Figure 5: The Ceremonial Circle, The Biggs Circle
A significant feature in the early earthwork plans published by Squier and Davis (1848) was the ceremonial circle which occurred widely in the Ohio Valley and was well known prior to Webb's work. As though cut from a template, ceremonial circles were highly similar, perfectly circular and surrounded with a ditch with the dirt thrown to the outside.Some had mounds inside, and all had one or more entryways which generally pointed toward the cardinal directions.
For Webb, the class was typified by the Mt. Horeb earthwork (l5Fal) and his monograph, summarizing his Mt. Horeb excavations (1941b) characterized the type, its use, and its distribution. Webb excavated a series of ceremonial circles (Mt. Horeb, Biggs, and Camargo) but published only this one. Understandably his interpretation was highly influenced by it.
While Mt. Horeb contained an inner post circle others did not. Again, although
his excavation of Mt. Horeb revealed its interior ritual area as a virtual tabla
rasa devoid of evidence for any activities, such was not the case at other circles.
Webb saw in the ceremonial circle a meeting place not unlike the Crigler paired
post example. In fact, his interpretation of the earthworks in effect merged
paired post circles and circular earthworks in form and function.
