HOPEWELL EARTHWORKS FEATURED ON JEOPARDY!

Last week, the Hopewell earthworks were featured in a $1200 question on Jeopardy!

It was under the category EARLY AMERICAN CONSTRUCTION.

Would you have been able to answer it correctly?

OHIO'S PREHISTORY -- THE BIG PICTURE

Join me at the Johnson-Humrickhouse Museum in Coshocton on the evening of Monday November 5th for a program on Ohio's ancient American Indian cultures.

This talk will set the stage for the museum's new exhibit of artifacts found in Coshocton County as well as neighboring counties. The title of this exhibition is Traces of Time, Traces of Glory: Native American prehistoric tools and points and it will be on display through the end of the year.

The program will begin at 6:30 PM and there is an admission fee of $6 for adults and $3 for students.

I consider the Johnson-Humrickhouse Museum something of a second home, because it was my base of operations during the time I spent in Coshocton County researching the Paleoindian occupation of the region for my PhD dissertation. And for a short time after my graduation the museum obtained a small grant to employ me as a temporary curator of archaeology.

The museum has an outstanding collection of both prehistoric and historic objects, including the ever-popular Newark Holy Stones, which are fascinating scientific forgeries from the 19th century. It's well worth a visit just to view these celebrated objects that epitomize the Moundbuilder Myth and open a window on the history of American science, politics, and religion.

For more information about the program as well as the exhibit, contact the Johnson-Humrickhouse Museum at (740) 622-8710 or by e-mail, at jhmuseum@jhmuseum.org.

The Johnson-Humrickhouse Museum is located at 300 N. Whitewoman St. in Roscoe Village, Coshocton. The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

Brad Lepper

"...but I regret to say ..."

In celebration of both Ohio Archaeology Month and American Archives month I present to you an interesting glimpse into the not so distant past.

In 1940, the Ohio State University and the Ohio State Museum, now the Ohio Historical Society, had their first joint archaeological field school at Fort Ancient in Warren County, Ohio. Student letters inquiring about the field school are on file along with other project data in collection A1039 Fort Ancient (Records box 11, File 5 "Applications, correspondence and clippings". A total of 11 students participated, however four applicants were ultimately rejected.  The following is a letter from one of these students and the official reply.

"March 5, 1940

My dear Mr. Morgan:

At the suggestion of Dr. Faye-Cooper Cole, University of Chicago, and Mr. Charles Brown, Wisconsin Historical Museum, I am writing to inquire about archaeological work for this coming summer.  If I understand correctly, a party is being sent to Fort Ancient for the season, and a fee is being charged for out-of-state workers.  Mr. Brown and I thought that there might be some job I could obtain and which I could at least pay my expenses.

I will be graduated from the University of Wisconsin this June with a major in anthropology.  At the present time my hopes are to be able to do graduate work next fall.

My field experience consists of several types of work.  Last summer I was in the southwest field with Dr. Paul Nesbit, Logan Museum, Beloit, Wisconsin.  In the spring of 1937, in conjunction with Beloit College and the University of Chicago, I participated in the excavation of some mounds in northern Illinois. At the present time I am taking a course in mapping and my photographic experience is quite extensive so I will be able to participate in these two types of work, which are of great necessity, in addition to the actual archaeological work.

It is my sincere hope that you will be able to employ me for the coming season; I hope my qualifications warrant it.  If you have any questions I shall be glad to answer them. I will appreciate anything which you can do for me.

Very Truly yours,

Virginia Drew"

The response to her letter was as follows:

"March 14, 1940

Dear Miss Drew:

I have your letter indicating your desire to join the archaeological expedition this summer, but I regret to say that due to the fact that we have no chaperones it will be impossible to accept women students in 1940.  We hope that suitable arrangements in this respect will be made in the future.

