Adena culture facts for kids
Geographic distribution of the Adena (500 BC–100 AD), Hopewell (200 BC–500 AD), and Fort Ancient (1000–1750 AD) cultures.
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| Geographical range | Midwestern United States |
|---|---|
| Period | Early Woodland period |
| Dates | c. 500 BC to c. 100 AD |
| Type site | Adena mound |
| Major sites | Criel Mound, Grave Creek Mound, and Miamisburg Mound |
| Preceded by | Archaic period |
| Followed by | Ohio Hopewell |
The Adena culture was a group of Native American societies that lived a long time ago, between about 500 BC and 100 AD. This period is called the Early Woodland period. The Adena people shared similar ways of burying their dead and holding special ceremonies. They mostly lived in what is now Ohio. Their culture also spread into parts of Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, southern Wisconsin, and western Pennsylvania.
Contents
Why the Adena Culture is Important
The Adena culture got its name from a large mound found on a property near Chillicothe, Ohio. This property belonged to Thomas Worthington in the early 1800s, and he called it "Adena."
The Adena people were among the first groups in eastern North America to build large earthen mounds for ceremonies. They started this practice around the end of the Archaic period. Their sites are mainly found in central and southern Ohio. However, they also lived in nearby areas of Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
The Adena culture was very important because it influenced many other groups living at the same time. It also set the stage for later cultures, like the Hopewell tradition. Many people see the Hopewell traditions as an advanced version of what the Adena started.
The Adena people were skilled farmers. They also made beautiful pottery and art. They had a wide trading network, bringing in materials like copper from the Great Lakes and shells from the Gulf Coast.
Adena Art and Beliefs
Building Earth Mounds
The Adena people left behind amazing earthworks, which are large structures made of earth. Long ago, there were hundreds of these mounds. Today, only a few of the biggest ones still exist.
These mounds were usually between 20 feet (6.1 m) and 300 feet (91 m) wide. They had many uses. They served as places to bury important people, for special ceremonies, and as markers of history. They might have also been gathering spots for the community.
Building these mounds was a huge effort. Workers moved hundreds of thousands of baskets filled with carefully chosen earth. Archaeologists believe the Adena often built these earthworks as part of their burial customs. They would pile earth on top of a special building where deceased individuals were kept.
Before building the earth mound, useful items and special objects were placed inside the building. This building, along with the items and the deceased, would then be carefully burned. After this, the earth mound was built. Sometimes, a new special building was placed on top of the new mound. This process could be repeated many times, making the mounds very tall and noticeable. Later, the Adena sometimes built circular ridges around these burial mounds. We don't know exactly what these ridges were for.
Famous Adena Mounds
| Site Name | Picture | What Makes It Special |
|---|---|---|
| Adena mound |  |
This mound is near Chillicothe, Ohio. It is the place that gave the Adena culture its name. |
| Biggs site |  |
Located in Greenup County, Kentucky, this site has a circular earthwork and a central burial mound. It connects to the Portsmouth Earthworks across the Ohio River. |
| Criel Mound |  |
This is a 35-foot (11 m) tall and 175-foot (53 m) wide mound in South Charleston, West Virginia. It is the second largest of its kind in the state. |
| Enon Mound |  |
This is Ohio's second largest cone-shaped burial mound. Experts believe the Adena people built it. |
| Grave Creek Mound |  |
Standing 62 feet (19 m) tall and 240 feet (73 m) wide, it is one of the biggest cone-shaped burial mounds in the United States. It is in Moundsville, West Virginia. |
| Miamisburg Mound |  |
This is the largest cone-shaped burial mound in Ohio. It is still mostly complete and is a popular spot for visitors. You can climb to the top using stone steps. |
| Wolf Plains Group |  |
This group includes 30 earthworks, with 22 cone-shaped mounds and nine circular enclosures. It is located near Athens, Ohio. |
Carved Stone Tablets
The Adena people also made small stone tablets. These were usually about 4 to 5 inches long, 3 to 4 inches wide, and half an inch thick. They carved beautiful animal shapes or curvy patterns into one or both sides.
Archaeologists have found paint on some of these tablets. This suggests they might have used them to stamp designs. These designs could have gone on cloth, animal skins, or even on their own bodies. Some experts think they might have been used to create patterns for tattoos.
Mysterious Timber Circles
During excavations, archaeologists found evidence of "timber circles." These were circles made from wooden posts. They were discovered at Adena sites in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky and nearby areas of Ohio and West Virginia.
One famous example was found by archaeologist William S. Webb in 1939. He discovered a circle of "paired-posts" at the Mount Horeb Site 1 in Fayette County, Kentucky. This circle was about 48.5 feet (14.8 m) wide and had 62 sets of paired posts, plus eight single posts.
Adena Pottery
Unlike some other cultures, the Adena people did not bury their pottery with the deceased. Their pottery was usually very thick. It was often strengthened with grit or crushed limestone.
Most Adena pottery was plain, or had simple cord or fabric marks. However, one type featured a special diamond pattern carved into its surface. The pots were often shaped like jars with rounded or flat bottoms. Some even had small foot-like supports.
Daily Life of the Adena People
How They Lived
The Adena people lived in small groups scattered around their large mound sites. A typical settlement might have only one or two houses. Their homes were usually circular, ranging from 15 to 45 feet wide.
The walls of these houses were made of paired posts that leaned outwards. These posts were joined with other wood pieces to form a cone-shaped roof. The roof was then covered with bark. The walls might have also been covered with bark or woven materials.
What They Ate
The Adena people got their food by both gathering wild plants and farming.
- They hunted animals like deer, elk, black bear, woodchuck, beaver, porcupine, turkey, trumpeter swan, and ruffed grouse.
- They gathered many types of edible seeds, grasses, and nuts.
- They grew plants such as pumpkin, squash, sunflower, goosefoot, and erect knotweed.
Tools and Ornaments
The Adena people made tools and axes by grinding stone. They also used rougher, slab-like stones with chipped edges, probably as hoes for farming.
Bone and antler were used for small tools. They were also popular for making beautiful ornaments. These included beads, combs, and special animal-jaw gorgets (necklaces). Spoons, beads, and other items were crafted from marine conch shells.
A few copper axes have been found. However, copper was mostly hammered into decorative items. These included bracelets, rings, beads, and unique reel-shaped pendants.
See also
In Spanish: Cultura Adena para niños
