Colorized Print of the Marietta, Ohio Earthworks

Colorized Print of the Marietta, Ohio Earthworks

I colorized this print that was taken from an 1832 painting of the Marietta, Ohio Adena Hopewell platform mounds.

Get Directions, Photos and Histories of Hundreds of Sites in Ohio

Ancient Stone Work Near Jacksontown, Ohio (Licking County)

Ancient Stone Work Near Jacksontown, Ohio (Licking County) 

    

     This work is situated eighty rods north of the National Road, and two miles east of Jacksontown, Licking County, Ohio. The ground here is elevated, the enclosure surrounding the summit of a hill, not very abrupt; the soil is a mass of broken sand-rock. From the top of the inner wall, e, in the section a b, to the bottom of the ditch between the walls, the distance is three feet, generally less; both the height of the wall and depth of the ditch, varying at different points. Of the entrances, c, c, c, the northern is the widest, being forty feet; the eastern twenty-eight, and the other twenty-two feet, and without mounds or barriers. The circles at figures 1, 2, 3, 4, represent mounds of stones, such as one, or at most, two men might carry, loosely thrown together. No. 1 was eighteen feet high, with a base of ninety feet diameter. No. 2, fifteen feet height and seventy feet base. No. 3, the same. Their bases are not regular circles, and all of them are now (May, 1838) much injured by the inhabitants of Jacksontown, who use the stone for cellar walls. This consists of the coarse-grained sandstone of the coal series, and constitutes an excellent material for rough walls. I did not observe any permanent supply of water in the neighborhood, or any reservoirs within the enclosures, which might otherwise be regarded as defensive work. The largest diameter is seven hundred and fifty feet; the shorter six hundred. The interior space rises above the well and ditch several feet, in an oval or rounded form. One-fourth of a mile to the north-east is another stone mound, like those within the work, which is fifteen feet high, and composed of loose sandstone.

A Travel Tour of the Adena Hopewell Mounds in Highland, Ross, Highland Adams and Scioto Counties of Ohio.

A Travel Tour of the Adena Hopewell Mounds in Highland, Ross, Highland  Adams and Scioto Counties of Ohio.

    This tour guide map was done by the Ohio Tourism Board.  Starting in Chillicothe, the tour begins at Mound City and then the Adena Mound, but wait, there's no mound there, it was long ago completely leveled by the the Ohio Historical Society, so skip that one.  From there, lets head west to the Hopewell Mound Group, which may be the same as what I marked as the North Fork Works. Heading down 41 and a little back tacking you can see the Seip mound and down 41 to Fort Hill and the Serpent Mound. From the Serpent Mound its a pretty long drive down to the Tremper Mound, but wait, the mound has been excavated and is on private property. You can see a slight rise on a hill about a 100 yards away, that's it!  At Portsmouth only one horseshoe shaped work is left of almost 20 miles of earthwork, still pretty cool see.
   9 sites, with two where there is little or nothing to see.  If you had "Nephilim Chronicles: A Travel Guide to the Ancient Ruins," You would add 10 sites to see to this trip. Some of the mounds are the largest in Ohio. 

This burial mound is located north of Chillicothe; it is the second largest burial mound in Ohio.  Sorry, but its not part of Ohio's official tour. This is worth an extra 10 miles.

See that slight rise on that hill? That's the Tremper mound, not much to see and this is as close as you get. In the time it took to drive this far south, there were at least 5 much bigger sites you could have visited.
In the The Nephilim Chronicles: A Travel Guide to the Ancient Ruins in the Ohio Valley," every site has been photographed with historical details added, giving you more information in deciding and planning your trip.

           See and Explore All of the Mounds In Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia

Adena Burial Mound Near Newark, Ohio - Tippit Mound

Adena Burial Mound Near Newark, Ohio - Tippit Mound

 A little south of Newark, Ohio is the ruins of the what has been called the Tippit Adena Mound.

