Geochemistry, Geophysics, and Ritual at the Moorehead Circle

The Moorehead Circle is a unique Hopewellian (ca. AD 100 to AD 400) architectural and ritual activity area within the Fort Ancient earthwork (33WA2). Except for the artifacts and features associated with their mortuary program found in and below earthen mounds, most Hopewell ritual areas are virtually devoid of material remains. The data in this article demonstrate that many ritual activities may leave invisible traces. Measuring soil phosphate (PO4) and magnetic susceptibility (MS) are quick, minimally destructive methods for efficiently studying larger scale ritual landscapes. By mapping PO4 and MS in two anthropogenic strata within and around the Moorehead Circle, the authors identified previously undetected areas of ritual and domestic activity, both within and beyond the excavated areas. The locus of the most intense activity and the type of activity in the Moorehead Circle changed during the site's history, indicating changes in the structure and organization of ritual practices in and about the Moorehead Circle.