A reexamination of the Middle Woodland chert disks from Neteler Mound

This article stems from a reexamination of the Middle Woodland chert disks recovered from the Neteler mound (Havana mound group) in the central Illinois Valley. These disks were used to form beds or platforms beneath several primary and secondary burials. The disks were recognized by James B. Griffin and H. Holmes Ellis, among others, as probably deriving from the Wyandotte (Harrison County) chert formation in Indiana; however, they were later reassigned by Howard Winters (1984) to the Dongola chert source of southern Illinois. An examination of 98 of these disks demonstrated that the disks are, in fact, of Wyandotte chert. Based on this conclusion, we explore the historical significane of the use of Wyandotte chert in this context in the Illinois Valley. We conclude that Neteler Mound is pivotal to understanding the historical development of Hopewell as a cultural phenomenon.