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The Temporal and Social Implications of Ohio Hopewell Copper Ear Spool Design

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Katharine C. Ruhl  and
Mark F. Seeman
Katharine C. Ruhl
Affiliation:
Archaeology Department, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland, OH 44106
Mark F. Seeman
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242
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Abstract

In a recent synthesis of style theory, Carr (1995) proposed a model based on attribute hierarchies, which reveal social patterns. The present study applies Carr's model of style to a large sample of bicymbal copper ear spools, a diagnostic “Hopewell” artifact class of the Middle Woodland period (ca. 150 B.C.—A.D. 400) in eastern North America. After ear spool attributes are defined and ranked for their visibility, a seriation of the ear spools is developed and tested for time and space correlations. Results are consistent with the interpretation that the size of social groups participating in ritual events increased over time, while the technical requirements for ear spool durability decreased. The “visibility” of ear spool attributes relates to patterns of group interaction at the level of the site, sub-region and region, thus supporting Carr's model. The model has limitations when bridging from archaeological data to ethnographic interpretations, although our results indicate that exchange of finished goods and technology was less important within the context of the Hopewell Interaction Sphere than the construction of Hopewell ideologies.

Résumé

Résumé

En una síntesis reciente sobre la teoría del estilo, Carr (1995) propuso un modelo basado en jerarquía de atributos, que revelan patrones sociales. El presente estudio aplica el modelo de estilo de Carr a una amplia muestra de orejeras bicimbales de cobre, una clase de artefacto “Hopewell” diagnóstico del período Woodland Medio (ca. 150 B.C.—A.D. 400) en el este de Norte América. Luego de que los atribtos de las orejeras son definidos y ordenados de acuerdo a su visibilidad, el establecimiento de una serie de las orejeras pone a prueba la correlación de tiempo y espacio. Los resultados son consistentes con la interpretación de que el tamaño de los grupos sociales que participaron en eventos rituales se incrementó con el tiempo, mientras que los requisitos técnicos para la durabilidad de las orejeras disminuyeron. La “visibilidad” de los atributos de las orejeras está relacionada con patrones de interacción de grupos al nivel del sitio, subregión y región, apoyando así el modelo de Carr. El modelo presenta Umitaciones cuando se pasa de datos arqueologicos a interpretaciones etnográficas, pew nuestros resultados indican que el intercambio de artefactos y tecnología fue menos importante en el contexto de la Esfera de Interacción Hopewell que la construcción de ideologías Hopewell.

Type
Reports
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 63 , Issue 4 , October 1998 , pp. 651 - 662
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 1998

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