Description: Photograph of a work crew excavating Edwin Harness Mound, 1903-1905. The Edwin Harness Mound was located south of Chillicothe in Liberty Township, Ross County, Ohio. It was the largest of the 14 mounds associated with the nearly 100-acre Liberty Earthworks, a complex dating to late in the Hopewell Period (post-A.D 300). In their 1840s survey, Squier and Davis described the mound as egg-shaped in plan (about 100 x 180 feet) with the larger end toward the north. It was measured at 20 feet high at the north end, sloping to 11 feet at the south end. Like many large Hopewell burial mounds in Ohio, the Harness Mound was repeatedly investigated throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, leading to the recovery of numerous burials and the a variety of related artifacts. The last fieldwork at the site took place in the 1970s in advance of the area being reclaimed for agricultural purposes. Archaeologists dug below the base level of the mound and discovered it had been constructed over the remains of two very large conjoined post structures, most likely ceremonial houses or perhaps a single great house. The houses each measured about 30 x 40 feet connected by a 10 x 10 foot passageway, reminiscent of how Hopewell earthworks in general were laid out. Additionally, numerous artifacts diagnostic of the Hopewell culture were recovered and radiocarbon dates ranging between A.D. 330 and A.D. 470 place the Edwin Harness Mound near the extreme end of the Hopewell sequence. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV17_B02F04_E4_10
Subjects: Edwin Harness Mound (Ohio); Earthworks (Archaeology); Hopewell Culture (A.D. 1-400) (A.D. 1–400); Excavations (Archaeology)--Ohio; Mounds (Burials)
Places: Ross County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph looking southwest at Edwin Harness Mound prior to its excavation, 1903-1905. The Edwin Harness Mound was located south of Chillicothe in Liberty Township, Ross County, Ohio. It was the largest of the 14 mounds associated with the nearly 100-acre Liberty Earthworks, a complex dating to late in the Hopewell Period (post-A.D 300). In their 1840s survey, Squier and Davis described the mound as egg-shaped in plan (about 100 x 180 feet) with the larger end toward the north. It was measured at 20 feet high at the north end, sloping to 11 feet at the south end. Like many large Hopewell burial mounds in Ohio, the Harness Mound was repeatedly investigated throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, leading to the recovery of numerous burials and the a variety of related artifacts. The last fieldwork at the site took place in the 1970s in advance of the area being reclaimed for agricultural purposes. Archaeologists dug below the base level of the mound and discovered it had been constructed over the remains of two very large conjoined post structures, most likely ceremonial houses or perhaps a single great house. The houses each measured about 30 x 40 feet connected by a 10 x 10 foot passageway, reminiscent of how Hopewell earthworks in general were laid out. Additionally, numerous artifacts diagnostic of the Hopewell culture were recovered and radiocarbon dates ranging between A.D. 330 and A.D. 470 place the Edwin Harness Mound near the extreme end of the Hopewell sequence. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV17_B02F04_E5_06
Subjects: Hopewell Culture (A.D. 1-400) (A.D. 1–400); Edwin Harness Mound (Ohio); Earthworks (Archaeology); Excavations (Archaeology)--Ohio; Mounds (Burials)
Places: Ross County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph showing excavated graves at Edwin Harness Mound, 1903. The Edwin Harness Mound was located south of Chillicothe in Liberty Township, Ross County, Ohio. It was the largest of the 14 mounds associated with the nearly 100-acre Liberty Earthworks, a complex dating to late in the Hopewell Period (post-A.D 300). In their 1840s survey, Squier and Davis described the mound as egg-shaped in plan (about 100 x 180 feet) with the larger end toward the north. It was measured at 20 feet high at the north end, sloping to 11 feet at the south end. Like many large Hopewell burial mounds in Ohio, the Harness Mound was repeatedly investigated throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, leading to the recovery of numerous burials and the a variety of related artifacts. The last fieldwork at the site took place in the 1970s in advance of the area being reclaimed for agricultural purposes. Archaeologists dug below the base level of the mound and discovered it had been constructed over the remains of two very large conjoined post structures, most likely ceremonial houses or perhaps a single great house. The houses each measured about 30 x 40 feet connected by a 10 x 10 foot passageway, reminiscent of how Hopewell earthworks in general were laid out. Additionally, numerous artifacts diagnostic of the Hopewell culture were recovered and radiocarbon dates ranging between A.D. 330 and A.D. 470 place the Edwin Harness Mound near the extreme end of the Hopewell sequence. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV17_B02F04_E3_04
