Ceremonial Center

Ceremonial Center. Hopewell Culture National Historical Park. About 2,000 years ago a massive geometric earthwork was built here. Composed of a square and two circles, the earthwork served as a ceremonial center. One centrally located mound-excavated and reconstructed in the early 20th century-is still visible today. The mound stands as a monument to the ancient Hopewell buried here. But this place was not just about the dead, it was also about the living. , Hopewell people gathered in this 121-acre earthwork enclosure to exchange goods, conduct funerals, and take part in religious celebrations. Buildings stood nearby, inside craftsmen likely fashioned ornaments and tools from exotic materials for use in the rituals performed here. Hopewell men, women, and children likely worked side by side, building the earthworks that stood here so long ago. Follow the 1-mile trail (shown in red above) that leads past the buildings and Seip-Pricer Mound, through the interior of the earthworks, and to Paint Creek.