The Ohio Hopewell Episode: Paradigm Lost and Paradigm Gained

2. The C-R Configuration (Circle-Rectilinear)

Name /uap04/22015_u03 04/28/04 01:47PM Plate # 0-Composite pg 36 # 1 ⫺1 0 ⫹1 36 Chapter 2 T H E C - R C O N F I G U R A T I O N ( C I R C L E - R E C T I L I N E A R ) The Complex G-Form of the Chillicothe Tradition appears to be underwritten by a basic dual patterning of conjoined circular and rectilinear earthworks. This will be termed here the C-R Configuration (Circle-Rectilinear Configuration). There appear to be two basic modes by which the C and the R components are conjoined. These conjoining modes are represented by the hyphen (-) in the C-R acronym. While the rectilinear components vary between symmetrical and subsymmetrical squares, and other rectilinears, such as octagons, and one rhomboid, the circle components are almost always symmetrical. The variation in the form of the rectilinears and the number and sizes of the circles appear to be correlated with the two different conjoining modes, thereby constituting the Chillicothe Tradition as being defined by two C-R Configuration variants. These two C-R variants of are well illustrated by the High Bank Works (fig. 1.2) and the Liberty Works (fig. P.3). The Circle-Octagon of the High Bank site can be used as the type site for what is termed here the High Bank C-R Configuration variant. Liberty Works is a slightly deviant example of what will be termed the Paint Creek C-R Configuration variant, a name chosen because there are five major embankment sites in the central Paint Creek-Scioto region that display the basic attributes of this C-R Con- figuration variant: Liberty Works, Seip (fig. P.4), Works East (fig. 2.1), Name /uap04/22015_u03 05/11/04 10:36AM Plate # 0-Composite pg 37 # 1 t h e c - r c o n f i g u r a t i o n 37 ⫺1 0 ⫹1 Baum (fig. 2.2), and Frankfort (fig. 2.3). Arguably, the Hopewell site (fig. P.5) also displays the basic components of the Paint Creek C-R Configuration. Adding this site to the above five means that there are at least six Paint Creek C-R Configuration embankment earthwork sites in this immediate region, all within Ross County, Ohio. the high ba nk c-r configurati on The High Bank site (fig. 1.3) is one of at least three clearly recognizable versions of this Complex G-Form type. Another is the Newark Circle-Octagon (fig. P.1), and a third is the Circleville site (fig. 2.4), on the Scioto River, about halfway between Chillicothe and Columbus, Ohio. Among several other sites that can be considered as falling within this category are Dunlaps Work (fig. 2.5), north of Chillicothe; the concentric quartered circles of Portsmouth, termed the Indian Fort (fig. 2.6); and the circle-rectilinear at Marietta (fig. 2.7). The northern component of Fort Ancient (fig. P.7) may have critical properties embedded in it that would allow classifying that component as the equivalent of a High Bank C-R Configuration.1 If these are treated as subvariants, then there are at least seven known sites that display all or some of the elements of the High Bank C-R Configuration: High Bank itself, Newark, Circleville, Dunlaps Work, and elements of Portsmouth, Marietta , and Fort Ancient. The C (Circle) and R (Octagon) of High Bank are conjoined by a set of parallel K-Profile embankments that will be termed here the aggregation neck or, more simply, the neck. If a line were drawn parallel through the neck and extended in both directions to the far perimeter of the Circle and the far side of the Octagon, it would bisect the total C-R Configuration into almost perfect mirror-image halves. This mirror-image symmetry is an important criterion of the High Bank C-R Configuration type. Also it will be noted that the Octagon component is constructed by straight embankments that, with one exception , do not connect, in this way forming what appear to be “gates.” Again, the use of this or related terms, such as “entryway,” or “gate- Name /uap04/22015_u03 05/11/04 10:36AM Plate # 0-Composite pg 38 # 2 38 t h e w o...