It is evident that the Mound Builders in the Ohio Valley venerated the Earth Mother in the alignments of several of the earthworks in the Ohio Valley. The Native American religion is revealed at Mounds State Park and at Newark, Ohio. Both of these earth works are aligned to 66 degrees to the east to mark the sunrise on May 1st. This day has been venerated by Earth Mother worshipers throughout the ancient world and as part of the canon of Native American religions.
The constricted middle of the earthwork at Mounds State Park may be a clue to the meaning of this reoccurring shape in other works. This earthwork is at a 66 degree angle and aligns to the May 1st sunrise that has been associated with "life." It will also align with the sunset on October 31st, the day that still associated with "death."
The Earth Mother henge can still be viewed to the north of the main group of henges that are aligned to the Winter and Summer solstices. Archaeologists determined the gateway is aligned to the Equinox sunrise??? I have been to this work on the sunrise of March 21st and the sun rises to the north of the gateway.
At the bottom of the bluff was once a cave entrance. Although caved in the entrance can still be made out. The cave is symbolic of the womb of the Mother Earth. Above the cave are the henges that are aligned to the Winter Solstice sunrise; a day associated with the birth of the "Sun god." It is not a coincidence that in all ancient religions the Sun god is born in a cave from a virgin mother.
You can still discern the location of the cave entrance. Around the cave are several springs that are high in iron oxides. Iron oxides or red ochre represents the female menses and is common in Adena Hopewell graves that represents the "rebirth" of those interned. The burial mound representing the impregnated nave of the Mother Earth.
One of several springs at Mounds State Park at the bottom of the bluff beneath the henge complex that are high in iron oxides. This represents the menses of the Earth Mother.
What may be another clue to earth Mother worship is this serpentine rock formation that extends across the White River at the bottom of the bluff adjacent to the cave entrance. The photo is from an old postcard. There was an amusement park at the site of the earthwork complex, and there is a possibility that this serpentine work is of modern construction. But, why would they build it of whole stones without any mortar? Why would they build it in a serpentine form?
The serpent is a consort of the Earth Mother. It was used at several mound sites in the Ohio Valley where it was symbolic of the Earth Mother protecting the dead.
