^°No'!°7bf''^" APPALACHIAN REGION ANCIENT TRIBES — HOFFMAN 225 



Map 10. — Components of the .Fort Ancient Aspect. 



gahela. The Mississippian influences are attenuated most in the 

 Shenk's Ferry Aspect, but still give this culture a distinctive cast 

 (Butler, 1939; Evans, 1955; Griffin, 1952; Manson, MacCord, and 

 Griffin, 1944, p. 416; Mayer-Cakes, 1955, pp. 98-112, 155-162, 220- 

 224; Witthoft, 1954; 1955; Witthoft and Farver, 1952). 



The Monongahela Aspect is distributed over a large territory which 

 includes eastern Ohio, northern West Virginia, and the western parts 

 of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. The Monongahela Focus 

 is largely west of the Appalachian Divide and the Luray Focus en- 

 tu-ely east of the Divide (see map 11). Both foci are characterized by 

 distinctive pottery vessels and pipe types, by certain kinds of beads, 

 pendants, and projectile points, and the occurrence of heavily fortified 

 hilltop villages displaying round stockades and houses, and central 

 plazas. From his study of the Monongahela Focus Mayer-Oakes 

 concluded that 



The abundance and relative richness of Monongahela sites imply that these 

 peoples were probably the most numerous single group of Indians ever to live 

 in the Upper Ohio Valley. The general excellence of pottery and other artifacts, 

 control over environment and creation of leisure time indicate that the Monon- 

 gahela villagers had reached a high level of adjustment to their natural surround- 

 ings. . . . Warfare and military activities were an important aspect of life in 

 Monongahela times. The very structure of the village indicates that ideas of 

 protection were prevalent. Also many village situations, on hilltops and other 



