Exploring Hopewell Pyro Engineering
Experimental Replication of the “Pit and Tunnel” Features from the Turner Site (33HA26) in Southwest Ohio
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11205409 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Aaron R Comstock (0000-0001-9534-4452, University of Louisville, corresponding author), Katelynn R Russell (Indiana University East, 2325 Chester Blvd, Richmond, IN 47374), Kelly Russell (0000-0002-9159-9201, Indiana University East), Ryan J W Tincher (Stantec Consulting Services) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 50 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 63-88 |
| Publication date | 2025-04-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Midcontinental Journal of Archaeology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0146-1109 • E-ISSN: 2327-4271 |
| Publisher | University of Illinois Press (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.5406/23274271.50.1.03 |
| OpenAlex | W4411597399 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 22 |
The peoples referred to by archaeologists as “Hopewell” were expert artisans and adept engineers who created vast culturally modified landscapes. One of the most intriguing Hopewell sites is the Turner Earthwork Complex in southwest Ohio. This complex included enclosures, embankments, and mounds. Excavations beneath one mound by Harvard University's Peabody Museum in the 1880s revealed a circle of 30 large features originally referred to as “Pits and Tunnels”—deep pits connected by long angled tunnels. Evidence of intense burning in each of these features led to interpretations of them as possible kilns. We re-created one such feature and lit fires in order to examine the thermodynamics of these systems. Our findings reveal ingenious inventions akin to augmented draft kilns, and their design allows for the relatively easy production of temperatures in excess of 1000°C. While possible functions will be tested in a future study, this initial research provides insights into Hopewell engineering and activities at the Turner site
Archaeology · Biology · Geography · Mining engineering · Replication (statistics · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Archaeology and Natural History · Botany, Ecology, and Taxonomy Studies · Geology · History
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |