Ohio Hopewell Ceremonial Bladelet Use at the Moorehead Circle, Fort Ancient

A microwear analysis of Hopewell bladelets from the Moorehead Circle, Fort Ancient Earthworks, reveals that these ceremonial artifacts were used for a wide range of tasks, similar to those found at other Ohio sites. This challenges the notion that bladelets in ritual contexts served solely symbolic or ceremonial functions, instead indicating their multipurpose utility even in high-activity ceremonial settings. The study applied use-wear analysis—a method previously limited to domestic contexts—to a well-provenienced ceremonial assemblage, providing new insights into prehistoric activities at this significant site.

Miller, G. L. (2014). Ohio Hopewell Ceremonial Bladelet Use at the Moorehead Circle, Fort Ancient. Midcontinental Journal of Archaeology, 39(1), 83–102. https://doi.org/10.1179/2327427113y.0000000002