Network of ancient American Indian earthworks in Ohio named to list of UNESCO World Heritage sites

Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks By Julie Carr Smyth THE ASSOCIATED PRESS COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)- A network of ancient American Indian ceremonial and burial mounds in Ohio described as “part cathedral, part cemetery and part astronomical observatory” was added Tuesday to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. Preservationists, led by the Ohio History Connection, and indigenous tribes, many with ancestral ties to the state, pushed to recognize the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks for their good condition, distinct style and cultural significance, describing them as “masterpieces of human genius.” UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee approved the application during a meeting in Saudi Arabia. The massive earthworks join a list of famed sites that includes Greece’s Acropolis, Peru’s Machu Picchu and the Great Wall of China. “Pure excitement and exhilaration” were the immediate reactions of…

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