The Mann Phase

A comprehensive overview of an important

archaeological site from the Middle Woodland Period that represents a unique

cultural phenomenon



The Mann site,

located in southwestern Indiana, is one of the most consequential but enigmatic

archaeological sites of the Middle Woodland period. Dating to 200?600 CE, the site

has long been known to archaeologists, but little research on it has been

published. This book is the first to provide a comprehensive overview of this

and other related sites that together constitute a distinct cultural phase.

Spanning over six

hundred acres, the Mann site features diverse earthworks, including geometric

shapes, platform mounds, and burial mounds. In this book, Michael Strezewski

draws on a decade of research in the area to reveal that the Mann phase blended

traits from Hopewell culture in both Ohio and the Southeast, a unique

phenomenon not seen elsewhere. Artifacts made from exotic materials suggest

extensive connections across North America. Evidence shows a large population

lived near the mounds, unusual for Hopewell communities. Geophysical surveys indicate

the presence of thousands of subsurface features related to the village, and

various ceremonial elements offer insights into Hopewell rituals.

This book

demonstrates that the people of the Mann phase, while part of the Hopewell

world, continuously created and redefined their cultural identity. Strezewski presents

a wealth of evidence that the Mann site is highly significant, perhaps the

largest habitation site of its time. The new findings in this volume will

impact interpretations of Hopewell culture in the Midwest for years to come.



A volume in the

Florida Museum of Natural History: Ripley P. Bullen Series