The Newark Earthworks

The Newark Earthworks. . , The Newark Earthworks is truly one of the most magnificent prehistoric Indian sites in the eastern United States. Covering an area two miles square, it once was the largest earthworks complex in Ohio. The main components of the site are the large circle (Moundbuilders State Memorial), a square enclosure (Wright State Memorial), and the octagon with connected circle (Octagon State Memorial). These features were originally connected by a series of earth walls. In addition, there were numerous burial mounds and smaller circular enclosures associated with the major earthworks. The circles may have been built over the sites of Council Houses where the Hopewell Indians, who built the complex some two thousand years ago, participated in social and religious observances. , This model is based on a map made by Ephraim Squier and Edwin Davis [,] who surveyed the mounds in 1847. Since that time, many of the original earthworks have been destroyed. Those portions that are preserved are represented by the burnished sections of the model.