Havana Hopewell culture facts for kids
The Havana Hopewell culture was a group of people who lived a long time ago in the central United States. They were part of a bigger group called the Hopewell culture. These people lived along the Illinois River and Mississippi River in places that are now Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri. They lived there for about 600 years, from around 200 BCE to 400 CE.
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The Hopewell Trading Network
The Hopewell culture was not just one single group of people. It was more like a huge network of different groups who traded and shared ideas. This network, sometimes called the Hopewell Exchange System, started around 300 BCE. It began in the Ohio and Illinois River Valleys.
The Havana Hopewell culture was a key part of this network. They lived mainly in the central Illinois River Valley. But their influence spread far. We find their sites in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa.
These ancient people had amazing trading routes. They traded valuable goods across long distances. For example, they got a volcanic glass called obsidian all the way from the Yellowstone area. They also traded for copper from the Lake Superior region. Beautiful shells came from the Gulf Coast.
Important Havana Hopewell Sites
Archaeologists have found many places where the Havana Hopewell people lived and built things. These sites help us understand their lives.
Toolesboro Mound Group
The Toolesboro Mound Group is in Louisa County, Iowa. It once had a huge eight-sided earthwork. This large enclosure covered several acres. It reminds us of similar big earthworks found in places like Chillicothe and Newark, Ohio.
This site also has seven burial mounds. These mounds are on a bluff overlooking the Iowa River. This is close to where the Iowa River joins the Mississippi River. The mounds are shaped like cones. They were built between 100 BCE and 200 CE.
There might have been as many as twelve mounds here at one time. Mound 2 is the largest one still standing. It is 100 feet wide and 8 feet tall. This mound was likely the biggest Hopewell mound in Iowa.
Ogden-Fettie Site
The Ogden-Fettie Site is another important Havana Hopewell location. It is near Lewistown, Illinois in Fulton County, Illinois. This site was a settlement where people lived. It also has a complex of thirty-five mounds. These mounds are arranged in a crescent shape.
