Hopewell Earthworks Site Added to UNESCO Heritage List

COLUMBUS, OHIO - The Ohio History Connection, along with preservationists and indigenous tribes—many of whom have ancestral ties to the state—have successfully campaigned for the inclusion of the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks in Ohio to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. Recognized for their impeccable condition, unique style, and rich cultural significance, these ancient American Indian ceremonial and burial mounds have been described as “part cathedral, part cemetery, and part astronomical observatory.”

The earthworks are a network of intricate mounds and enclosures built by the Hopewell culture during the Woodland Period, between 1 BCE and 500 CE. They are considered “masterpieces of human genius,” reflecting the advanced societal, spiritual, and astronomical knowledge of the indigenous people who created them.

The UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee acknowledged the significance of the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks during a meeting in Saudi Arabia this Tuesday, following concerted efforts by various stakeholders to gain recognition for these monumental sites due to their monumental and cultural value.

Eight ancient sites make up the vast earthworks, which are dispersed over 150 kilometers (90 miles) of what is now southern Ohio. One of the sites is even situated on the grounds of a country club and golf course. The title places the location in the same league as world wonders like the Great Wall of China, Peru’s Machu Picchu, and Greece’s Acropolis.

Chief Glenna Wallace of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma described her initial feelings as “pure excitement and exhilaration”.

“Tears came to my eyes, and exhilaration turned into reflection, knowing that the world will now see and recognize the commitment, spirituality, imaginative artistry and knowledge of complex architecture to produce magnificent earthworks,” she said in a statement. “Our ancestors were true geniuses.”

Based on archeological findings of raw materials from as far west as the Rocky Mountains, American Indians built the earthworks between 2,000 and 1,600 years ago along central tributaries of the Ohio River. The earthworks were the site of ceremonies that gathered people from all over the continent.

The application claimed that the sites’ “beautiful ritual objects, spectacular offerings of religious icons and regalia” showed evidence of elaborate ceremonialism connected to “the order and rhythms of the cosmos”.

The designation, according to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, is a “tremendous” acknowledgment of America’s Indigenous people.

“World Heritage designation is an opportunity for the United States to share the whole story of America and the remarkable diversity of our cultural heritage, as well as the beauty of our land,” she said in a statement.

The eight Hopewell sites are remarkable for their vast scope, geometric accuracy, and astronomical breadth and accuracy, including encoding all eight lunar standstills during an 18.6-year cycle.

The placement of the earthworks on the heritage list, according to UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, “will make this important part of American history known around the world.”

“Just three months after rejoining UNESCO, the United States has its twenty-fifth site inscribed on the World Heritage List, which illustrates the richness and diversity of the country’s cultural and natural heritage,” she said. “This inscription on the World Heritage List highlights the important work of American archaeologists, who discovered here remains dating back 2000 years, constituting one of the largest earthwork constructions in the world.”

The UNESCO designation received support from several tribes including the National Congress of American Indians, the Inter-Tribal Council which represents tribes residing in Northeast Oklahoma, and the Seneca Nation of New York State.

The application process experienced delays due to an extended legal dispute centered around restoring public access to one of the earthworks. The Moundbuilders Country Club, which had leased the land, had established a members-only golf course within the earthworks.

The Ohio Supreme Court’s ruling in December enabled the Ohio History Connection, the state’s historical society, to continue its pursuit to obtain control of the Octagon Earthworks in Newark. This site is one among the eight that have been recognized.

Megan Wood, CEO and Executive Director of the Ohio History Connection, shared that the inscription of the site on Tuesday marked the fruition of over a decade of dedicated efforts by her organization along with its partners, including various tribes and the National Park Service. This successful culmination showcases the persistent endeavors to preserve and recognize the significance of these historical sites.

“We are beyond excited to share these sites with more and more Ohioans, Americans and world travelers,” she said.

Fort Ancient Earthworks in Oregonia, Great Circle Earthworks in Heath, and five sites inside the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park in Chillicothe—Mound City Group, Hopewell Mound Group, Seip Earthworks, High Bank Earthworks, and Hopeton Earthworks—are also included under the new designation.

The first World Heritage site in Ohio, according to Republican Governor Mike DeWine, is expected to lure “even more visitors to see these amazing places” and “experience the awe-inspiring earthworks that are such a special part of Ohio’s history.”