Iconography is the study of symbols and their interpretation. In American archaeology, it is a growing field of interest that is providing new insights into ancient cultural beliefs. In this volume eleven, scholars contribute 10 essays on a variety of iconographic topics in the Midwest and Eastern United States. Modern scholars are using early ethnographic records, Native American oral histories, and Native insights to assist in understanding the meanings of symbols on ancient sites and artifacts, including petroglyphs and pictographs, earthworks, and a wide variety of artworks on clay, shell, copper, and other media.
These symbols were created to send a message to the viewer and this new scholarship is helping understand those messages. One common icon found in this region is the Great Serpent. It is found in almost all media including the largest ancient earthwork in North America that stretches some 1,500 feet across a ridge in southern Ohio. Understanding its meaning is key to appreciating the ancient people who made them.
This volume is a valuable addition to a growing field of study. Well-illustrated and well-described, it is a book for both professionals and interested amateurs.