EXCITING NEWS: As of September 2023, The Hopwell Ceremonial Earthworks, (The Octagon Earthworks are part of) has been selected as an UNESCO World Heritage Site! There are only 25 World Heritage Sites in the United States, and only one in Ohio.
The Octagon Earthworks are the largest set of geometric earthen enclosures ever built. They are part of The Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks.
The Newark earthworks (including the Octagon Earthworks) were constructed by the people of the so-called "Hopewell" culture, which was the human presence in this valley during the years 200BC to 500AD. The culture was first identified at an archaeological site on the farm of a man named Hopewell, thus the academic name. Being a non-literate, prehistoric culture which faded out many centuries before any scribe reached these lands, we have no idea what they called themselves. Collectively, this culture in its core area along the lower Ohio River drainage (including the Licking and Scioto Rivers) has been dubbed "The Moundbuilders" for their habit of not only interring their dead in funerary mounds of various sizes, but also constructing vast and mysterious geometric earthworks whose purpose is unclear at best.
The Octagon Earthworks are a remarkable testament to the architectural and engineering genius of the Hopewell culture, but astronomers recently have come to realize that the Hopewell culture builders aligned these earthworks to the cyclical dance of the earth and moon. If you stand atop the Observatory Mound and look across the circle through the parallel-walled passage leading into the octagon and out through the octagon's northeastern gateway, the point on the horizon at which you are sighting is where the moon rises at its most northerly extreme. The intricate 18.6 year-long cycle of the moon can be encompassed by four points on the eastern horizon marking a maximum northern moonrise, a minimum northern moonrise, a maximum and minimum southern moonrise and four points on the western horizon marking the corresponding moonsets. The Hopewell culture builders encoded all of these astronomical landmarks into the architecture of the Octagon. Whether or not they ever intended to use this site as an astronomical observatory, the Hopewell architects certainly succeeded in bringing some of the moon's magic down to earth.
Some early antiquarians thought that the Observatory Mound once had formed an archway opening into the circle that had collapsed over the ages. In fact, one of the earliest documented archaeological excavations conducted at the Newark Earthworks was undertaken to test this hypothesis. On the 4th of July in 1836 the Calliopean Society of the Granville Literary and Theological Institution (now Denison University) celebrated Independence Day by digging into the southwest side of the Observatory. They discovered no evidence of a collapsed arch, but the Calliopean Society excavators found that the outer surface of the Observatory originally was faced with limestone slabs.
The citizens of Newark and Licking County preserved the Octagon Earthworks by giving the site to the State of Ohio for use as a summer campgrounds for the Ohio National Guard. In 1910, Moundbuilders Country Club established a golf course in the area. Since 1933, the Ohio Historical Society has owned the site, but it still is managed and operated as a private country club.
The Octagon Earthworks are open the public year round during daylight hours. All visitors need to read the Visitor Information Sign at the parking area for details of what areas of the Earthworks one can go on & at what times. Normally going on the earthworks is restricted due to the golf course located on the mounds. But there are set times at different times of the year to be able to walk around these mounds. Normally November through March on Mondays during daylight hours and April through October on Monday mornings unless there is a special event. At the visitor information sign, there will be a special sign posted when you can access the mounds.
For this Earthcache you will only need to walk up to the observation tower to obtain the information required. You can explore the earthworks otherwise as stated on the Visitors Information sign.
Please respect all the rules at times with this Earthcache.
For this Earthcache you will need to complete the following requirements:
1. Have your picture taken in front of the Octagon Earthworks Visitor Sign with map of the earthworks visible in the picture. And you must upload the picture.
2. Answer the following question:
After looking at the Octagon Earthworks and the information; for what purpose(s) were these mounds built for?
A special thanks to the Ohio Historical Society for their assistance with this Earthcache. OHS Permit # E0408
Come learn more about these wonderful Geometric Prehistoric Earthworks and an UNESCO World Heritage Site!
