Ohio Hopewell Depictions of Composite Creatures

Archaeological analysis of four artifacts from the Turner earthwork, a Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks site in Ohio, reveals that composite creatures depicted on these artifacts were likely used in ritual dramas to guide recently deceased individuals through an underwater-underground realm during their journey to the afterlife. This finding contrasts with historical accounts of Woodland-Plains Indians, who typically described the afterlife journey as occurring on an earth-disk or by ascension. The study integrates biological identification of the creatures' components with a survey of traditional knowledge about their roles, providing new insights into Hopewell ceremonialism and challenging recent interpretive trends that overemphasize 'world renewal' while neglecting eschatological matters.

Carr, C., & McCord, R. (2015). Ohio Hopewell Depictions of Composite Creatures. Midcontinental Journal of Archaeology, 40(1), 18–47. https://doi.org/10.2307/26599908