Subjects: Edwin Harness Mound (Ohio); Earthworks (Archaeology); Hopewell Culture (A.D. 1-400) (A.D. 1–400); Excavations (Archaeology)--Ohio; Mounds (Burials)
Places: Ross County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph of a a tunnel created by archaeologist Warren K. Moorehead during an excavation of Edwin Harness Mound, 1896. The Edwin Harness Mound was located south of Chillicothe in Liberty Township, Ross County, Ohio. It was the largest of the 14 mounds associated with the nearly 100-acre Liberty Earthworks, a complex dating to late in the Hopewell Period (post-A.D 300). In their 1840s survey, Squier and Davis described the mound as egg-shaped in plan (about 100 x 180 feet) with the larger end toward the north. It was measured at 20 feet high at the north end, sloping to 11 feet at the south end. Like many large Hopewell burial mounds in Ohio, the Harness Mound was repeatedly investigated throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, leading to the recovery of numerous burials and the a variety of related artifacts. The last fieldwork at the site took place in the 1970s in advance of the area being reclaimed for agricultural purposes. Archaeologists dug below the base level of the mound and discovered it had been constructed over the remains of two very large conjoined post structures, most likely ceremonial houses or perhaps a single great house. The houses each measured about 30 x 40 feet connected by a 10 x 10 foot passageway, reminiscent of how Hopewell earthworks in general were laid out. Additionally, numerous artifacts diagnostic of the Hopewell culture were recovered and radiocarbon dates ranging between A.D. 330 and A.D. 470 place the Edwin Harness Mound near the extreme end of the Hopewell sequence. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV17_B02F04_E5_01
Subjects: Edwin Harness Mound (Ohio); Earthworks (Archaeology); Hopewell Culture (A.D. 1-400) (A.D. 1–400); Excavations (Archaeology)--Ohio; Mounds (Burials)
Places: Ross County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph of a work crew excavating Edwin Harness Mound, 1903-1905. The Edwin Harness Mound was located south of Chillicothe in Liberty Township, Ross County, Ohio. It was the largest of the 14 mounds associated with the nearly 100-acre Liberty Earthworks, a complex dating to late in the Hopewell Period (post-A.D 300). In their 1840s survey, Squier and Davis described the mound as egg-shaped in plan (about 100 x 180 feet) with the larger end toward the north. It was measured at 20 feet high at the north end, sloping to 11 feet at the south end. Like many large Hopewell burial mounds in Ohio, the Harness Mound was repeatedly investigated throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, leading to the recovery of numerous burials and the a variety of related artifacts. The last fieldwork at the site took place in the 1970s in advance of the area being reclaimed for agricultural purposes. Archaeologists dug below the base level of the mound and discovered it had been constructed over the remains of two very large conjoined post structures, most likely ceremonial houses or perhaps a single great house. The houses each measured about 30 x 40 feet connected by a 10 x 10 foot passageway, reminiscent of how Hopewell earthworks in general were laid out. Additionally, numerous artifacts diagnostic of the Hopewell culture were recovered and radiocarbon dates ranging between A.D. 330 and A.D. 470 place the Edwin Harness Mound near the extreme end of the Hopewell sequence. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV17_B02F04_E4_11
Subjects: Edwin Harness Mound (Ohio); Earthworks (Archaeology); Hopewell Culture (A.D. 1-400) (A.D. 1–400); Excavations (Archaeology)--Ohio; Mounds (Burials)
