Grave Creek Mound Archaelogical Complex

If you are interested in Native American history and the burial practices during prehistoric times look no further. The Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex is the perfect place to quench your thirst for knowledge. Moundsville is the home of the largest of the Adena burial mounds. This Grave Creek Mound is over 2000 years old and is the largest burial mound created by the Native American known as the Adena. You can visit the mound then walk over to the Delf Norona Museum which is adjacent to the mound to learn more about the culture and life of the Adenan people.

The city of Moundsville derives its name from the Adena burial mounds found in the area. The largest one is over 2,000 years old and over 60,000 tons of earth had to be carefully moved in order to successfully excavate artifacts from the mound. It is believed based on the layering and placement of the bodies, the mound was created between the years 250-150 B.C.E. It was measured to have a height of 69 feet and a diameter of 295 feet. After you visit the remnants of this colossal mound you can visit the adjacent museum. The Delf Norona Museum was established in December of 1978 opening up the world of the Adena for all to see. The upper level of the museum is dedicated to the findings concerning the life and culture of the Adenan people as well as the construction of the Grave Creek Mound. The Adena did not have written records, so it is important to study what was left by them in order to learn more about their cultures and beliefs. It is not know why or how the Adena built burial mounds, but by going and visiting The Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex you can pretend to be an archaeologist out to decipher a lost civilization. You can look at the artifacts and come up with your own assumptions as well as learn what is believed to be truth by other archaeologists and historians. Anyone can be a great discoverer. The first person of European decent to find the Grave Creek Mound was Joseph Tomlinson who stumbled on it and fell off while hunting in 1770.