Ryan and Rachael: How We Spent Our Summer Vacation

SUNDAY - JUNE 24, 2001

TODAY WE VISITED Fort Ancient , which is neither a fort (it never served a military purpose), nor is it ancient (it's beyond ancient; it's prehistoric).

Fort Ancient is the site of a prehistoric community. Actually there have been several communities who have lived in this place, the earliest that archeologists know of going as far back as 13,000 BC. Around 800 BC the Adena culture began cultivating crops and changing from a hunting and gatherering lifestyle to agriculture. They were mound-builders, but created only primitive, conical mounds. Their occupation lasted about 300 years and they either were overtaken by, or developed into, the Hopewell culture. The Hopewells were much more adept at building earthworks and created the community now known as Fort Ancient. This is where some confusion begins. The Hopewells did, indeed, build a series of communities here between 800 BC and 400 AD, including this one. But until recently scientists were unaware of that. They believed that these ruins were built by a later group who were identified with other communities; they were called the Late Woodland Indians. Some of these people did indeed live here, and for years scientists believed that they built it. For that reason, they have been given the name Fort Ancient Indians. The name endures, however it is now recognized that the Hopewells were the builders of Fort Ancient.

It's also recognized that Fort Ancient wasn't a "fort" in the military sense. It was an agrarian community and the ruins that remain appear to have been built for ceremonial and calendar-keeping purposes. There is another site related to these Indians near Dayton; it's called Sunwatch and we'll be visiting that place too. At Sunwatch, they have reproduced the village; here at Fort Ancient there are only the mounds to show where buildings once existed. There is, however, a very good museum here and an even better learning center for children, and we spent most of our time here at the children's learning center. There were things that were real Indian artifacts and things that were just for playing with. Here's a picture of Rachael holding a piece of a large picture puzzle and another of Ryan dressed up like a fur trader. The Indians are part of the trading post mural.