It is located in the Dawes Arboretum in Jacksontown. See the video of Ohio's largest Adena Hopewell burial mounds here https://youtu.be/H5NN9nNRQKg

The Tippit mound is located off of one of the hiking trails. It was excavated and only a fraction of its original size.  Another smaller mound is also located in the park.

Get Direction to 222 Mound and Earthwork Sites

Ancient Adena Mound Builder Sites Along S.R. 33 in Columbus, Ohio

Ancient Adena Mound Builder Sites Along S.R. 33 in Columbus, Ohio

Columbus, Ohio was once rich in large Adena burial mounds and earthworks. Several sites can still be visited today. Several Adena sites can still be visited along  S.R. 33, on Columbus's west side. Take a visual tour of all of Ohio's largest burial mounds here https://youtu.be/H5NN9nNRQKg

This large Adena mound was once in the village of Dublin, Ohio. The site is now a parking lot.

Near the large mound at Dublin was this Adena Henge site. These earthworks were constructed to align to solar events of the Solstices and Equinox.

Part of the northest circle is still visible in this lawn. The interior ditch and the gateway is all that remain of this earthwork that was constructed as early 500 B.C.

Further south on S.R. 33 in Columbus is the Shrum mound.This photo was taken in the 1920s

The Shrum mound is preserved in a park on Columbus's southeast side a few miles off of S.R. 33

Smaller, Oto Sioux Earthen Circle Discovered at the Strawtown, Indiana Works

Smaller, Oto Sioux Earthen Circle Discovered at the Strawtown, Indiana Works

History of Hamilton County, Indiana 1915

The Fort and Mound

The main work is a circle about three hundred feet in diameter, thrown up in the center, but apparently level and surrounded by a ditch that Mr. Parker says was about six feet deep when he first saw it. Fifty yards to the south of the large circle is a lesser circle about fifty feet in diameter and now almost obliterated

IPFW archaeologists determined that this Hopewell earthen circle was affiliated with the Oto Sioux. Additional Oto Sioux burial mounds and earthworks have been identified at the Mann Site in Pozsey County, Indiana. More on the Oto Sioux

History of Hamilton County, Indiana 1915

The Fort and Mound

The main work is a circle about three hundred feet in diameter, thrown up in the center, but apparently level and surrounded by a ditch that Mr. Parker says was about six feet deep when he first saw it. Fifty yards to the south of the large circle is a lesser circle about fifty feet in diameter and now almost obliterated.

South of the large circle this earthwork was discovered.  It is believed that these embankments are the smaller 50 foot diameter circle.

North Fork of Paint Creek Henge Group in Ross County, Ohio

North Fork of Paint Creek Henge Group in Ross County, Ohio

Two large circular Adena earthworks called, Henges have been discovered near the mouth of the North Fork of Paint Creek.  The earthworks could date as early as 500 B.C.  They are located just to the north of the North Fork Earthworks that have recently been purchased.

Two large circular Adena earthworks called, Henges have been discovered near the mouth of the North Fork of Paint Creek.  The earthworks could date as early as 500 B.C.  They are marked on this map as "North Fork Henge."  The Henge group south of these is called the Junction Group Earthworks and have recently been purchased.

Adena Hopewell Earthwork Complex called the Junction Group included two henges that were 660 feet in circumference.

1930s aerial photo shows the two 660 foot henges of the Junction Group.

The North Fork Henge located to the North of the Junction Group is clearly visible in this aerial photo from 1993. 

The 8 Gods and Goddesses of the Dakota Sioux are Symbolized with the Ohio Hopewell Mound Builder's Earthworks

The 8 Deities of the Sioux Indians and the Ohio Hopewell Earthworks

Wankan Tanka - The Great Spirit that created everything. He governs all.

The number 8 is prevalent in the Ohio Hopewell earthworks. The octagon at Newark was constructed to venerate these gods.

The center column represents the Great Spirit, Wakan Tanka.  He symbolized here as the Tree of Life.  The 4 earthen columns on each side represent the 8 lesser deities.



