earthworks uncovered possible workshop and domestic locations indicating that overall the site was much more complex than first imagined. Originally a property of the Ohio History Connection, both Seip Mound and the associated earthworks are presently overseen by the National Park Service as part of the Hopewell Culture National Historic Park. It is also one of seven Ohio Hopewell Ceremonial Earthwork sites presently under consideration for nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage Site by the United States Department of the Interior. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV17_B04F03e01_08_1178
Subjects: Hopewell Culture (A.D. 1–400); Seip Mound (Ross County, Ohio); Excavations (Archaeology)--Ohio;
Places: Ross County (Ohio)
 

Description: Bladelet made of dark bluish gray and bluish gray Upper Mercer flint is slightly curved. One end is rounded and the other is straight. The sides of the bladelet are parallel and there is a flake scar running the entire length of the dorsal side. Item was excavated from the Raymond J. Ater Mound in Concord Township, Ross County, Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL07383
Subjects: Ohio History--Natural and Native Ohio; Excavations (Archaeology)--Ohio; Hopewell Culture (A.D. 1-400) (A.D. 1–400); Mounds--Ohio--Ross County; American Indian history and society; Tools
Places: Concord Township (Ohio); Ross County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph identified on its reverse as showing the "'Wall' of fort" on the east side of Spruce Hill looking north. Spruce Hill Fort is located on a high, plateau-like hill along Paint Creek near Bourneville in Ross County, Ohio. Together with Fort Ancient and Fort Hill, Spruce Hill comprises the third major hilltop enclosure in southwest Ohio. The walls of Spruce Hill measure just over 2 1/4 miles in length and are made mostly of rubble stone. Their true nature has sparked debate over the years as to whether the walls were actually constructed or are just weathered bedrock. In any case they enclose over 140 acres, making Spruce Hill Ohio’s largest hilltop enclosure. However, unlike the numerous gaps in the walls at Fort Hill or Fort Ancient, the walls of Spruce Hill are mostly continuous with very few gateways. The only practical approach to Spruce Hill is along a ridge from the south with access to the site’s interior confined mostly to a few narrow gaps in a series of short, U-shaped walls. There are no absolute dates for Spruce Hill although recent archaeology there would indicate Hopewell (100 BC - AD 400) origins. As with Fort Hill and Fort Ancient, Fort Hill was likely a ceremonial space and not for military defense, and certainly not a Viking-era iron forge as is long held in local lore. Spruce Hill lies within the boundaries of the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park but is not presently part of its system. Spruce Hill Earthworks itself is owned by the Arc of Appalachia. Hopewell Culture National Historical Park co-manages Spruce Hill and provides site interpretation. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV17_B04F04_E01_003
Subjects: Hopewell Culture (A.D. 1-400) (A.D. 1–400); Mounds -- Ohio -- Ross County; Earthworks (Archaeology)
Places: Ross County (Ohio)
 

Description: Bladelet made of dusky blue Upper Mercer flint is slightly curved at both ends. One end is slightly pointed, while the other is squared off. The sides of the item are parallel. Item was excavated from the Raymond J. Ater Mound in Concord Township, Ross County, Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL07384
Subjects: Ohio History--Natural and Native Ohio; Excavations (Archaeology)--Ohio; Hopewell Culture (A.D. 1-400) (A.D. 1–400); Mounds--Ohio--Ross County; American Indian history and society; Tools
Places: Concord Township (Ohio); Ross County (Ohio)
 

Description: Bladelet made of dark bluish gray and bluish gray Upper Mercer flint is slightly curved and rounded at both ends. The sides of the bladelet are parallel and there is a flake scar running the entire length of the dorsal side. Item was excavated from the Raymond J. Ater Mound in Concord Township, Ross County, Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL07385
Subjects: Ohio History--Natural and Native Ohio; Excavations (Archaeology)--Ohio; Hopewell Culture (A.D. 1-400) (A.D. 1–400); Mounds--Ohio--Ross County; American Indian history and society; Tools
Places: Concord Township (Ohio); Ross County (Ohio)