Event – Chillicothe, OH
Mound City Ranger Guided Tours
Masterpieces of human creative genius, the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks are gigantic earthen enclosures built by American Indians 2,000 years ago. They were places of ceremony connected to the cosmos by alignments to key risings and settings of the moon and sun. Come and experience these sacred earthworks of the ancient Hopewell culture and gain a new appreciation of the achievements of Ohio’s Indigenous peoples—as well as a deeper connection to the world and our place in it.
Photo by: John Hancock
Photo by: National Park Service/Tom Engberg
Photo by: John Hancock
Photo by: John Hancock
Photo by: NPS
Masterpieces of human creative genius, the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks are gigantic earthen enclosures built by American Indians 2,000 years ago. They were places of ceremony connected to the cosmos by alignments to key risings and settings of the moon and sun. Come and experience these sacred earthworks of the ancient Hopewell culture and gain a new appreciation of the achievements of Ohio’s Indigenous peoples—as well as a deeper connection to the world and our place in it.
The Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks are complex masterpieces of landscape architecture. The huge squares, circles, and octagons, which are geometrically precise and align perfectly with the cycles of the sun and moon, were built by dispersed communities of American Indians who periodically gathered at these special places to worship and stay connected to one another. The earthworks are incredibly big to accommodate those large numbers of people.
Artifacts found at these sites are made from unusual raw materials such as mica from Appalachia, seashells from the Gulf of Mexico, and obsidian from the Rocky Mountains. This shows that people traveled here from the ends of the Hopewell world bringing with them rare and precious gifts. The immense effort this would have required further solidifies these earthworks as centers of human ingenuity.
Event – Chillicothe, OH
Mound City Ranger Guided Tours
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Hopewell Culture National Historical Park
Daily through August 4
Tours begin at the Mound City Group visitor center at 10 a.m. Rangers will guide visitors into the Mound City Group earthwork. The tour will last approximately one hour and will be mostly in the sun. Visitors should wear comfortable walking/hiking shoes and bring sun protection and bug spray. All terrain at Mound City Group is flat and considered an "easy" hike/walk.
Ranger-led talks beginning at 1 p.m. are approximately 30 minutes in length and do not include a tour. Talks are perfect opportunities to learn more about a variety of topics from park rangers while staying cool in the shade near or in the Mound City Group Visitor Center. Topics change daily.
Event – Chillicothe, OH
Last Sunday of the Month Ranger Tour Series
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Hopewell Culture National Historical Park
Upcoming tour: July 28
Two thousand years ago, the region between Seip Earthworks and Chillicothe was one of the most important cultural centers in eastern North America. On high terraces along the Paint Creek and Scioto River valleys, almost two dozen giant geometric earthwork complexes were constructed by American Indians. One of the most magnificent engineering feats of them all was Seip Earthworks. Join a ranger-led tour of this site to learn more!
Tour begins at 10 a.m.
News
Family Field Trip Friday Tours
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Explore Ohio’s First UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks during our Family Field Trip Friday Tours! Pack your curiosity and sense of adventure this summer for a unique journey through time with Family Field Trip Fridays! Every Friday from June onwards, visitors can immerse themselves in the rich history and landscapes of… Read More