Wi -  The most powerful Sun god
Shkan - The sky god
Maka - The Earth Mother
Inyan - Rock and immovable things

Hanwi - Goddess of the Moon - wife of Wi
Tate -  god of the winds
Wohpe - The falling star or meteor
Wakinyan - Thunderbird

Wi, The Sun God, was represented by circular earthworks or henges.

Maka, The Earth Mother was represented by the square. The largest circle may represent Shkan, the sky god

Stone walls on hilltop ceremonial works were dedicated to Inyan

Tate was the god of the 4 winds.

Wohpe - The falling star or meteor



Wakinyan - Thunderbird

Maritime Archaic Origins of the Hopewell Mound Builders

Plummets associated with the Maritime Archaic were found in Hopewell burial mounds in the Ohio Valley.

   Plummets, bar amulets and other iconic Maritime Archaic artifacts are found within the 

Hopewell burial mounds of the Ohio Valley.

   According to Native Americans, the only people that have claimed heredity to the Hopewell mounds and earthworks are the Dakota Sioux Nations. The descendants of the Hopewell are the Dakotan or Siouan family comprised of these known Nations. The Winnebago, Omaha, Osage, Issati, Mandan, Missouri, Dakota, Iowa, Ottoe, Hidatsa (Crow), Blackfeet, Ogala, Ponka, Assinboin, Akansea, Kansa and others. There is also evidence that the Cherokee and the Iroquois may have a common origin with the Dakota. No records and only one tradition exist of war between the Iroquois and the Sioux, west of the Alleghenies, but both of these people maintained bitter and hereditary war against the Algonquin. The prehistoric Siouan people were neighbors in Carolinas of the prehistoric Iroquois, and the two people more or less allied in language and having similar customs.

   The question of what Native Americans were building mounds over their dead also narrows the possibilities as to the descendants of the Hopewell Culture.

    Linguistic studies show that at the end of the Archaic Period (1500 B.C) that bands of the Maritime Archaic split into separate groups. This split would culminate in the respective Sioux, Iroquois and Cherokee tribes.

   Linguistically, the Iroquois, the Sioux and the Cherokee are similar and may have been derived from a common source. All of these tribes were builders of burial mounds and the later Mississippian platform mounds. The only known Algonquin tribe that built burial mounds were the Shawnee that have been erroneously called “Fort Ancient” by archaeologist. Shawnee mounds can be found through out Tennessee, Kentucky, southern Ohio and Indiana. Some are of earthen mounds while others were made of stones with the bodies being places within stone lined graves or in a stone box.

Bulletin 180 Symposium on Cherokee and Iroquois Culture

   The widest cleavage in the Iroquoian family is certainly that between the Cherokee and all the rest of the Iroquoian, i.e., between alone southern branch and a large northern trunk. Ten years ago, at the Fourth Conference on Iroquois Research, I hazarded a guess of around 4,000 years for the time depth of this split. The estimate was based primarily on a rough evaluation of the amount of phonetic, grammatical, and lexical change which has accrued to the Cherokee and which sets it off from the rest of the Iroquoian.

A Brief History of the Cherokee,” 
   Mary Evelyn Rogers writes, “Linguistic studies show the Cherokee had been separate from the Iroquois, their closest linguistic relative, for at least3500 years, based on a 1961 per Duane King in the introduction to “The Cherokee Nation.”  

Sioux Indian Shell Mounds

There is evidence that the early Dakota were the Archaic Maritime people, both of whom buried their dead in shell mounds. These people are pre-Hopewell, called the Shell Mound Tradition. Shell mounds are found most extensively in southern Ohio and Indiana and in northern Kentucky. In Louis F. Burns book “The History of the Osage” he writes, “Recent archaeological findings seem to indicate that both the Dhegiha Sioux and Chewere Sioux were the Indian-Knoll and Shell Mound culture of Kentucky and Tennessee.” Skeletal remains found in these shell mounds are identical to the later Hopewell showing that they had inhabited the Ohio and Wabash Valleys for hundreds of years. The shell mounds in the interior reveal Laurentian type artifacts, however they were different skull types than the shell mounds in the coastal regions, the Dakota Sioux having long heads and the Laurentian/Adena round.

