A comprehensive overview of an important
archaeological site from the Middle Woodland Period that represents a unique
cultural phenomenon
The Mann site,
located in southwestern Indiana, is one of the most consequential but enigmatic
archaeological sites of the Middle Woodland period. Dating to 200600 CE, the site
has long been known to archaeologists, but little research on it has been
published. This book is the first to provide a comprehensive overview of this
and other related sites that together constitute a distinct cultural phase.
Spanning over six
hundred acres, the Mann site features diverse earthworks, including geometric
shapes, platform mounds, and burial mounds. In this book, Michael Strezewski
draws on a decade of research in the area to reveal that the Mann phase blended
traits from Hopewell culture in both Ohio and the Southeast, a unique
phenomenon not seen elsewhere. Artifacts made from exotic materials suggest
extensive connections across North America. Evidence shows a large population
lived near the mounds, unusual for Hopewell communities. Geophysical surveys indicate
the presence of thousands of subsurface features related to the village, and
various ceremonial elements offer insights into Hopewell rituals.
This book
demonstrates that the people of the Mann phase, while part of the Hopewell
world, continuously created and redefined their cultural identity. Strezewski presents
a wealth of evidence that the Mann site is highly significant, perhaps the
largest habitation site of its time. The new findings in this volume will
impact interpretations of Hopewell culture in the Midwest for years to come.
A volume in the
Florida Museum of Natural History: Ripley P. Bullen Series