New Archaeology

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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

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Historian Dr. Geoffrey Plank talks urges caution in using the common archaeological categories to define ancient groups, beliefs, or practices.

Defining Adena

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Archaeologist Martha Otto, former curator at the Ohio Historical Society, talks about how to characterize the "Adena" culture (800 BC to AD 100).

Preservation

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Ohio State University archaeologist Dr. William Dancey explains how the state of Ohio, despite its ancient treasures, still lacks strong preservation laws.

Sacred Landscape

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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

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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

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Dr. James Brown suggests that the geometric earthworks reflected the cosmos on earth, allowing potential enemies to meet within a common order.

World Renewal

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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

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Archaeologist Dr. Gwynne Henderson of the University of Kentucky talks about the aesthetic power of light and shadow in earthwork design.

Agricultural Practices

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Archaeologist Bret Ruby explains how the land for miles around earthworks was probably marked by extensive farm fields.