Oak Mounds

The Oak Mounds is a large prehistoric earthwork mound, and a smaller mound to the west. They are located outside Clarksburg, in Harrison County, West Virginia. These mounds have never been totally excavated but they were probably built between 1 and 1000 CE by the Hopewell culture mound builders, prehistoric indigenous peoples of eastern North America. The larger mound is about 12 feet high and 60 feet in diameter. A number of burials of important persons of the culture probably occurred in these mounds.

The Builders

The Hopewell people, who thrived between 100 BCE and 400 CE, were a fascinating culture that left behind a legacy of impressive earthworks, intricate artifacts, and long-distance trade networks. Imagine vast ceremonial centers like the Newark Earthworks in Ohio, with geometric shapes formed from earthen mounds towering over the landscape. Inside these mounds, archaeologists have unearthed treasures like copper ornaments, mica mirrors, and seashells from distant coasts, hinting at a vibrant exchange system that stretched across hundreds of miles.

While shrouded in some mystery, the Hopewell people were likely semi-sedentary, living in villages along rivers and practicing a blend of hunting, gathering, and agriculture. Their complex society boasted skilled artisans who crafted beautiful tools and ornaments, and their belief systems may have involved ancestor veneration and rituals connected to the natural world. Though their time has passed, the Hopewell people left behind a remarkable testament to their ingenuity, artistry, and connection to the land, captivating our imaginations and inspiring us to learn more about their captivating story.

Historical Marker

An incorrectly worded historical marker sign is located on West Virginia Route 98 near the Veterans Administration Hospital. The sign errounously states the direction the mounds are relative to the sign itself, however the mounds are actually to the west, on the far side of the West Fork River, and not "Directly to the east..." The sign's entire inscription reads: "Oak Mounds - Directly to the east are two earthen, domed burial mounds. The larger mound is some sixty feet in diameter and twelve feet high. Excavations in 1969 revealed flint tools, pottery shards and skeletal remains of two individuals. Site dates to about 100 BC, late Woodland Period."

See also

• Mound
• Mound builder (people)
• Effigy mound
• Earthwork (archaeology)
• Tumulus - burial mound
• List of Hopewell sites