The Newark Earthworks are the largest set of geometric earthworks in the world. Built two thousand years ago by ancestors of today’s Native Americans, these massive walls encode sophisticated knowledge of geometry and align with the movements of the moon. In recent years the United States Department of Interior has nominated the site for World Heritage status with the United Nations. In ancient times people came here from great distances for ceremony.This was a place of pilgrimage.
Public Access to Octagon Earthworks: Sunday, October 16
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 The Newark Earthworks Center (NEC) has announced a public access day at the Octagon Earthworks from noon until 4 p.m. on Sunday, October 16. Programming will include guided tours of the site, Native crafts and atlatl throwing, as well as a ceremony acknowledging the Octagon as a ceremonial site.
The ceremony will feature Ohio State students and community members who have participated in "Walks with the Ancients,” a seven-day, 70-mile, pilgrimage walk from earthworks in Chillicothe to the Newark Earthworks. The walkers will gather at Geller Park in Heath at 12:30 p.m. and will walk from there to the Octagon, arriving at the Octagon at about 2 p.m. The public is invited to await them at the Octagon and then to participate in a ceremony.
“For the past two years the Walk has been part of an Ohio State class and I was the instructor, teaching the Walkers about earthworks,” said Richard Shiels, associate professor of history at OSU and director of the NEC.
“The Octagon is a ceremonial site,” said Shiels. “It was a destination for pilgrimage.”
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(Click above for printable flyer.)
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Newark Earthworks Center Calendar for Autumn 2011
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Oct. 7-9 |
“Society of American Indians Conference” commemorating the 1911 meeting of Native American scholars at Ohio State. Friday, Saturday on Columbus campus. Sunday tour of Newark Earthworks (8:30-noon) followed by lunch at Ohio State Newark. Anticipating 100 Native scholars. |
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Oct. 16 |
Public Access Day at the Octagon Earthworks, noon to 4 PM. Ceremony to conclude the Earthworks Pilgrimage at 2 pm. |
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Oct. 21 |
Public Lecture, 7:30 PM - Alford Performing Arts Hall, Reese Center:
“Re-Discovering Ohio’s Ancient Earthwork Sites” by Jarrod Burks, Director of Archaeological Geophysics, Ohio Valley Archaeology, Inc. |
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Oct. 22 |
Ohio Archaeological Council annual meeting, Hopewell Hall, Rooms 64-68. |
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Oct. 30-Nov 4 |
Dick Shiels and Marti Chaatsmith attend the National Congress of American Indians in Oregon, to request a resolution of support for Ohio’s World Heritage nomination. |
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Nov. 6-9 |
World Heritage symposium. NEC and partners host Department of Interior officials and advisors to visit the sites included in the World Heritage nomination. |
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Nov. 12 |
Architecture Foundation of Cincinnati bus tour of Newark Earthworks. Anticipating 100 architects. |
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