Exploring the Features Found During the 1971–1977 Seip Earthworks Excavation

Abstract

The 1971–1977 Ohio Historical Society excavations at the Seip earthworks in Ross County, Ohio uncovered seven Hopewell structures and numerous associated features. While the associated features have played a role in previous interpretations of structure function, they have not been adequately described in publications. In this article we provide detailed descriptions of the features based on archived field notes and photographs. We also consider the functions of these features and bring into the discussion more recent data from excavations conducted in the same general area of Seip by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and Arizona State University. We conclude that many of the large features inside the Seip structures are probably large post holes, rather than pits used for other, perhaps craft-production-related, functions.