The next day I headed for Newark, which was a little detour for me. As it turned out, this is one of the more intact Moundbuilder sites, although much of it has been obliterated by farming. The visitor center for the Great Circle Earthwork has an interactive video tour and a few books. The people there are very helpful. The great circle is probably still there since it served as a natural amphitheater and military encampment. A little drive away is the Octagon which is preserved as a golf course. The video at the visitor center had lamented that Ohio is very far behind in preserving its Native American heritage.

From Newark I took off for Chillicothe and the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park. Near the visitor center is a small, but restored site that gives you an idea of what one of these places might have been like. Unlike Newark, the trees still come up to the outer wall so you get a better feel for what it was like. Besides the Mound City Group I also visited the Hopewell Mound Group and the Seip Earthworks. At the former you have to use your imagination since the area has been pretty much flattened, but you can take a nice 2.5 mile hike around the site, which gives you an idea of how big it was. Seip was on the way to Cincinnati, so it was a convenient stop. The main feature is a large reconstructed mound. Photos of the sites at:

http://ikemi.info/graphics2/Moundbuilders/index.html

In Cincinnati I visited the Apple store to look at IPads for the navigational abilities, but they didn’t have any in stock.

The one brewpub in Cincinnati had become a brewery only, so I went to the Red Lobster, since i had never been to one before. At least it beat out Applbees. The next day was my big detour to see the Cumberland Gap. It wasn’t as crowded as I thought it would be, and there’s an easy trail to the gap. The road now goes through a tunnel, so it’s all foot trails there, and you have a chance to fantasize that you’re Daniel Boone. Photos of the Cumberland Gap at:

http://ikemi.info/graphics2/CumberlndGap/index.html

From there it was a mad dash to Wythevile, which took me along a lot of back roads. A lot of roads were posted for 55 mph which looked like they should have been posted for a lot less. On the way to Wytheville encountered In Wytheville I tried the breaded flounder at the Bob Evans, which seem to displace Denny’s in this part of the world. The Motel 6 was all 1 story and had sort of a quant look.

From Wytheville I proceeded by interstate to Richmond. I didn’t make very good time since I’d gotten in pretty late the night before. I made frequent stops to rest up. A few miles out of town I was hit by a pretty intense thunderstorm and I was able to find an offramp before I got totally soaked. My main concern was getting my laptop and other electronic gear in my pack into the dry bag. I’d been getting lax since it’s usually hot and sunny all the time. I can’t get used to the idea that a thunderstorm can happen any time around here. I got to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts with about 90 minutes to see the whole thing, similar to the scenario in Indianapolis. The admission was free except for a hefty entrance fee for the special Tiffany exhibition. That turned out to be worthwhile since it gave me a better appreciation for Tiffany and his workshops; they did more than lamps. Could have spent a few more hours there. The parking garage was convenient since it gave me an opportunity to spread my stuff out on top of my bike so they could dry out.

From the museum I went to Maymont, which turned out not to be too far away. The manor house was closed, of course, but the grounds were still open. Maymont was a large estate that has been converted to a large park with a boating lake, nature center, children’s farm, carillion, bald eagle park, bear par, Italian garden, Japanese garden, and probably more. It was a pretty good trek overland to the manor house and mausoleum. I went in search of the Japanese garden and came across the bear and eagle parks that way. The Japanese garden was large and attractive, but the pond water was stagnant in some places and there were a couple of plastic bottles thrown in Interesting that there was unrestricted access, although it was pretty far from any parking lot. I climbed up from there to the Italian garden where I almost disturbed and wedding party. I got a glimpse of the nature center on the way back but did see the bison and deer. Photos at:

http://ikemi.info/graphics2/Richmond/index.html

Looking for dinner I went to Legends Brewing Co. which was in an industrial area, but was pretty busy probably since it was the Memorial Day weekend. Took a while to get served, but the beer and food were pretty good.