Sincerely yours,

John P. Gillen"

Not letting this rejection get in her way, Virginia went on to contribute greatly in the fields of anthropology and archaeology and her papers are now curated in the Smithsonian Anthropological Archives http://siris-archives.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?uri=full=3100001~!235026!0#focus .  According to the Smithsonian site, she "earned her MA and Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Chicago. Virginia Drew Watson and her husband, James Bennett Watson, studied the Cayua Indians in Mato Grosso, Brazil (1943) and the Agarabi, Tairora and Gadsup in the Papua New Guinea highlands (1953-1955, 1963-1964). Virginia Watson served as a part-time lecturer in anthropology and archaeology at Washington University in St. Louis from 1948 to 1953, Seattle University from 1957 to 1963, and University of Washington, Seattle from 1961-1971.  She also served as a volunteer affiliate curator of Melanesian Archaeology at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture of the University of Washington from 1969 to 1992"

I'd like to recognize the other women who were denied participation in the 1940 field school, they were Kathryn Pershing, a student from the University of Akron; Catharine Allison Clement, a graduate of Vassar Collegewho was pursuing her graduate degree from Columbia University and Iva T. Osanai from the University of Chicago who, as Virgina, went on to a successful career studying the Navajo people of Oklahoma and documenting the Wichita language.  In tribute, I have included a few pictures of archaeology students doing field school projects, post 1940.

These pioneering women archaeologists helped pave the way for generations of female professionals and I am forever in their debt.

Thanks Ladies!

MYTHS AND MYSTERIES IN ARCHAEOLOGY FEATURED IN LECTURE SERIES AT SUNWATCH VILLAGE

Coming to SunWatch Indian Village and Archaeological Park in 2013 --

A series of four special presentations on Myths and Mysteries in Archaeology!

Join us for four fun Saturday programs covering topics as diverse as ancient astronauts, pre-Columbian contacts, the Trojan War, and the Nasca Lines of Peru.

Put these dates on your calendar now!

2013 AIA/SunWatch Presentation Series: Myths and Mysteries in Archaeology

Saturday January 19, 10:30am:
Amorous Astronauts, Inkblots, and A Low Opinion of Our Ancestors: the Ancient Aliens Fantasy presented by Dr. Ken Feder from Central Connecticut State University

Saturday February 16, 10:30am:
The Newark "Holy Stones": Science, Politics, and Religion in 19th Century Ohio presented by Dr. Brad Lepper from the Ohio Historical Society

Saturday March 2, 10:30am:
Assessing the Historicity of the Trojan War: Excavations at Troy 1988-2010 presented by AIA National Lecturer Dr. C. Brian Rose from the University of Pennsylvania

Saturday April 20, 10:30am:
Sacred Spaces and Human Sacrifice: the Nasca Lines in their Cultural and Religious Context presented by AIA National Lecturer Dr. Christina Conlee from Texas State University at San Marcos

For more information contact SunWatch Indian Village at 937-268-8199, or SunWatch@SunWatch.org

WAYNE NATIONAL FOREST ARTIFACT IDENTIFICATION DAY 2012

ARCHAEOLOGY IS NO. 1 ACCORDING TO FORBES MAGAZINE!

Forbes magazine now lists "Anthropology and Archaeology" as well as "History" among the top 10 "Worst College Majors." History is No. 9 while "Anthropology and Archaeology" are No. 1.

 

Unlike the Daily Beast's rankings earlier this year, Forbes is explicit about what it means by "worst." It's all about the unemployment rates and expected earnings for recent grads.

 

If you want to see the depressing statistics, you can check out the Forbes article online.

 

But really, what's the point Forbes?

 

It's hardly news that an archaeology major is no ticket to financial superfluity. The Ohio Historical Society's first curator of archaeology understood that in 1897 and nothing much has changed in the past century.

 

I was told by my high school guidance counselor in 1974 that archaeology was a terrible career choice -- "There are no jobs and even if you find a job in the field it won't pay very well."

 

Well, actually, there are jobs though he was right that most of them don't pay all that well -- or at least the strictly monetary rewards aren't all that spectacular.

 

So how many readers of Forbes were even thinking about a career in archaeology anyway?

 

Probably not very many; but if any of them had considered the possibility, they know better now -- or think they do.

 

The value of archaeology has been a topic I've considered before in this blog, so I won't repeat the arguments here. It's sad, but revealing when magazines like Forbes presume to judge the value of college majors merely by how much money you can make with the diploma.

 

In "Life without principle," Henry David Thoreau wrote that "the aim of the laborer should be, not to get his living, to get 'a good job,' but to perform well a certain work..." not for money merely, but for the love of it.

 

I think that's good advice, but you won't find it in Forbes.

