The Middle Woodland Tradition

The Middle Woodland Tradition. . Approximately 2000 years ago, Native Americans across most of the eastern part of the continent, developed a complex ceremonial system during a period that archaeologists refer to as the Middle Woodland., Mound building had been practiced by earlier groups, but this tradition brought on a dramatic increase in the construction of large, complex earthworks. Elaborate funeral rituals, geometric earthworks, and trade in exotic materials obtained from distant locations are hallmarks of the Middle Woodland Tradition., Exotic materials, marine shells, and high quality chert for making stone tools were transported across the eastern portion of the continent through extensive trade networks. These trade networks also served as paths by which social and religious ideas were exchanged., Captions , Selected sites of the Moodland Tradition and the Ohio Hopewell Area, Interaction Spheres , The more broad Hopewell phenomena, extending far beyond an Ohio core area, has been termed an that offers an 'interaction sphere' - an area of exchanged influences that offers an increased opportunity for interaction between otherwise diverse groups. Such interaction spheres allow increased progress toward the development of civilizations. An area such as this can be seen as having an 'umbrella' influence or 'artistic language' that allows broad ranging contacts to have a context when dealing with 'far neighbors' who have access to materials or subsistence items that are otherwise not available., The Ohio Hopewell art, ritual, and built environment has commonalities with what is found at Pinson, Pinson also has strong relationships to the south and southeast., The Pinson Mounds Site