Texas, Michigan

Kerry and Sherry live in Texas; the Charter Township of Texas that is, or Texas Township for short. They think they live in Kalamazoo. This part of Southwestern Michigan includes two cities, Kalamazoo and Portage, along with a number of townships in unincorporated areas. The population of Kalamazoo is only 76,145, but the metropolitan area has a population of over 200,000. Texas Township itself has over 10,000.

Sherry, a native Texan and graduate of Texas A&M University, thinks it is significant that she still lives in Texas. So do the rest of us.

When I arrived in Michigan on Friday, my sister-in-law presented me with a t-shirt. It said, “Yes, there really is a Kalamazoo!” It is thought to be a Native American name for “the mirage of reflecting river.” The earliest Native Americans were “Moundbuilders,” that sustained themselves by farming the rich soil. A prominent mound is located downtown. These residents are thought to have been exterminated by other native tribes.

In true American fashion, the white settlers moved in after a series of treaties created a reservation for the Native Americans. Even later, newer treaties had the natives exchanging five million acres for $40,000 in trinkets and gifts. The natives were then moved across the Mississippi River.

The first permanent white settler was Titus Bronson in 1829 the city and county government, His second home was located in Bronson Park, which today is the central focus for downtown Kalamazoo, with fabulous old churches, and the Kalamazoo Institute of Art. Bronson was, in fact, the original name of the city. It was designated the county seat in 1831. Five years later, after Bronson was accused and convicted of stealing a cherry tree, the name of the town was changed to Kalamazoo.

The cities have all the amenities of a much larger community, partially due to the presence of four institutions of higher learning. Western Michigan University contributes a transient population of 28,000. A smaller Kalamazoo College is close by, along with four major corporations; Pfizer, Eaton Corporation, and Stryker Corporation. Residents of the area enjoy a full cultural life with art, museums, music, and theater.

Let’s cut to the chase. One of my favorite moments was at the historic Plainwell Ice Cream Parlor in nearby, well, Plainwell. The same family has been making ice cream there for 32 years. I had key lime pie, Sherry had amaretto chocolate cherry, and Kerry had island city fudge. It was an excellent cultural experience.

Kerry and Sherry at Plainwell Ice Cream Parlor

Kerry and Sherry are addicted. Good thing the parlor closes for the winter in a couple of weeks. They have already loaded their freezer for the coming winter months like squirrels packing away acorns. Then, shockingly, I heard them strategizing to try and hoard even more. They made me eat a lot of ice cream.

One major scare; I left my purse at the ice cream parlor. I was instantly aware of what my life would be like if I had no keys, no money, no driver’s license, no credit cards, and no cell phone, thousands of miles from home. A little mistake like that could ruin a whole trip. Fortunately it was recovered quickly.

Bobbie got a quick check up today as we plan to hit the trail again tomorrow. This nice young man at the Firestone seemed to think I was from the South or something. I jest don’t know whet he waz talkin’ bout. He was the first person to make fun of my accent. His name was Matt and he was really from Kansas City, Missouri, almost a southerner himself. He came to Kalamazoo on a football scholarship at Western Michigan University. He found a wife along the way, so he now calls Kalamazoo home. Unless, he too lives in Texas.

Now it is on to Buffalo, N.Y. and the great Niagara Falls.

Digg It!

The ancient Adena Culture of Kentucky and surrounding states is renowned for its massive burial mounds and exquisite art works.  But the lives of Adena people are shrouded in mystery because only three habitation sites have been found.  Where did they live?  Apparently, modern farming has destroyed most of their archaeological traces.  In this video, Dr. Berle Clay examines the search for rare Adena settlements, which could tell archaeologists much abut the lifeways of American Indians who lived in Kentucky over 2000 years ago.

Every region that has seen human habitation has ruins that it can call its own. From Stonehenge in England to the Pyramids of Egypt.  The Ohio valley and the Midwest certainly prove this rule with the Indian mounds left by the Hopewell and Adena Indian cultures.  We took a day and went to the Fort Ancient Historical Site in SouthWestern Ohio. Spent the morning hiking around the site and the afternoon visiting the museum.