Ancient Iroquois Burial Mound Desecrated by IPFW Archaeologists - Where's the Artifacts?

Ancient Iroquois Burial Mound Desecrated by IPFW Archaeologists - Where's the Artifacts?

This ancient Iroquois burial mound was hacked into by IPFW archaeologists, when an inquiry was made to what artifacts were found we were told that the head archaeologists had moved and taken them with him.  He is according to the story, still studying them years later. 

Ancient Levee Discovered at the Portsmouth, Ohio Earthworks

Ancient Levee Discovered at the Portsmouth, Ohio Earthworks

The Yellow Line is where the ancient levee was diagrammed by the Ohio Power Company

Portsmouth Daily Times, October 2, 1939
Sixth St. Believed, Part of Levee by Mound Builders
   The Ohio Power Co.s new office building at Sixth and Washington streets will sit on top of a flood levee built years ago by the Mound Builders.
   Samples of the soil sent to Columbia University for testing puzzled the professors and another sample was requested.  The professors said that the sod appeared to be "doped" and was unlike sod usually found in that section of the country.
Soil Imported
   Further examination revealed the sod was brought here by the Mound builders and was used to build a levee along Sixth Street from the Scioto river bank east..  The levee apparently followed a line east from Sixth street to Galia and Waller streets and ran northeast to Offnere street hill.
   The lines in the soil indicated that more soil was added each year. In one place a leaf mold about two feet thick was found. It has not been determined of the required years to build the levee, or was soil added as the flood stage of the river increased.
Believed Mixed with Clay
   Historian believe that Mound Builders found a particular soil elsewhere that proved superior for their purposes than the clay found around here.  It is believed the imported soil was mixed with clay to build the levee.

Historian

Portsmouth Earthwork Complex, Bear Effigy Mound

Portsmouth Earthwork Complex, Bear Effigy Mound

A Bear Effigy mound is diagrammed from an 1886, Oho Historical Society survey of the sacred vias and earthworks at Portsmouth, Ohio and across the river in Greenup County, Kentucky.

The Tremper  effigy mound is just north of Portsmouth, Ohio. What animal was being depicted is still a matter of conjecture.

Winter Solstice Sunset Alignment at Marietta Sacred Via

Winter Solstice Sunset Alignment at Marietta Sacred Via

The graded way or sacred via extended from the enclosure to the second terrace of the river. The sacred via was constructed to align to the Winter Solstice sunset.

At Marietta the graded ways leads from the second terrace up to the third terrace, and connects the enclosure and the three temple platforms with the river, thus giving the impression that they were used for religious purposes.

Oneoto Sioux Hopewell Mounds and Earthworks in Posey County, Indiana

Oneoto Sioux Hopewell Mounds and Earthworks in Posey County, Indiana

Square earthworks similar to those found in Ohio were diagrammed by Indiana University.

Prehistoric Antiquities of Indiana, Lilly, 1937

The village and burial site near the mouth of the Wabash yielded so many artifacts similar to the Oneota culture, such as limestone disk pipes, copper ear spools, tubular beads, and characteristic triangular arrow points, that Siouan relationship seems almost certain. Probably the village at Bone Bank [Posey County, Indiana] and the citadel at Merom, both on the lower Wabash, were also Siouan sites.

Large loaf shaped burial mound similar to the Seip Mound in Ross County, Ohio photographed north of Mt. Vernon, Indiana.

Oneoto Sioux burial mound located a few miles east of Mt. Vernon, Indiana.

Oneoto Sioux Hopewell burial mound now has a house on top. The tree line in the distance is the Ohio River.

This incised jar design (Lesueur 41205) is a variety of Caborn-Welborn Decorated that is very similar to Oneota jar motifs found in regions to the north and east of the mouth of the Wabash. Note the nested circle and the loop handle. Oneota motifs occur as small percent of the decorated ceramics at many Caborn-Welborn sites.

