Reinterpretation of ‘Sacred Space’ at The Newark Earthworks and Serpent Mound
Settler Colonialism and Discourses of 'Sacred'
Abstract
Mound-building was a preoccupation for the original, Indigenous occupants of the eastern portion of North America for at least six centuries. The efforts, from small to monumental, reflect a precision, often reflecting astronomical phenomena and are proliferated across the region. Today many remnants of these extraordinary efforts remain despite the systems of erasure that are characteristic of settler colonialism. Two such sites are the focus of this paper: the Newark Earthworks and Serpent Mound. Both sites are short-listed for UNESCO World Heritage status. Newark, Hopewell, and Serpent are all names given by dominant culture with no relation to the Indigenous architects and builders. They endure and resist, despite a long and complicated history of dominance. This paper offers a brief historical contextualization to demonstrate the ramifications of settler colonialism, which ruptured connections between Indigenous people and this land while simultaneously reinterpreting the sites as distinctly American. This lays a foundation for the web of narratives refashioned and recirculated in today’s contest over World Heritage status. Central to these narratives is ascribing the label of “sacred” to the sites and the vast number of constituents who claim “ownership” of them, including both local and global governmental agencies, historical societies, Native peoples, academics, and golfers. Furthermore, we can include those with religious and/or spiritual claims to the mounds such as the Mormons, new-agers, fundamentalist Christians, and contemporary Native tribes. Many of these stakeholders have come together to work toward the coveted World Heritage Status. But, if and when that happens, whose story will dominate? Who will make decisions? Whose voice will be heard?
Keywords
Mounds; Earthworks; Sacred Sites; World Heritage; Settler-colonialism
References
“America’s Lost Civilization.” Ancient Apolcalypse with Graham Hancock, season 1, episode 6, 11 Nov. 2022. Netflix, https://www.netflix.com/title/81211003.
Atwater, Caleb. Description of the Antiquities Discovered in the State of Ohio and Other Western States. Circleville, OH: The American Antiquarian Society, 1820.
Beck, Glenn, creator. The Glenn Beck Program, Fox News Channel, 2010.
Bolnick, Deborah A., et al. “Civilizations Lost and Found: Fabricating History – Part Three: Real Messages in DNA.” The Skeptical Inquirer, vol. 36, no. 1, 2012. https://skepticalinquirer.org/2012/01/civilizations-lost-and-found-fabricating-history/. Accessed 22 March 2013.
Book of Mormon Evidence. https://bookofmormonevidence.org. Accessed 19 June 2022.
Bush, Jennifer, Reba Kocher, and Bradley T. Lepper. “The Newark Holy Stones: Touchstones for the Truth.” The Public Historian, vol. 44, no. 1, 2022, pp. 78–93.
Chidester, David and Edward Linenthal, editors. American Sacred Space. Indiana UP, 1995.
Cincinnati.com. “Christian Prayer Group and Native Americans Face Off: Serpent Mound. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2020/12/21/christian-prayer-group-and-native-americans-face-off-serpent-mound/3992503001/. Accessed 07 June 2022.
Davis, Edwin Hamilton and Ephraim G. Squier. Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley. Smithsonian Institue, 1848.
Feagans, Carl. “The Pseudoarchaeology of Glenn Beck.” A Hot Cup of Joe. Available at http://ahotcupofjoe.net/2010/08/the-pseudoarchaeology-of-glenn-beck/. Posted August 21, 2010. Accessed 01 Oct. 2011.
Feder, Kenneth, et al. “Civilizations Lost and Found: Fabricating History—Part One: An Alternate Reality.” The Skeptical Inquirer, vol. 35, no. 5, 2011. http://www.csicop.org/si/show/civilizations_lost_and_found_fabricating_history_-_part_one_an_alternate_re/. Accessed 22 March 2013.
Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research. 2005–2013. “The FAIR Wiki:Defending Mormonism.” Available at http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_apologetics. Last modified May 4, 2012, .Accessed 22 March 2013.
Friends of Serpent Mound. https://www.serpentmound.org. Accessed 19 June 2022.
Hollan, Amy. “Glenn Beck Mention Boosts Newark Earthworks.” Newark Advocate. 20 Aug. 2010
Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks. “Nomination to the World Heritage List by the United States of America.” Ohio, United States of America, 2022.
HypeStat.com. Search query for http://www.lostcivilizationdvd.com/index.html. Accessed 17 March 2013.
Indigenous Wonders of Our World: The Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks. April 2022, The Ohio History Connection, Columbus, Ohio.
Jones, Lindsay and Richard D. Shiels, editors. The Neward Earthworks: Enduring Monuments, Contested Meanings. U of Virginia P, 2016.
Kehoe, Alice Beck. “The Lost Civilizations of North America Found[…]Again!” Reports of the National Center for Science Education (RNCSE), vol. 31, no. 2, 2011, pp. 2.1–2.3.