The Fort Ancient Site is a huge enclosure of earthworks on a plateau overlooking the Little Miami River gorge. The mounds of the walls cover almost 3 and a half miles of distance it is stunning to realize that this work was doen with only the simplest of tools.  From the OHS website:

Fort Ancient features 18,000 feet of earthen walls built 2,000 years ago by American Indians who used the shoulder blades of deer, split elk antler, clam shell hoes and digging sticks to dig the dirt. They then carried the soil in baskets holding 35 to 40 pounds. Portions of these walls were used in conjunction with the sun and moon to provide a calendar system for these peoples.

When you enter the Park the county road drives right between the two “Twin Mounds” at the entrance.

The enclosure is so huge and so overgrown that it is hard to get a feel at times for just how big it is. it is amazing to think that the the trees found growing on the mounds by the settlers and early explorers were over a hundred years old but there six or seven generations of trees that had grown there.

The museum is very well done with a nice garden showing the typical crops grown by the Hopewell Indians who made their home here and built these mounds.  The muddaub hut was amazingly cool inside. It was close to 90 outside and yet it felt like it was a cool 78 inside the hut.

More pics at my flickr set.

This time, I dragged Shaun with me.

To be honest, it was a little embarrassing. I had told him all about the earthworks in Newark and near Dayton and how much I was looking forward to seeing some really great things today. But many of things we saw (and some we couldn’t find) were disappointingly eroded, “scraped,” damaged or annihilated.

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Turns out they’re closed to the public anyway. You need a National Park Ranger to get on the grounds. It was a good effort.

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

A small piece of the earthen wall and one very large, central mound are all that are left of the Seip Earthworks. (Well, they’ve been rebuilt to what archaeologists believe was their original size and shape.) The surrounding area has long since been tilled and leveled for farming.

Originally, the mound was part of a much larger earthwork that included surrounding walls, a full circle and a square enclosure. The circle and square may have been used for astronomical purposes as well as protection.

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Granted, lots of people live near cemeteries… but this would just be creepy.

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

The Hopewell Mound Group is the “type site” and namesake for the culture that built it. According the the National Park Service, some of the original mounds were “estimated to be 500 feet long, 180 feet wide, and 30 feet tall.” Today, they are barely visible. Check out the pictures, you’ll see what I mean.

Believe it or not, an alleged “archaeologist” from the Ohio Historical Society, “scraped” the main mounds to the ground during an excavation. They were never rebuilt to their original condition.

Ironically, signs all around the park say, “do not climb on the earthworks.” Ummm… to climb on them, you’d have to be able to SEE them.

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

It kind of happened on a whim. Had the day off… decided to hit the road.

Gas prices are a little shocking, thanks to the aftermath of Hurricane/Tropical Storm/Tropical Depression/Pain-in-the-Ass Ike. But the traffic wasn’t too bad… the construction delays were minimal and it was a beautiful day for a drive.

For the day, we put in 201 miles.

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Grrrrrrr.

If you can get in, you can see one of the most complex, surviving earthworks in the world. But, on Tuesdays, the gates are closed.

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

The twisty, windy roads to get there were fun though. Very New Zealandesque!

The Ohio Moundbuilders already knew the world was round. They’d known it for thousands of years.

Anthropologist and Archaeologist James Q. Jacobs defines archaeogeodesy as “that area of study encompassing prehistoric and ancient place determination, navigation (on land or water), point positioning, measure and representation of the earth, geodynamic phenomena, and the applied astronomy.” Essentially, Jacobs’ research indicates the ancient peoples of eastern North America had a better understanding of the earth than the “advanced” Europeans 5,000 years later. With a fundamental knowledge of astronomy, geodetics, and math, the ancients figured out the size of the earth, it’s relationship to the cosmos and their own place on the sphere. And they did it before they even developed a writing system.

From Stonehenge to ancient Mesopotamia to what is now Newark, Ohio, humans have built enormous monuments that indicate their understanding of the stars, the solar system and the earth. That understanding may have only been rudimentary and fundamental, but it was enough to figure out the earth was round and that it was orbiting the sun.