List and Archaeological Maps of the Burial Mounds in Indiana. Allen - Franklin

List and Archaeological Maps of the Burial Mounds and Earthworks in Indiana

Allen County. Group of four mounds, 10 miles north of Fort Wayne, near Stoner's Station on the Fort Wayne, Jackson and Saginaw Railroad. Explored; contained human bones. Stone ax and spearhead found in the vicin ity. Described by R. S. Robertson, Sm. Rep., 1874, p. 383. Three mounds on St. Joseph River near the mouth of Cedar Creek at Cedarville. Circular inclosure in a bend of St. Joseph River on the east bank below the preceding, on the farm of Peter Notestine. Explored and briefly described by R. S. Robertson, Sm. Rep., 1874, p. 383. Semicircular inclosure on St. Joseph River, below the preceding and opposite Antrup's mill. Mound on St. Joseph River at the mouth of Breckenridge Creek. R. S. Robertson, Sm. Rep., 1874, pp. 383,384.

Carroll County. Large mound 6 miles southeast of Monticello. Briefly described by W. H. Hamelle, Indianapolis News, July 24, 1885; also mentioned in the Montreal (Canada) Star. August 8, 1885; Boston (Massa chusetts) Record, August 3, 1885. Shown by Mr. Collett to be a natural elevation. W. H. Smith in Indianapolis News, July 29, 1885. Clark County. Circular inclosure on James D. Robinson's farm on second bottom of Fourteen Mile Creek, about 2 miles west of New Washington. Described and figured by E. T. Cox, Geol. Surv. Ind., 1874, pp. 30, 31, Fig. 5. Shell heap at Clarksville just below the falls of the Ohio River, and one at H. Beach & Co.'s cement mill. Opened; several stone imple ments found. Others in the county not definitely located. Mentioned, with brief notice of articles found, by E. T. Cox, Geol. Surv. Ind., 1873, pp. 124, 125. Stone fort on a hill on the Ohio River at the mouth of Fourteen Mile Creek and near Charlestown. Described and figured in Geol. Surv. Ind., 1873, pp. 125-127,184-186. Also noticed by F. W. Putnam in 8th Rep. Peab. Mus., p. 47, and Am. Nat., vol. 9, p. 410. Lengthy description by W. H. Smith in Indianapolis News, July 29, 1885, copied into the New Albany (Indiana) Ledger, August 3, 1885. Brief notice in Geol. Surv. Ind., 1878. p. 124. Mounds on Battle Creek, 3£ miles north of Utica. Mounds 11 miles north of Patterson's. Mounds on both banks of Fourteen Mile Creek about a mile from Stone Fort. All located on map of Clark County by Prof. E. T. Cox, 5th Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv. Ind., 1873. Curious stone mounds on a bluff above the Ohio River, on Sec. 32, T. 2, K. 10, about 1 mile below Dean's marble quarry. Described and figured by E. T. Cox, Geol. Surv. Ind., 1874, pp. 25-29.

Crawford County. Deposits, quarries, and other antiquities in Wyandotte Cave near the Ohio River. Many flint chips and arrowheads were found in the mouth of the cave; also a stone saucer containing a black substance. Described by H. C. Hovey, Proc. Am. Ass. Adv. Sci., vol. 29(1880), pp. 725-731. Rock house and implements near Mifflin. Notice by John Collett, Geol. Surv. Ind., 1878, p. 449. Dearborn County. Inclosure and mounds in Section 2, on the hill immediately north of Hardinsburgh and about 3 miles north of Lawrenceburgh. Described and figured by E. T. Cox, Geol. Surv. Ind., 1878, pp. 121-125. Mounds in the vicinity of Aurora, one of which stood within the city limits. Mentioned by E. T. Cox, Geol. Surv. Ind., 1878, p. 122.

