Ohio Valley Archaeology

The overarching goal of my research is to document,  compare, and interpret major trends in cultural evolution within this important  geographic region ca. 11,000-500 B. P.

Current Research Projects

Mark F. Seeman

mseeman@kent.edu

Department of Anthropology,  Kent State University
Organization of Early Paleoindian Technology: We use both spatial patterning and chaîne opératoire concepts to understand activities at Nobles Pond (33ST357), one of the earliest archaeological sites yet documented in northern Ohio.  Current efforts focus on systematically re-fitting fragments of  artifacts that were broken in use, in order  to understand complex patterns of salvage and recycling in this highly curated assemblage.  Our re-fitting methodology has proven to be one of the most successful ever developed.

Related publications: Seeman, 1994, Am Antiquity 59:273-288; Seeman et al., 1994, The First Discovery of America (W. Dancey, ed.), pp. 77-94; Morris et al., 1999, Ohio Arch 49(2):4-12.

The Mounded Landscapes of Ohio: Hopewell Patterns and Placements:  In this research, we are investigating the cumulative decisions that resulted in the distribution of prehistoric Woodland period (ca. 3000-1000 B. P. ) mounds in southern Ohio.  Using GIS, an extensive data base, and a multi-scalar approach, we now see the origins of an Ohio Hopewell identify as tied to the distinctive decisions that were made for the placement of ritual sites.

The Hopewell exchange and modification of bear canine ornaments: This fledgling project, conducted with graduate student Benjamin Heinlen, will examine the sources of these materials and the ways they were used.  We currently have metric data on over 500 canines, some modern and some dating to A.D. 1-350.

Research & Education in Archaeology at Kent State University

There are a variety of opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate research in Ohio archaeology at KSU.  Our facilities provide opportunities in lithic, ceramic, floral and faunal analyses, as well as an extensive collection of archaeological materials and records.  Visit KSU's web site at http://www.kent.eduand the Department of Anthropology's web page at http://www.kent.edu:80/anthropology/index.html to learn more!

Link to my vita

Additional Links

http://www.saa.org: home page for the Society for American Archaeology.

http://archnet.asu.edu/archnet/default.html: preservation and "banking" of archaeological sites on private property.

http://cerhas.uc.edu/earthworks/resource.htm: movie clips of Hopewell & Fort Ancient sites.

www.noblespond.com: Nobles Pond project

End scraper refits show location of use-breaks and asymmetrical  distal modification  for rehafting.

Radically fractures result from breaking large tools and recycling the pieces to a larger number of  small tools.

Mound distributions Ross Co., Ohio.  Blue dots are 500 B.C.-A.D. 1, red dots are A.D. 1-350.

Matched set of four bear canines with pearl insets, Seip Mound, Ross Co., Ohio. 

Funding for the research described on this page has been provided by the National Science Foundation, the National Park Service, and the Timken Foundation. University.  Their support is appreciated.