 

Brad Lepper

A CARTOON HISTORY OF THE MYTH OF THE MOUNDBUILDERS

The September 2012 issue of The SAA Archaeological Record, the magazine of the Society for American Archaeology, includes a wonderful cartoon history of the myth of the Moundbuilders. Written and illustrated by Trent De Boer, author of the fanzine Shovel Bum and the book Shovel Bum: Comix of Archaeological Field Life.

This isn't the first time De Boer's work has been featured in the SAA Archaeological Record. In the November 2005 issue his art graced the cover of a special issue devoted to "Cartoons in Archaeology."

De Boer's illustrated history of the "Myth of the Moundbuilders" tells the story with humor and intelligence and I highly recommend it.

And of course, he had the good sense to lead off the story with an image of Ohio's Serpent Mound -- the most recognizable icon of ancient America's mound-building cultures and an inspiration for much modern myth-making.

Hopefully, De Boer's entertaining comic will help to undermine the myths by telling the story of how archaeologists solved the mystery behind America's mounds.

Brad Lepper

ARCHAEOLOGY MONTH EVENTS AT THE NEWARK EARTHWORKS

As part of your Ohio Archaeology Month celebrations, may I recommend two upcoming events at the Newark Earthworks described in my recent guest column for the Newark Advocate?

On Saturday, October 13th, there is a Walk Through Newark's Ancient Grandeur with Jeff Gill of the Ohio State University's Newark Earthworks Center. Meet Jeff at 9:00 AM at the Great Circle on State Route 79 in Heath for a pilgrimage to the past you won't soon forget. I offered my thoughts on a similar walk led by Jeff in a previous post.

The following day, Sunday, October 14th, is one of our four-a-year Open House days at the Octagon Earthworks. The entire site will be available for your exploration throughout the day and educational programs, including guided tours, Native American music, and other activities will take place between 1:00 and 4:00 PM. I look forward to seeing you there!

As I wrote in my column -- "Two thousand years ago, Native Americans built one of the most amazing monuments of antiquity here in the place we now call Newark, Ohio. We know it today as separate parks — the Great Circle and the Octagon Earthworks, but originally it was a sprawling series of gigantic earthworks built in geometric shapes of remarkable precision and covering more than four-and-a-half square miles.

The Newark Earthworks are Ohio’s State Prehistoric Monument, a National Historic Landmark and are on track to become a World Heritage site — and it’s right here in our backyard."

Come and experience the Newark Earthworks!

For more information, contact the Newark Earthworks Center.


Brad Lepper

OCTOBER REFLECTIONS ON A CAREER IN ARCHAEOLOGY: "WE CANNOT ALL BE MONEY MAKERS!"

October is both Archaeology Month and American Archives Month!

 

In recognition of this happy confluence, I offer the following excerpt from the diary of Warren K. Moorehead, the Ohio Historical Society's first curator of archaeology. The diary is part of the Moorehead papers in the Society's archives.

 

Moorehead is writing on October 18^th, 1897, after having secured a leave of absence from his duties at the Society for health reasons. He had contracted tuberculosis and was planning to travel to the southwestern United States to recuperate in the dry, desert air.

 

He had been criticized by his well-to-do family, heirs to the King Powder Mills gunpowder fortune. They did not approve of his choice of career and objected to the extravagant amounts of their money he squandered on his archaeological pursuits.

 

Concerns over his mortality may have prompted him to look back on his career and reconsider the choices he had made.

_____________________________________

Oct 18, '97

Afternoon in the Museum

I have been too ambitious entirely so and spent too much money on my science. I can see that now. I have promised all my relatives that Evelyn [his wife] can run the ship of state from now on. ...

 

My work has cost me much -- yet it will stand when the Powder-Cartridge-Bank Corporations are forgotten. It shall endure and business men in saying that it has not paid me and has been a financial drain overlook that greater fact that its success cannot be gagued [sic] by monetary standards.

 

Men do not ask what a painter left, what a poem is worth, what a scientist's book brought. The work stands upon its merits as a part of art or literature or science.

 

My work is full of errors and shortcomings. I realize that fully. But it is a work of record -- of tabulation of facts and as such men shall refer to it in the future when our mounds are gone.

 

I say this not egotistically. I have always regretted that I could not manage money affairs to better advantage. My salaries in my calling have invariably been small.

This fact has given my relatives and Evelyn much cause for complaint. I do not blame them in their concern for the future.

