Hopewell panpipe, music, art, and expression : an exploration of music in hopewell culture

Abstract

Copper played an important symbolic role in the Hopewell Interaction Sphere, and was used in a number of ritual items, ranging from effigies to panpipes. The role of panpipes in Hopewell is not clear; panpipes have only been recovered from mortuary contexts, and we have little to no knowledge of their living context. I report on my experimental effort to recreate a Hopewell panpipe. My methods include a thorough review of archaeological site reports, and taking a series of measurements on Hopewell panpipes based on archaeological data. These data and measurements resulted in the creation of a series of panpipes in the Hopewellian style, using materials that were readily available to the Hopewell or closely mirror those materials. My reconstruction creates a basic instrument that can be used for comparison with archaeological remains, and to achieve a better understanding of how Hopewell panpipes were made, what materials were used, and the by-products created by their manufacture.