Decatur County. Mounds occur in this county chiefly along Flat Rock and Clifty Creeks. The only definite localities noted are the Shellhorn estate at tbe junction of Big and Little Flat Rock Creeks and Uewpoint. Shells, beads, and pottery were found in these mounds. Geol. Surv. Ind., 1882, pp. 150,151. De Kalb County. Two mounds near Waterloo. Explored and briefly described. Skel etons found. Circular earthwork, 6 miles northwest of Waterloo. Brief descrip tion. Mound on the farm of Henry Gouzer in Fairfield Township in which a few bones were found. Mere mention. Group of mounds about 5 miles northeast of Waterloo. Short description. Two mounds on the farm of Mr. Taylor, half a mile from above. R. S. Robertson, Sm. Rep., 1874, pp. 381, 382. 

Fayette County. Single mounds on NE. i, Sec. 34, T. 13 N., R. 13 E , in NE. J, See. 33, T. 13 N., R. 13 E.; two in NE. J, Sec. 14, T. 13 N., R. 13 E. In one of the latter ornaments of copper were found. Workshop in SE. J, Sec. 36, T. 13 N., R. 13 E. Camping grounds and traces of old trails in Sees. 34 and 30, T. 13 N., R. 13 E. Mound in Sec. 24, T. 13 K, R. 13 E. Mentioned by Dr. George W. Homsher, Sm. Rep., 1882, pp. 737-749 

Fountain County. Mounds to the north of Attica. Brief mention in Foster's Preh. Rac., p. 143.
to be junction of Big and Little Flat Rock Creeks and Uewpoint. Shells, beads, and pottery were found in these mounds. Geol. Surv. Ind., 1882, pp. 150,151. 

De Kalb County. Two mounds near Waterloo. Explored and briefly described. Skeletons found. Circular earthwork, 6 miles northwest of Waterloo. Brief description. Mound on the farm of Henry Gouzer in Fairfield Township in which a few bones were found. Mere mention. Group of mounds about 5 miles northeast of Waterloo. Short de scription. Two mounds on the farm of Mr. Taylor, half a mile from above. R. S. Robertson, Sm. Rep., 1874, pp. 381, 382. 

Fayette County. Single mounds on NE. i, Sec. 34, T. 13 N., R. 13 E , in NE. J, See. 33, T. 13 N., R. 13 E.; two in NE. J, Sec. 14, T. 13 N., R. 13 E. In one of the latter ornaments of copper were found. Workshop in SE. J, Sec. 36, T. 13 N., R. 13 E. Camping grounds and traces of old trails in Sees. 34 and 30, T. 13 N., R. 13 E. Mound in Sec. 24, T. 13 K, R. 13 E. Mentioned by Dr. George W. Homsher, Sm. Rep., 1882, pp. 737-749 

Fountain County. Mounds to the north of Attica. Brief mention in Foster's Preh. Rac., p. 143.

Franklin County. A mound on N. part Sec. 31, T. 10 ]ST.,-R, 2 W. Mentioned by Dr. George W. Homsher, Sm. Rep., 1882, p. 733. Mounds have been noted at the following points in this county: On Sec. 5, T. 9 N., R. 1 W. On Sees. 1, 2, 4, 5, 0, and 9, T. 9 N., R. 2 W. On Sees. 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 29, 31, 32, 33, and 35, T. 10 K, R. 2 W. On Sees. 4, 9, and 13, T. 12 N., R. 13 E. There is a small earthen circle on Sec. 25, T. 10 N., R. 2 W. A singular stone structure on Sec. 23, T. 10 N., R. 2 W. A cemetery on Sec. 4, T. 9 N., R. 2 W. Workshops have been discovered on Sees. 3 and 4, T. 9 N., R. 2 W.; Sec. 20, T. 10 N., R. 2 W.; Sec 10, T. 12 K, R. 13 E. Traces of camp sites and old trails are observable on Sec. 31, T. 10 N., R. 1 W.; Sec. 33, T. 10 K, R. 2 W.; Sec. 10, T. 12 N., R. 13 E. Dr. George W. Homsher, Sm. Rep. 1882, pp. 730-749. Mounds in the vicinity of Harrison on the Whitewater. Noticed ami a somewhat full mention of contents given in Brown's Western Gazetteer, pp. 56-58.