The Hopewell interaction sphere: the evidence for interregional trade and structural complexity

Seeman, Mark F.

Book

The Hopewell interaction sphere: the evidence for interregional trade and structural complexity

Indiana Historical Society • 5 (2) • Published In 1979 • Pages: 235-438 , plates

By: Seeman, Mark F..

Abstract
This monograph is a modified version of Seeman's Ph.D. dissertation. Seeman analyzes Struever and Houart's 1972 model of the Hopewell Interaction Sphere in more detail. Seeman tries to determine exactly what kind of artifacts were traded and how complex the system was. He presents a quantitative analysis of the items traded in the Interaction Sphere from data gathered from published literature, unpublished notes and manuscripts, personal communications, and museum collections. He also discusses potential sources of raw materials. The data are subjected to statistical analysis, especially factor analysis. He concludes, '…the Hopewell Interaction Sphere was not a particularly dynamic or integrated system…[T]he volume of interregional trade was rather low and the distribution of these goods extremely variable. The fact that the majority of the Interaction Sphere commodities were concentrated in Ohio, together with the clustering of complex sites in this area, suggests that interregional trade was predominantly a one-sided proposition, with the cultural groups of the Scioto area occupying the pivotal position.' (page 411). Only the area that is considered to be within Hopewell as defined by Peter N. Peregrine in the article 'Hopewell,' in the Encyclopedia of Prehistory, Peter N. Peregrine and Melvin Embers, editors, New York: Plenum Publishing Corporation, 2001-2002, was indexed for OCM (Outline of Cultural Materials) subjects.

Reviews and critiques

Theoretical orientation in research and its results

Organization and analysis of results of research

Smiths and their crafts

External trade

Burial practices and funerals

Hopewell

HRAF PubDate