Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks
Overview
This property is a series of eight monumental earthen enclosure complexes built between 2,000 and 1,600 years ago along the central tributaries of the Ohio River. They are the most representative surviving expressions of the Indigenous tradition now referred to as the Hopewell culture. Their scale and complexity are evidenced in precise geometric figures as well as hilltops sculpted to enclose vast, level plazas. There are alignments with the cycles of the Sun and the far more complex cycles of the Moon. These earthworks served as ceremonial centres and the sites have yielded finely crafted ritual objects fashioned from exotic raw materials obtained from distant places.
About Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks
Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks is a World Heritage Site in the United States preserving eight monumental earthworks constructed by the Hopewell Culture. The sites consist of large geometric shapes covering several acres in area. Constructed between approximately 0 and 400 AD, the earthworks lie along tributaries of the Ohio River in the present-day state of Ohio. They depict the richness and depth of pre-Columbian culture, science, astronomy, and sacred monumental architecture. Many sites were plowed and reduced in size during almost 200 years of agricultural use.
Read more on WikipediaSelection Criteria
(i)(iii)
Components(8 locations)
- •Mound City1689-004
- •Fort Ancient1689-008
- •High Bank Works1689-005
- •Seip Earthworks1689-007
- •Octagon Earthworks1689-001
- •Hopeton Earthworks1689-003
- •Hopewell Mound Group1689-006
- •Great Circle Earthworks1689-002
Details
- Countries
- United States of America
- ISO Codes
- US
- Area
- 320.7 ha
- Coordinates
- 40.0537, -82.4461
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Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks
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Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks