Hodgen's Cemetery Mound facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hodgen's Cemetery Mound
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Eastern side of the mound
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | In Hodgen's Cemetery, off Walden Avenue |
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| Nearest city | Tiltonsville |
| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 75001443 |
| Added to NRHP | September 25, 1975 |
The Hodgen's Cemetery Mound is an ancient Native American mound. It is found in Tiltonsville, a village in eastern Ohio. This special hill is located near the Ohio River in Jefferson County. It is a very old earthwork and an important archaeological site. Today, it is known as a historic site.
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Discovering the Ancient Mound
In the 1800s, people in Tiltonsville started a cemetery around a small hill. This hill was round and shaped like a cone. An old tree grew from its top. Gravestones from the 1870s surround the hill.
Over time, parts of the hillside wore away. This revealed human bones, including a skull. The skull showed signs of something called artificial cranial deformation. This means the shape of the head was changed on purpose. This practice was common among the ancient Adena culture.
Who Were the Adena People?
Archaeologists learned that the hill was a burial mound. It was built by the Adena people. The Adena lived in this area a very long time ago. They were here between 500 BC and AD 500. Finding these bones helped experts understand who built the mound.
Why This Mound is Important
The Hodgen's Cemetery Mound has never been dug up by archaeologists. This makes it a very important archaeological site. Many Adena people who had their heads shaped this way were important leaders. They were often buried with special items. Because the mound has not been dug up, these items are likely still inside.
Some modern graves have been dug into one side of the mound. However, these graves have not changed its main cone shape much.
A Protected Historic Site
In 1975, the Hodgen's Cemetery Mound was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was chosen because of its great value to archaeology. It helps us learn about the past. This mound is one of two such sites in Jefferson County on the Register. The other is the Speedway Mound in nearby Rayland.
