Estimated Locations of Three Altars and the Copper Deposit
under Mound 25 in the Hopewell Earthwork
Mound 25, Altar 2. On the map of Mound 25 provided in Appendix 7.2, the
location of Altar 2 has been estimated from Greber’s (Greber and Ruhl 1989:77) research
of field notes and maps. There are significant discrepancies between Greber’ (Greber and
Ruhl 1989:figure 2.15) published estimated floor plan of mound 25 and Moorehead’s
(1922:Plate 47) published and unpublished (1891-1892) maps of the mound. The
correspondence between Greber’s published map, Shetrone’s (1926:inset) published map,
and Dorsey’s (1891) field notes and map of the floor plan of Mound 25 is good.
According to Greber(Greber and Ruhl 1989:77), Altar 2 was located in cut 6:
“The second altar in the great mound was discovered about seventy feet north of
altar 1. Its extreme length, measuring from the outer edge, was seven feet, and its
breadth, five feet and nine inches. The depression or basin measured fifteen
inches in depth, fort inches in length, and thirty inches in width.”
Greber (Greber and Ruhl 1989:85) further notes:
“The location of “altar 2” is more problematic. Seventy feet directly northeast of
“altar” 1 on Shetrone’s map is an area not excavated by Moorehead.
Approximately 60 feet just north of east on Shetrone’s map there is what appears
to be a spot where Moorehead crews dug into a baulk. Shetrone, on the basis of
objects found in the backdirt, located “altar” 2 50 to 56 feet southeast of “altar”1
(see circular dotted area in Fig. 2.15). However, Moorehead crews using hand
shovels customarily threw back dirk “behind” them five feet or so. About five feet
west of Shertrone’s published “altar” 2 there is an “altar” sized feature on the field
map which was not copied onto the published map. It is quite clear that “altar” 2
must be within Cut 6; more likely south than north of “altar” 1. There are
misplaced north arrows in other parts of the field notes; this is a very easy mistake
to make. One of these was published with the floor map of Mound 25 (Moorehead
1922:Pl. 47).”
In Moorehead’s published map, Burials 289-290 lie within cut 6, to the southeast of Altar
2, and further southeast than any other features in the cut. In contrast, in Greber’s
published map, Burials 289-290 are at the far northwest end of the extent of his
excavations in Cut 6, as they would be if she had “corrected” the orientation of Cut 6, i..e.
mirror-reflected Cut 6 in Mooreheads published map around Burials 289-290 and Burial
245. Unfortunately, Greber does not locate Altar 2 on her map. However, following her
convention of mirror-reflecting Cut 6 as shown on Moorehead’s map, the location of
Altar 2 probably corresponds to the circular or square dotted areas on Greber’s published
map, just northwest of Burials 15, 19 and 20 (Greber and Ruhl 1989:figure 2.15).
Mound 25 Copper Deposit. The location of the Copper Deposit in Hopewell
Mound 25 has been approximated from descriptions by Greber and Moorehead.
According to Greber (Greber and Ruhl 1989:100), the copper deposit was located as
follows:
“About ten feet from skeletons 260-261 and twenty-eight feet from altar 1, a
remarkable deposit of symbols and ornaments cut from thin copper was
discovered four feet from the base line of the mound, buried beneath sixteen feet
of solid earth.”
According to Moorehead (1922:109), the location would have been as follows:
“Near the centre of this section [section 3], 4 feet from the base line, were found
one hundred and twenty pieces of sheet copper. They were all laid flat and
occupied a space 3 feet long by 2 feet wide, with layers of bark above and below.”
In both Moorehead’s (1922:Plate 47) published map and Moorehead’s (1891)unpublished
map (Appendix 7.2), the Copper Deposit is located to the northeast of the double burial
260-261. This location coincides with burials 270, 271, and 275 on Greber’s (Greber and
Ruhl 1989:figure 2.15) published map. Our best estimate of the Copper Deposit then is
approximately located 10 feet northwest of both Burials 260-261 and Burial 275 and 38
feet southeast of Altar 1.
Mound 25 SHField:7-16A. The location of the third altar under Mound 25,
SHField:7-16A, has been approximated from Shetrone’s Field Notes (1924:9). According
to Shetrone, SHField:7-16A was located as follows:
An interesting disclosure, centering on the 230 foot line, 15 feet south of center,
was a deposit of charred matter similar to the one noted last week north of center.
It covered a circular area a trifle less than 10 feet across, the charred matter,
apparently burned wood, twigs and grass, being six inches deep at center.
Shertrone’s 220 foot line ran through the double burial 260-261 (Shetrone 1924:15) and
the 240 foot line ran through burial 14 (Shetrone 1924:10). These lines were along the
northwest-southeast axis of Mound 25 and progressed from its southwestern edge to its
northeastern edge. The centerline ran southwest-northeast through the double burial 260261. Using the above described grid system, SHField:7-16A is approximated as having
been located southeast of Burial 260-261 near the burned area shown on Shertrone’s
(1926:inset) published map. It is unclear whether SHField:7-16A corresponds with the
burned area, but there was charred matter in the altar. Regardless, altar SHField:7-16A
was located within the southeastern portion of cluster E, at its periphery. This position is
analogous to one of the two estimated locations of altar SHField:7-9A on the
northwestern periphery of cluster E.
MD25 SHField:7-9A. The location of the fourth altar under Mound 25,
SHField:7-9A, has been approximated from Shetrone’s Field Notes (1924:6). According
to Shetrone (1924:6), SHField:7-9A was located as follows:
On the 210 foot line, 15 feet in from the north wall, we uncovered an area some 6
feet across composed of charcoal and charred wood, grass, twigs, etc., in which
were found several eagle claws, pieces of cut wolf and bear jaws, and bits of
mica. The area paved with small flat stones, midway between the south wall and
center, as shown on the field map last season, was found to extend an additional
six feet to the east and measuring about 12 feet long by 6 feet wide. (see map)
Shertrone’s 200 foot line runs through burials 11 and 12 (1924:14) and the 220 foot line
runs through the double burial 260-261 (1924:15). These lines were along the northwestsoutheast axis of Mound 25 and progressed from its southwestern edge to its northeastern
edge. The centerline ran southwest-northeast through the double burial 260-261.
The SHField:7-9A is located “in” from a north wall but it is not clear whether the north
wall refers to Moorehead’s or to Shertrone’s end of excavation. Using Moorehead’s end
of excavation, 15 feet in from its edge would have been in the middle of burials 281, 283,
and 284, so it can not be there. There is space for SHField:7-9A to have been located to
the south of Altar 1 between Burial 283 to the northwest and Burial 264 to the south east.
This possible position was centrally located in cluster E along with Altar 1 and the
Copper Deposit. However, the position is more than 15 feet in from the edge of
Moorehead’s north excavation wall. An alternative location for SHField:7-9A is a
burned area roughly 15 feet inside of Shertrone’s end of excavation and roughly on the
210 foot line. This position of the altar is peripherally located on the northwestern edge of
cluster E, analogous to the estimated peripheral location of altar SHField:7-16A on the
southeastern edge of cluster E.