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A thousand years ago, people in what we now call Ohio were marking time with their own celestial calendar. Eight hundred years later, farmers coming into their country were baffled and fascinated by the enormous earthworks they discovered there. Although they soon plowed and planted over many ancient fortifications and burial mounds, some of the larger ones, like the Great Serpent Mound near Chillicothe, Ohio, remain today. Was it inspired by the spectacular passage of Halley's Comet in A.D. 1066? That's just one theory on its origins. |
For more of this story, read Ohio Historical Society archaeologist Bradley Lepper's article on the Fort Ancient astronomers.
What is archeoastronomy? A University of Iowa Site explains this new cross-disciplinary approach. For a Mesoamerican calendar conversion program and other useful downloadable archaeastronomy programs from the UK, click here.
The Ohio Historical Society also has a great family site with maps and images of some of Ohio's Prehistoric Indian Heritage.
Take a look at two recently discovered mid-19th century views of Licking County's Alligator Mound by David Wyrick and James H. Salisbury.
Col. Charles Whittlesey was an early student of Ohio's cultures. His name was given to a group of early farmers who grew corn, beans, and squash along the rivers of northeastern Ohio. The Whittlesey People were the subject of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History's 1994 Field School in Archaeology, led by Brian G. Redmond.
Now, if you're really interested, take a virtual walk (with an opinionated guide) On the Great Hopewell Road.
And if you'd like to examine these ancient artifacts in person, TRAVEL NOW to our special TOUR.