Woodland Villages

While man banded together in smaller groups and semi-permanent villages during the previous time periods, now the population allowed, and probably demanded, that Woodland era people band together in larger groups, forming larger, more permanent villages. Along with this grouping began the development, most likely based on need, for a societal structure with leadership positions. Woodland people lived in circular huts with a domed roof made from saplings stuck into the ground with a bark or matted exterior. Also being developed were ceremonial rituals and mortuary practices. The archaeological record based on artifacts recovered from various mounds and burial sites indicate that the mortuary ceremonies during this period were complex and elaborate. The era of the Adena people had evolved, and after them the Hopewell – both leaving behind evidence of their burial rituals in the form of mounds which can still be seen across much of America’s landscape today.

Source: Museum of Native America