The Serpent Mound, located in southern Ohio in the American midwest, is a large earthen spiral structure in the shape of a partially coiled serpent (or at least that's our interpretation). The Serpent Mound was mapped by Squier and Davis in 1848, and excavated by W.H.H. Holmes and F.W. Putnam.
Recent radiocarbon dates of the effigy mound called Serpent Mound indicate that it was built by the Fort Ancient people of the Mississippian civilization, between AD 1170 and 1270. It had previously been thought to be Hopewell. Serpent Mound is over 1300 feet long and includes a later village and burial mound site.
Visiting Serpent Mound
Serpent Mound site and museum is managed by the Ohio Historical Society, and open to visitors during the summers.
Sources
This article is a part of the About.com Guide to the Mississippian Civilization, and part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Any mistakes are the responsibility of Kris Hirst.
Lepper, Bradley T. and Tod A. Frolking 2003 Alligator Mound: Geoarchaeological and Iconographical Interpretations of a Late Prehistoric Effigy Mound in Central Ohio, USA. Cambridge Archaeological Journal 13(2):147-167.
This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Any mistakes are the responsibility of Kris Hirst.
