Ritual, Craft, and Economy in Ohio Hopewell: an Examination of Two Earthworks on the Little Miami River
Year: 2014
Type: article
Abstract: In this dissertation I examine the organization of craft production in a small-scale society through the lens of ritual economy.Specifically, I examine the structure of the production of craft goods at Hopewell earthworks by studying the production and function of flint bladelets.Measures of the production and function of Hopewell bladelets are used to examine the structure of craft production.The use-wear on bladelets, and the manufacturing tasks inferred therein, serves as a proxy measure of the production of craft goods.The examination of bladelets is ultimately aimed at gaining insight into how ritual processes structure the organization of production.Privileging ritual institutions in economic studies is the realm of ritual economy.Ritual economy is the analysis of the economic aspects of ritual and the ritual aspects of economic transactions as they relate to the materialization of ideology.Thus, ritual economy focuses on the economics of ritual-the economic acts necessary to properly participate in or host ritual events-and the ritual of economyritualized economic interactions between individuals.My analysis suggests that the dual forces examined by ritual economy were at work within Hopewell society.iii The materials for my study come from two Hopewell earthworks on the Little Miami River in southwest Ohio; The Fort Ancient Earthworks and the Stubbs Earthworks.In order to examine how production was distributed across excavated contexts at Fort Ancient and Stubbs I compare the microwear traces from bladelets associated with multiple locations at each earthwork.Results indicate that bladelets were produced in moderate amounts at numerous locations at both earthworks.Additionally, while bladelets were used in a generalized manner throughout the earthworks, they were also used of a number of potential craft production activities.At Fort Ancient, ritual craft production was organized in domestic spaces by households, larger kin groupings, or tribal segments.Each domestic context examined produced craft objects from a distinct set of raw materials.At Stubbs, inhabitants of each context participated in the same types of productive activities.Previous research has demonstrated that independent groups were drawn to the earthworks in order to create social ties through participation in communal ritual and reciprocal exchange.These exchanges were fueled by intensified production of craft products organized and orchestrated by ritual participation.Ultimately, craft production documented at Fort Ancient and Stubbs was probably more about the creation of relationships than the creation of objects.Ritual economy's focus on the materialization of these relationships allows archaeologists to reconstruct complex social processes by tracing economic processes recorded in materials recovered in archaeological assemblages.iv Dedication To Lindsey, Punca, Mooi, and Jasper For all of your love, support, and constant companionship v Acknowledgements The first time I read the acknowledgements section of a dissertation I remember thinking what a novel idea it was to attribute the work to many people rather than only one.Do not ask me what I was doing reading the acknowledgements section of a random dissertation, probably at some late hour, graduate school does that to a person.Anyway the point is that after going through the process, I get it.This work really is a collaborative effort between people I both have and have not met.This dissertation would never have gotten off the ground, let alone been completed, without the dedication of everyone I have had the pleasure of coming into contact with over the years.First and foremost I need to thank my wife Lindsey for all of her help with research and writing as well as just putting up with me in general through the many years of graduate school.Rick Yerkes served as my advisor and mentor throughout my time at Ohio State.Rick graciously provided lab space, equipment, and supplies in addition to countless bits of advice, comments, criticisms, and recommendations.In short, it was an honor and a privilege to work with him.Julie Field took it upon herself to make sure this research was theoretically sound.Our theory meetings helped to crystallize my thoughts on Hopewell into a coherent model.Rob Cook helped to situate the research into the broader culture history of the Eastern Woodlands.He provided helpful advice and alternative viewpoints at every turn.Victor vi Thompson, now at the University of Georgia, served on my dissertation candidacy committee and made an initial push for a ritual economy framework.I did very little fieldwork for this dissertation, meaning that I relied upon the consent of numerous individuals and institutions to collect my samples.In the end, I was able to draw upon over 30 years of fieldwork-an academic lifetime-from the likes of
Author: G. Logan Miller
Institution: The Ohio State University
Language: English
Subfield: Archeology (arts and humanities)
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2598795171