Places: Ross County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph taken at the beginning of excavation work taking place at Edwin Harness Mound, 1905. The Edwin Harness Mound was located south of Chillicothe in Liberty Township, Ross County, Ohio. It was the largest of the 14 mounds associated with the nearly 100-acre Liberty Earthworks, a complex dating to late in the Hopewell Period (post-A.D 300). In their 1840s survey, Squier and Davis described the mound as egg-shaped in plan (about 100 x 180 feet) with the larger end toward the north. It was measured at 20 feet high at the north end, sloping to 11 feet at the south end. Like many large Hopewell burial mounds in Ohio, the Harness Mound was repeatedly investigated throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, leading to the recovery of numerous burials and the a variety of related artifacts. The last fieldwork at the site took place in the 1970s in advance of the area being reclaimed for agricultural purposes. Archaeologists dug below the base level of the mound and discovered it had been constructed over the remains of two very large conjoined post structures, most likely ceremonial houses or perhaps a single great house. The houses each measured about 30 x 40 feet connected by a 10 x 10 foot passageway, reminiscent of how Hopewell earthworks in general were laid out. Additionally, numerous artifacts diagnostic of the Hopewell culture were recovered and radiocarbon dates ranging between A.D. 330 and A.D. 470 place the Edwin Harness Mound near the extreme end of the Hopewell sequence. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV17_B02F04_E6_11
Subjects: Edwin Harness Mound (Ohio); Earthworks (Archaeology); Hopewell Culture (A.D. 1-400) (A.D. 1–400); Excavations (Archaeology)--Ohio; Mounds (Burials)
Places: Ross County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph of an excavated grave at Edwin Harness Mound. The Edwin Harness Mound was located south of Chillicothe in Liberty Township, Ross County, Ohio. It was the largest of the 14 mounds associated with the nearly 100-acre Liberty Earthworks, a complex dating to late in the Hopewell Period (post-A.D 300). In their 1840s survey, Squier and Davis described the mound as egg-shaped in plan (about 100 x 180 feet) with the larger end toward the north. It was measured at 20 feet high at the north end, sloping to 11 feet at the south end. Like many large Hopewell burial mounds in Ohio, the Harness Mound was repeatedly investigated throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, leading to the recovery of numerous burials and the a variety of related artifacts. The last fieldwork at the site took place in the 1970s in advance of the area being reclaimed for agricultural purposes. Archaeologists dug below the base level of the mound and discovered it had been constructed over the remains of two very large conjoined post structures, most likely ceremonial houses or perhaps a single great house. The houses each measured about 30 x 40 feet connected by a 10 x 10 foot passageway, reminiscent of how Hopewell earthworks in general were laid out. Additionally, numerous artifacts diagnostic of the Hopewell culture were recovered and radiocarbon dates ranging between A.D. 330 and A.D. 470 place the Edwin Harness Mound near the extreme end of the Hopewell sequence. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV17_B02F04_E3_09
Subjects: Edwin Harness Mound (Ohio); Earthworks (Archaeology); Hopewell Culture (A.D. 1-400) (A.D. 1–400); Excavations (Archaeology)--Ohio; Mounds (Burials)
Places: Ross County (Ohio)
 

Description: This photograph depicts an obelisk atop a small hill at the Mound Hill Cemetery. Founded in the 1800s, is the largest in Preble County. Originally called the Eaton Cemetery, it is now also called Mound Hill Union Cemetery and is located at 533 West Main Street, in Eaton. Named for a prehistoric Indian mound which can be found near the front which now holds the remains of 15 soldiers from General Anthony Wayne's army who were killed in an Indian attack on October 17, 1793. The remains were moved from burial sites at Fort St. Clair, then re-interred in the mound on October 1847, and a 10ft. monument of Rutland Marble erected. In the foreground are headstones for John Stephens and Ann Eliz., Daughter of John Stephens. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SA1039AV_B09F10_010
Subjects: Cemeteries--Ohio; Obelisks; Mounds--Ohio; Wayne, Anthony, 1745-1796; Fort St. Clair (Ohio)
