Ohio prehistoric sites

prehistoric sites found across Ohio

Evidence of humans in Ohio goes back as far as 13,000 BC, with the first inhabitants after the last ice age most likely being Paleo-Indians who seemed to have disappeared after the Younger Days impact event. Later they were replaced by Archaic people who are referred to as Native Americans. The Archaic period is divided into Early, Middle and Late Archaic periods, it is thought of as (possibly) the second period of human occupation that took place 8,000 BC to 1,000 BC. The Woodlands Period went from about 1,000 BC to 700 AD and included the Adena and Hopewell peoples who are sometimes referred to as the Mound Builders. Other cultures extended the Mound Builders period to about 1300 AD.

Human Face Effigy - Woodland Period - Ross County
Shrum Mound
Newark OH
Marietta Eath Works

For reference:

Locations

The list below is far from a complete list of prehistoric sites in Ohio. Finding a clovis point in a farm field from a Paleo-Indian roaming your land 11,000-15,000 may be more memorable than visiting any of the historical sites. Ohio is literally littered with early human artifacts. There are many private and public displays throughout the State of “field finds”, which are far from uncommon even today.

  • 🌍 Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, 16062 State Route 104. Chillicothe. A group of 23 earthen mounds built by the Hopewell culture, 200 BC to AD 500. (updated Jul 2017)
  • 🌍 Adena Conical Burial Mound (Campbell Mound State Memorial). 20 feet high - 100 feet in diameter. Close to 270 W and I 70 intersection in Columbus on Montgomery St. Woodlands Period about 1,000 BC - 700 AD. (updated Jul 2017)
  • 🌍 The Pyramids at Marietta. Located in Marietta. Little definitive information. Hopewell culture 100 BC–AD 500 (updated Jul 2017)
  • 🌍 Moundbuilders Earthworks. This site covers most of Newark. Two main areas have been preserved. One area is at the park where you will find an embankment that is 1,200 feet in diameter with earthen walls from 8 to 14 feet high enclosing a 26 acre area. The other more impressive site (Octagon Earthworks) has a golf course located in it with some efforts of preservation, there is an observation stand. Hopewell Indians (100 BC-AD 500) (updated Jul 2017)
  • 🌍 Wright Earthworks. located less than a block west of the SR 79 intersection at Grant St. in Newark, Licking County. The earthwork remnants may be viewed from James Street, a short distance from Grant Street and the SR 79 interchange. Hopewell Indians (100 BC-AD 500) (updated Jul 2017)}
  • 🌍 Serpent Mound State Memorial. Peebles, Ohio. A serpentine effigy mound built by Adena Indians, approx. 20 feet wide and nearly 0.25 miles long. The effigy represents an uncoiling serpent. Quite an impressive sight. The museum houses artifacts, pottery, implements and models depicting the construction of the Mound. Adena (800 BC-AD 100). (updated Jul 2017)
  • 🌍 SunWatch Indian Village/Archaeological Park, 2301 West River Road. Dayton , Ohio. 800-year-old village built by the Fort Ancient Indians. (updated Jul 2017)
  • 🌍 Flint Ridge State Memorial (3 miles south of Cynthia,Ohio, near (south/east) Newark off of SR 668.). Flint Ridge is a restored prehistoric quarry pit with a museum that explains both the digging and shaping of flint. It is a site well worth the visit. There is a flint knap-in (teaching, exhibiting flint knapping, swap flint) every Labor Day week end. At the other end of the park there is a camping area that has a fossil swap the same week end. (updated Jul 2017)
  • 🌍 Fort Ancient, 6123 St Rt. 350, Oregonia. 18,000 feet of earthen walls built 2,000 years ago. There is 9,000 sq. foot museum, focusing on 15,000 years of the history of early man in the Ohio Valley. (updated Jul 2017)
  • 🌍 Miamisburg Mounds (One mile south of exit 44 - SR 725 - and three miles west of exit 42 off I-75, in Miamisburg). Miamisburg Mound is the largest conical burial mound in the state of Ohio and possibly in the eastern U. S., constructed by the Adena Indians (800 BC - AD 100) on a 100-foot-high bluff, the mound measures 877 feet in circumference. Originally more than 70 feet high. (updated Jul 2017)
  • 🌍 Inscription Rock. Daylight. Kelleys Island, Lake Erie. Pictographs by 17th century Erie Indians. Birds, animals humans, AD 1200 and 1600. Free. (updated Jul 2017)
  • 🌍 Leo Petroglyph State Memorial (Off of U.S. Route 35 on County Road 28, left in Leo on Twp. Rd. 224.). Leo Petroglyph is near the village of Leo, five miles northwest of Jackson, in Jackson Cnty. Fort Ancient Indians, AD 1000 and 1650. (updated Jul 2017)
  • 🌍 Barnesville Petroglyph. A damaged petroglyph in Barnesville. (updated Mar 2019)

These sacred sites have endured much over time and have diminished more since white settlers showed up in the Ohio Valley than any other time in history. One of the biggest enemies of these sites has been the invention of the cast-steel plow. Property owners have ignored the importance of the remnants of early man and have plowed over burial sites, mounds and artifacts without concern. The most common way of discovering artifacts today, is during the plowing of fields (field finds). This lack of care or respect for these monuments reflects badly on current inhabitants.

Exhibits

Ohio Historical Center

There are excellent exhibits throughout the State. This is a short list.

Associations and societies

  • Archaeological Society of Ohio, 1166 E Dayton-Yellow Springs Rd, Suite 269, Fairborn, ☏ +1 937 926-6400, toll-free: +1 800 736-7815. This has been an excellent organization for over 50 years. They offer numerous publications on their site and have an annual meeting in Columbus, OH., March of each year. There is a basketball court size room full of education, artifacts and new discoveries from the past year. Most exhibits are from private collections and one of the few opportunities to view them. Very friendly crowd. (updated Mar 2019)
  • 🌍 Ohio Historical Society, 1982 Velma Ave, Columbus. (updated Mar 2019)

There are also numerous local chapters of both of the organizations listed above.

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