“Although 5,000-year-old references to the true shape of the earth are known from Mesopotamia,” Jacobs writes, “20 centuries later Homeric poems refer to the earth as a disc.” There is evidence that the ancient Egyptians, Chinese, Indians, Mesopotamians and early Americans all had a solid, accurate understanding of astronomy.

The Indian astronomer Àryabhata wrote about the basic ratio of rotations and lunar orbits by AD 500. Between 2000-1000 BC, two Indian texts report the earth is a globe circling the sun. Pythagoras, Thales of Melitus and Aristotle all mentioned a round earth hundreds of years BC. The ancient researcher Eratosthenes even managed to calculate an accurate measurement of the earth by using the stars, the sun and solstice shadows.

Accoring to Jacobs, “It is obvious that, from five millennia ago—before any generally recognized civilization—impressive astronomical and calendrical architectural constructs still vividly display the knowledge their construction required.”

The Newark and Marietta Earthworks are enormous. Newark’s Great Circle is 1,054 feet across. The Octagon encloses 50 acres. There are hundreds of feet of six-foot tall walls and a mound 100 feet across at the base. The whole thing stretches for half-a-mile. The sides of the Marietta Square are 1,500 feet. Amazingly, both sites precisely align to specific solar and lunar events. And they align with each other which Jacobs says, “may infer Hopewell knowledge of the local latitude to longitude ratio.”

“The distance from Marietta Square to Newark Octagon equals the circumference of the earth divided by days per year or orbit,” he says. “This relationship infers possible precise knowledge of the size of the earth, the astronomic constants, and the distance between the sites.”

Given the mathematical and astronomical consistency and the deliberate nature of the works, Jacobs says it is highly unlikely to be a simple coincidence. It is far too precise to be accidental. Therefore, he concludes, “the builders of the Middle Ohio earthworks understood aspects of geodesy, including accurate astronomical knowledge, knowledge of the scale and shape of the earth, knowledge of their location on the earth, and how to place find and point position.

Here is Jacobs’ full essay on the subject:
http://www.jqjacobs.net/astro/archaeogeodesy.html

There is a small viewing stand at the corner of the parking lot and a path that winds around less than a quarter of the circle.

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Sorry, but it just seems unconscionable to me that OHS would allow this to become a golf course. One of prehistoric Americans’ greatest construction projects. Off limits.

I sneaked onto a small side road to take a few extra pictures.

Given its size and orientation, the Octagon and the Circle were almost certainly for astronomy. There probably were trading areas and living quarters. But it’s main purpose was to mark the course of the sun and the moon.

Every 18.6 years, the moon reaches the northern-most point in its orbit… and aligns itself to the main avenue of the Octagon and Circle.

The circle itself is enormous. The walls have a “moat” on the inside. Those deep ditches may be where the builders got the dirt for the walls. They’re just about as deep as the walls are tall. Most of the walls have been allowed to grow over presumably because they are too steep for mowers.

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf
These people knew. They knew the earth was round. They knew the earth orbited the sun. They knew the moon orbited the earth. They were able to predict the patterns. They knew where they were on the earth. They were thousands of years ahead of the Europeans and they couldn’t even write.

Wow.

The math is incredible. The circles are perfect. The walls of the octagon and squares are dead straight. They’re in perfect alignment to each other, celestial bodies and other earthworks. Did they have aerial help?

Okay. Crazy person coming out in me now… landing pads?
That’s just wishful thinking.

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Here is a map of the full tour. Give it a few extra moments to load the pointers. Day One’s pointers are red. Day Two is yellow. Day Three is green.

(For those of you paying attention, you know we’ve already done the Day One excursion. Those blog posts are listed below.)

Day One Map

Day Two Map

Day Three Map

With upwards of 30,000 inhabitants at its peak in about 1100 AD, Cahokia, Illinois remained North America’s first and biggest real city until the Northeast’s population exploded in the late 18th century. This urban center of the Mississippi culture had organized leadership, commerce and a penchant for mound-building. Monk’s Mound, the largest at 100 feet tall, dominates the site and was probably a mighty foundation for the home of the resident spiritual leader.