Places: Washington Township (Ohio); Eaton (Ohio); Preble County (Ohio)
 

Description: Aerial view of Serpent Mound, Adams County, Ohio. It is the largest serpent effigy mound in the United States. The Ohio Historical Society has managed the site since 1900. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL02747
Subjects: Adams County (Ohio); Other--Ohio Historical Society; Mounds--Ohio--Adams County; Great Serpent Mound (Ohio)
Places: Adams County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph of various pipes attributed to the Mississippian Culture. A handwritten caption on the reverse reads "Maclean Collection," indicating that they were likely recovered during excavations in southwestern Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV17_B04F01_E09_001
Subjects: Mississippian Culture (A.D. 900–1500); Excavations (Archaeology)--Ohio; Artifacts; Mounds -- Ohio River Valley
 

Description: This is a map showing the Newark Earthworks in Licking County, Ohio. The Newark Earthworks were the largest set of geometric earthworks ever built in what is now the state of Ohio. They were constructed by the Hopewell culture (100 B.C. to 500 A.D.), an ancient American Indian culture. Originally the earthworks included a great circular enclosure (the Great Circle Earthworks), another slightly smaller circle that was linked to an octagon (Octagon Earthworks), and a large, nearly perfect square enclosure (Wright Earthworks), in addition to an oval earthwork surrounded a dozen conical and loaf-shaped mounds. All of these structures were connected by a series of parallel walls. There were many smaller circular enclosures and a scattering of other mounds and pits. On the opposite bank of the Licking River's South Fork, another square enclosure and an oval earthwork encircled the top of a hill that overlooked the vast maze of geometric enclosures. Over the years, the growth of the city of Newark destroyed many of the Newark Earthworks, but the Great Circle and the Octagon earthworks are major elements preserved by the efforts of interested local citizens. The surviving parts of the Newark Earthworks are recognized as a National Historic Landmark. In 2006, Governor Bob Taft formally declared the Newark Earthworks to be Ohio's state prehistoric monument, honoring the early American Indian builders of this site. Archaeologists E.G. Squier and E.H. Davis, with the help of surveyor and geologist Charles Whittlesey, systematically documented the American Indian works and compiled them into an 1847 book called "Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley: Comprising the Results of Extensive Original Surveys and Explorations." View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL07257
Subjects: Ohio History--Natural and Native Ohio; Earthworks (Archaeology); Mounds--Ohio River Valley; American Indian history and society; Adena Culture (800 B.C.–A.D. 100); Hopewell Culture (A.D. 1-400) (A.D. 1–400)
Places: Newark (Ohio); Licking County (Ohio)
 

Description: Miamisburgh Mound State Memorial is located on the south side of Dayton, Ohio, in Montgomery County. Thought to be a part of the Adena Culture of the Early Woodland Period, it is about 68 feet high. This is the highest mound in Ohio and the second highest in the Eastern United States. The mound stands on top of a 100 foot ridge along the Great Miami River, making it visible for several miles. This mound is a burial mound standing on about 1 1/2 acres and is about 877 feet in circumference at the base. It is believed to contain about 54,000 cubic yards of earth. The mound may have been built in many layers over several generations. When a leader died, a wooden hut was created for the body. The hut was set on fire and then covered with a layer of soil. As other leaders were buried in this fashion, the mound grew in both width and height. Envelope reads "Montgomery County; Aug. 4, 1936; Miamisburg, Ohio; Miamisburg Mound in State Park; State I5-57-I5I; Fed. I622. View of mound 4x5 black and white negative; The Miamisburgh Mound is located in Montgomery County, 1 mile south of Exit 44 of SR 725 and 3 miles west of Exit 42 of I-75. There are 116 steps to the observation area on top of the mound gives visitors a wonderful view of the area." View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SA1039AV_B15F01_001
Subjects: Miamisburg (Ohio); Mounds--Ohio; Earthworks (Archaeology); Adena Culture (800 B.C.–A.D. 100)
Places: Miamisburg (Ohio); Montgomery County (Ohio)