UNESCO lists 2,000-year-old ancient Native American cemeteries in Ohio as World Heritage Site: Environment: Nature World News

Historic American Indian cemeteries built in Ohio more than 2,000 years ago are now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

New UNESCO World Heritage Site

Ohio’s network of prehistoric Native American burial mounds and ceremonies, which have been likened to cathedrals, cemeteries and astronomical observatories, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list Tuesday.

The Fort Ancient State Memorial in Oregonia, Warren County, is one of the sites in the network.

Hopewell’s ceremonial earthworks have been pushed to be recognized for their good condition, distinctive style and cultural relevance by conservationists, led by the Ohio History Connection, alongside native tribes, many of whom had ancestral links with the State. They were considered masterpieces of human ingenuity.

At a meeting in Saudi Arabia, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee gave its approval to the nomination. The massive earthworks now feature on a list of famous sites that also include the Great Wall of China, Machu Picchu in Peru and the Acropolis in Greece.

Ancient Native American cemeteries from 2,000 years ago

Based on archaeological finds of raw materials transported to the Rocky Mountains, the earthworks, built by American Indians 2,000 to 1,600 years ago along the central tributaries of the Ohio River, were the place ceremonies that attracted people from all over the continent. .

The application emphasized the magnificent ritual goods, spectacular offerings of religious symbols and regalia found at the site as evidence of the complex ceremonial linked to the order and rhythms of the universe. He said the mounds were a combination of a cathedral, cemetery and astronomical observatory.

Ceremonial Earthworks of Hopewell, Ohio

The eight sites that make up the earthworks are scattered across 90 miles of what is now southern Ohio. They are notable for their massive reach, geometric precision, astronomical width, and precision, including coding the moon’s eight stops during an 18.6-year cycle.

According to UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, adding the earthworks to the list of World Heritage sites will increase awareness of this important period in American history around the world.

The United States has its 25th site inscribed on the World Heritage List just three months after rejoining UNESCO, according to the speaker, demonstrating the depth and variety of the nation’s cultural and natural assets.

The fact that these remains date back 2000 years and constitute one of the largest earthwork complexes in the world is underlined by their inscription on the World Heritage List.

The National Congress of American Indians, the Inter-Tribal Council Representing Tribes of Northeastern Oklahoma and the Seneca Nation of New York State were among the tribes that supported the project. UNESCO designation.

The lengthy legal battle to allow the public access to part of the land that had been leased to Moundbuilders Country Club for golf course development has delayed the application. The state historical society, Ohio History Connection, has been granted permission to continue its attempts to take ownership of the Octagon Earthworks, a component of the Newark Earthworks Complex, by the Ohio Supreme Court in a decision rendered in December.

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Now part of the Port Ancient State Memorial

Warren County Earthworks, now part of the Port Ancient State Memorialis the largest perched enclosure in North America.

Overlooking the Little Miami River, much of the area is surrounded by earthen embankments built one basket of dirt at a time. The embankments can be up to 23 feet high in some places.

Archaeologists and modern-day American Indians believe that Fort Ancient most likely served as a community gathering place for ceremonies and other events. Finely crafted ceremonial objects made from resources from elsewhere, such as silver from Canada or obsidian from Wyoming, prove that the region most likely hosted ancient American Indians from across the continent.

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