Bone Mound II facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bone Mound II
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Looking toward the site
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | Northwestern quarter of the southwestern quarter of Section 9 of Wayne Township, northwest of Oregonia |
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| Nearest city | Oregonia, Ohio |
| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 74001643 |
| Added to NRHP | July 15, 1974 |
The Bone Mound II is an ancient Native American mound located in the southwestern part of Ohio. It's found northwest of a small place called Oregonia, in an area with some trees.
What is Bone Mound II?
This mound is about 4 feet (1.2 m) (1.2 meters) tall and 50 feet (15 m) (15 meters) wide. Experts believe it was built by people from the Fort Ancient culture. The Fort Ancient culture was a group of Native Americans who lived in the Ohio River valley from about 1000 to 1750 AD.
Uncovering History
Even though Bone Mound II itself has never been dug up by archaeologists, there are many other confirmed Fort Ancient sites nearby. These include other mounds and two cemeteries (burial grounds) within 1 mile (1.6 km) (1.6 km) of the mound. One of these cemeteries is very close, only about 500 feet (150 m) (150 meters) away. It's special because it has rare burial vaults made of limestone.
Fort Ancient Burial Customs
The Fort Ancient people used different ways to bury their dead. They used:
- Burial vaults (stone boxes)
- Pits (holes in the ground)
- Two types of mounds
Usually, an area settled by Fort Ancient people would only show one main way of burial. But around Bone Mound II, archaeologists have found evidence of many different burial methods. This suggests that different groups, or "foci," of the Fort Ancient people might have lived in this area. This makes the region very important for studying ancient history.
Protecting the Past
Because of its potential to teach us more about ancient people, Bone Mound II was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 15, 1974. This is a list of places in the United States that are important to history. The nearby cemetery with limestone vaults was also added to this list on the same day.
