ohio archaeology month...scioto county. the early woodland period was dominated by the adena...

8000–800 B.C. 800 B.C.–A.D. 900 800–100 B.C. 12000–8000 B.C. PALEOINDIAN PERIOD ARCHAIC PERIOD WOODLAND PERIOD EARLY WOODLAND PERIOD A.D. 900–1650 LATE PRECONTACT PERIOD MIDDLE WOODLAND PERIOD 100 B.C.–A.D. 500 Paleoindians were the hunting and gathering peoples who originally discovered the Americas. They lived in Ohio in the last centuries of the Ice Age and hunted now extinct species of big game animals such as mammoths and mastodons. They also hunted deer, fished and gathered nuts and fruit when available. Their distinctive Clovis points, like the one pictured, can be found across North America. Archaic hunters and gatherers continued the successful way of life of their Paleoindian ancestors, but moved about in a smaller area. They found new ways to harvest the natural bounty of Ohio’s forests, which grew as the climate warmed after the Ice Age. As with other time periods, one of the more important natural resources was flint. It was mined from several locations in Ohio including Coshocton and Licking County. One of the most well-known extinct Ice Age animals found in Ohio was the American mastodon, Mammut americanum. Several nearly complete specimens are on display at museums in the state, including the famous Conway mastodon displayed at the Ohio History Center. The Woodland Period marks an increase in the use of pottery and cultivated plants, and the appearance of settled village life and mound building in eastern North America. In addition, the pace of cultural change began to quicken. This effigy pipe, representing a duck, was excavated from Tremper Mound, a Hopewell culture site located five miles north of Portsmouth in Scioto County. The Early Woodland Period was dominated by the Adena culture. The sandstone tablet pictured is engraved with stylized human faces on the heads of stylized birds. It was made by the people of the Adena culture and found in Clinton County, Ohio. This tablet is one of only 13 made by the Adena people existing today. The Middle Woodland Period is noteworthy because of the widespread construction of large geometric earthwork complexes, concentrated in central and southern Ohio. These ancient American Indians were connected to far away places. For example, this effigy of a hawk claw pictured was cut from a sheet of mica from North Carolina was excavated from the Hopewell Mound Group in Ross County, Ohio sometime between 1922–1925. The Late Precontact Period refers to the time immediately before Europeans moved into the Ohio country. The American Indian cultures occupying Ohio during this period lived in large villages often surrounded by a stockade wall. They grew maize (or corn), beans and squash in their fields and continued to hunt and fish. The Fort Ancient culture thrived in southern Ohio and northern Kentucky. These bone awls pictured were excavated from Feurt Mound and Village in Scioto County Ohio, which was built by the Fort Ancient culture. OHIO ARCHAEOLOGY MONTH TIMELINE

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8000–800 B.C.

800 B.C.–A.D. 900

800–100 B.C.

12000–8000 B.C.

PALEOINDIANPERIOD

ARCHAICPERIOD

WOODLANDPERIOD

EARLY WOODLANDPERIOD

A.D. 900–1650

LATEPRECONTACTPERIOD

MIDDLE WOODLANDPERIOD

100 B.C.–A.D. 500

Paleoindians were the hunting and gathering peoples who originally discovered the Americas. They lived in Ohio in the last centuries of the Ice Age and hunted now extinct species of big game animals such as mammoths and mastodons. They also hunted deer, fished and gathered nuts and fruit when available. Their distinctive Clovis points, like the one pictured, can be found across North America.

Archaic hunters and gatherers continued the successful way of life of their Paleoindian ancestors, but moved about in a smaller area. They found new ways to harvest the natural bounty of Ohio’s forests, which grew as the climate warmed after the Ice Age. As with other time periods, one of the more important natural resources was flint. It was mined from several locations in Ohio including Coshocton and Licking County.

One of the most well-known extinct Ice Age animals found in Ohio was the American mastodon, Mammut americanum. Several nearly complete specimens are on display at museums in the state, including the famous Conway mastodon displayed at the Ohio History Center.

The Woodland Period marks an increase in the use of pottery and cultivated plants, and the appearance of settled village life and mound building in eastern North America. In addition, the pace of cultural change began to quicken. This effigy pipe, representing a duck, was excavated from Tremper Mound, a Hopewell culture site located five miles north of Portsmouth in Scioto County.

The Early Woodland Period was dominated by the Adena culture. The sandstone tablet pictured is engraved with stylized human faces on the heads of stylized birds. It was made by the people of the Adena culture and found in Clinton County, Ohio. This tablet is one of only 13 made by the Adena people existing today.

The Middle Woodland Period is noteworthy because of the widespread construction of large geometric earthwork complexes, concentrated in central and southern Ohio. These ancient American Indians were connected to far away places. For example, this effigy of a hawk claw pictured was cut from a sheet of mica from North Carolina was excavated from the Hopewell Mound Group in Ross County, Ohio sometime between 1922–1925.

The Late Precontact Period refers to the time immediately before Europeans moved into the Ohio country. The American Indian cultures occupying Ohio during this period lived in large villages often surrounded by a stockade wall. They grew maize (or corn), beans and squash in their fields and continued to hunt and fish. The Fort Ancient culture thrived in southern Ohio and northern Kentucky. These bone awls pictured were excavated from Feurt Mound and Village in Scioto County Ohio, which was built by the Fort Ancient culture.

OHIO ARCHAEOLOGY MONTHTIMELINE