 

I was "cut out" to be a poor struggling anthropologist and as such, please God, I shall probably live and die.

 

We cannot all be money makers. Alas, there are too many such in America.

 

But I pray that when the literature of Ohio Valley Archaeology is compared 100 years from now I shall have some small place among those of us who have been toiling in the fields of this science.

_____________________________________
Warren K. Moorehead papers, Ohio Historical Society, MS 106, Box 20

As a kindred "poor struggling anthropologist" following in Moorehead's footsteps here at the Ohio Historical Society, I feel a special sympathy for his views on the value of archaeology.

 

Moorehead need not have worried about his "small place" in the history of archaeology. During the course of his long career, he explored the Hopewell Mound Group in Chillicothe, Fort Ancient in Warren County, and many other sites in Ohio and beyond. He was instrumental in preserving Fort Ancient as well the Cahokia Mounds in Illinois, which is now on the UNESCO World Heritage list. And we have high hopes that Fort Ancient, along with six other Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, will be joining it one day soon!

 

Moorehead was not allowed to return to his duties at the Ohio Historical Society following his recovery from tuberculosis. Instead, he moved on to become the first curator of archaeology for the Robert S. Peabody Museum of Archaeology in Andover, Massachusetts.

 

In addition to his remarkable career as an archaeologist, Moorehead also became an outspoken advocate for Native American rights at a time when such advocacy was not only unfashionable, but potentially dangerous.

Brad Lepper

PS This blog post expands upon my October column in the Columbus Dispatch.

CELEBRATE ARCHAEOLOGY MONTH AT HOPEWELL CULTURE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK!

 

Fun for the whole family!

OHIO'S NATURAL HISTORY: FOUR INFORMAL RULES OF ECOLOGY

The morning news related that Barry Commoner died Sunday, September 30, 2012. Perhaps many people today don’t remember him, and our youth have likely never heard of him. But Barry Commoner is credited as a founder of modern ecology and one of its most provocative thinkers and mobilizers.   He was a U.S. biologist and educator who taught at Washington University and Queens College. His warnings, since the 1950s, of the environmental threats posed by modern technology (including nuclear weapons, use of pesticides and other toxic chemicals, and ineffective waste management) in such works as his classic Science and Survival (1966) made him one of the foremost environmentalist spokesmen of his time. He was a third-party candidate for U.S. president in 1980.

While not an Ohioan, Commoner was active in ecology long before Earth Day and carried forward important thought and attention to the environment which supports each of us. Perhaps the best eulogy I can offer is to repeat here four simple but deeply profound statements that he developed. Probably many more of us remember these statements than remember Commoner. Read them. Contemplate them. Incorporate their deeper meaning into your life. The result would be the most significant action one could take for the environment and in memory of Barry Commoner. 

Barry Commoner’s four informal rules of ecology

●  Everything is connected to everything else.

●  Everything must go somewhere.

●  Nature knows best.

●  There is no such thing as a free lunch.

 

Bob Glotzhober

AN OCTOBER PALEOAMERICAN ODYSSEY -- 2013!

For more information, check out the Paleoamerican Odyssey webpage.

I participated in the "Clovis and Beyond" conference in 1999 and it was amazing!

FORT RECOVERY VIRTUAL ROAD TRIP!

Take a virtual road trip to Fort Recovery -- the site of two of the most epic battles in the history of America's Indian Wars.

 

The Miami Chief Little Turtle and the Shawnee Chief Blue Jacket led a coalition of Native American forces to a complete victory over the larger, but ill-equipped and poorly disciplined army led by General Arthur St. Clair. It was the worst defeat ever suffered by the U.S. Army at the hands of Native Americans.

 

Two years after the battle, General Anthony Wayne established a fort on the site as part of his campaign to end Native American resistance to the expansion of the fledgling United States. The largest force of Native American warriors ever assembled in eastern North America attacked the fort, but this time, they were unable to defeat the more disciplined American army protected behind the strong walls of the fort.

 

WOSU radio recently featured Fort Recovery in their popular "Road Trip" series. Now, no matter where you live, you can take a brief audio tour of the battlefield. Hopefully, it will inspire you to want to visit this remarkable site in person.

 

Researchers from Ball State University are conducting archaeological research at Fort Recovery to better understand the battles.

 

 

Brad Lepper