earthworks, embankments, and walls

A few little updates for this week. I am currently working on the Theory chapter of IS and it is going pretty well so far, which could either be a good thing or horribly awful because I am overlooking something very important. There are only a few more days until I return home for Thanksgiving break where I will be visiting Highbanks again, this time to look at the artifacts on display there. I actually get to have the case opened and touch them!!!!

A little more about the theory chapter:
As of right now I am discussing the various theories on the purpose/usage of earthworks. I am looking at the latest theories, starting with Prufer. The main ideas that I am coming across are "Vacant  Center" theory, also known as the "Dispersed Sedentary Theory", The "Corporate Center Plan", "Central Place", etc. The main theory that I will be working with will most likely be the "Vacant Center" theory which basically says that Hopewellian communities made up of single- or multiple- family households are scattered across the landscape but concentrated around the centrally located burial and ceremonial precincts. These precincts are not directly occupied and coincide with the "Hopewell mortuary cult". It is implied by Prufer that the hamlets that surround the centers constitute as a community, hamlets are self-sufficient. These ceremonial centers are vacant only in the sense that there is no permanent residential population. The centers, with their surrounding 'communities' are then scattered along rivers.

It is an exciting chapter in that I now get to explore the function behind the Orange Township earthworks in a broad and narrow scale.

Stay tuned for more updates!!

IS turned in!

I have completed my Geology Junior I.S. and have turned it in! I also am mailing off a copy as my official proposal to the Ohio Historical Society. Hopefully all will go well, cross your fingers!

Update (a little late)

hello again!
A lot has happened in the way of writing since I last posted. My I.S. is coming along really well and after my meeting this morning with Dr. Wilson I am excited to continue writing. I'm working on a discussion chapter, Carbon dating chapter, and a Lit. review. Everything is going pretty well and I think this is going to be a great paper when I am done with it. I never thought I would be so excited about I.S. but its turning out to be awesome.
I plan on calling Elizabeth Fields in the next few days and try to set up a meeting with her. She is in charge of Highbanks.

weekly update #2

Hi again!
This week I visited the Ohio Historical Societies archaeology collections building.
The Orange Township Works site was excavated in 1951/52 but was never published. The original field notes and artifacts are available in the collections so I hunted then down. Brad Lepper was my contact at the Collections department and he invited me to come down and look at all of the data that was there. When I arrived both Brad and Linda Pansing had set out the files and drawer of artifacts for me. Brad and Linda were so helpful and both really open to my project. When I strated to go through the notes, photos and artifacts the most interesting thing that I found was that there were a lot more artifacts that were found then I had realized. The few sources  found talking about my site had mentioned a few sherds of pottery but never the hundreds of flint chips and charcoal pieces. There was visible evidence that people had been working with flint at this site. The photos also helped me to see how big the tests trenches were, turns out a lot bigger than I thought. The charcoal in the collection really got me excited though. Brad and Linda both said that if my sampling does not yield any testable material for C14 dating that I can submit a request to test the charcoal that is available. This could be the thing that takes my project to the next level because in the end I want to put a date on the site, C14 dating is the best way for me to get a date. Great thanks goes out to Brad Lepper and Linda Pansing for helping me and allowing me to sit for an hour and a half looking through everything.
Today I am going out to Highbanks park to take some pictures of the site and look at some of the artifacts that are on display in the visitor center.

weekly update #1

Hello again!
Today I had my I.S. meeting with Dr. Wilson and we went over this weeks draft. I feel like I am making good progress content wise but apparently I have issues with the words "are" and "is". I will have to work on that. My goals for my next draft are to rewrite, working on my consistency, proofreading and attention to style and trying to make it all look cleaner. I will also be starting my "proposed methods" section. In order to these things I want to find the topo map of the area in the unorganized library stacks *yikes* and find a few sources to back up my information. A longer term goal is to have my I.S. basically all written by November sometime so that I can have a month to pollish and fill-in. Wish me luck and I'll keep everyone posted.

In case anyone wanted a map of Highbanks!