Lepper, Brad. “Statement about “The Lost Civilizations of North America” DVD.” Ohio Archaeology Blog. http://ohio-archaeology.blogspot.com/2010/12/commentary-on-lost-civilizations-of.html. Posted December 16, 2010. Accessed 01 Oct. 2011.
Lepper, Brad. “The Archaeoastronomy of the Newark Earthworks.” Ohio History Connection Archaeology Blog. https://www.ohiohistory.org/the-archaeoastronomy-of-the-newark-earthworks/. Posted December 22, 2013. Accessed 16 May 2023.
Lepper, Bradley T., et al. “Civilizations Lost and Found: Fabricating History – Part Two: False Messages in Stone.” The Skeptical Inquirer, vol. 35, no. 6, 2011. http://www.csicop.org/si/show/civilizations_lost_and_found_fabricating_history_-_part_two_false_messages/. Accessed 22 March 2013.
National Historic Preservation Act 36 CFR 800.4 (c)(1). “Code of Federal Regulations.” National Archives and Records Administration. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-36/chapter-VIII/part-800?toc=1. Accessed 18 May 2023.
National Park Service. “Historical Figures in Hopewell Archeology.” https://www.nps.gov/hocu/learn/historyculture/historic-figures-in-hopewell-archeology.htm. Accessed 19 June 2011.
Ohio History Connection. “Newark Earthworks.” https://www.ohiohistory.org/visit/browse-historical-sites/newark-earthworks/. Accessed, 06 June 2022.
Ohio History Connection. “The archaeoastronomy of The Newark Earthworks.” https://www.ohiohistory.org/the-archaeoastronomy-of-the-newark-earthworks/. Accessed 01 June 2022.
Ohio History Connection. “About Us” https://www.ohiohistory.org/about-us/. Accessed 19 June 2021.
Pember, Mary Annette. “‘Crazy Theories Threaten Serpent Mound, Demean Native Heritage’ A Story about Serpent Mound.” Indian Country Today, 13 Sept. 2018, https://ictnews.org/archive/crazy-theories-threaten-serpent-mound-demean-native-heritage. Accessed 17 May 2023.
Smoot, Steven. “The Lost Civilizations of North America Introduction.” Conference Paper presented at the Ancient American History Conference, Salt Lake City, UT, 01 April 2011, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51Xoj5g5S1g. Posted 24 April 2011. Accessed 01 Oct. 2011. Changed to private.
Sumner, Michaela. “OHC offers Moundbuilders Country Club $1.6 M for lease amid Hopewell site legal battle.” Newark Advocate, 20 May, 2020, https://www.newarkadvocate.com/story/news/2020/05/19/ohio-history-connection-offers-country-club-1-6-m-lease-amid-legal-battle/5222177002/ Accessed 19 June 2022.
The Lost Civilizations of North America. DVD. 2009. Dir. Rick Stout. Highland, UT: NA Discoveries and Acuity Productions.
The Lost Civilizations of North America, Website. 2010. http://www.lostcivilizationdvd.com/index.html. Accessed 21 May 2013.
Unite the Collective. “Big Changes Inbound” Morning Coffee with Rion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRhMvZBdt_c 14 May 2022. Accessed 18 May 18, 2023.
Wallace, Chief Glenna. “Foreword.” The Newark Earthworks: Enduring Monuments, Contested Meanings, edited by Lindsay Jones and Richard Shiels, U of Virginia P, 2016, pp. ix-xi.
Warren, Stephen and Randolph Noe. “The Greatest Travelers in America”: Shawnee Survival in the Shatter Zone.” Mapping the Mississippian Shatter Zone, edited by Robbie Etheridge and Sheri M. Shuck-Hall. U of Nebraska P, 2009, pp. 163–187.
Warren, Stephen. “Coalescence and Diaspora at Lower Shawnee Town, 1730–58.” Conference paper, delivered at the 126th Annual Meeting American Historical Association, Jan. 2012.
Wolfe, Patrick. “Settler colonialism and the elimination of the native.” Journal of Genocide Research, vol. 8, no. 4, 2006, pp. 387–409.
World Heritage Ohio. “Serpent Mound.” http://worldheritageohio.org/serpent-mound/ Accessed, 07 June 2022.
WYSO. “Conflicting Stories About the Serpent Mound: WYSO Curious Digs In.” https://www.wyso.org/arts-culture/2014-12-26/conflicting-stories-about-the-serpent-mound-wyso-curious-digs-in Aired 26 December 2014. Accessed, 6/19/22.
Zeisberger, David. History of the Northern American Indians. Edited by Archer Butler Hulbert and William Nathaniel Schwarze. Columbus, Ohio, State Archaeological and Historical Society, 1910.
Miami University United States
https://orcid.org/0009-0000-6094-7747
Sandra Garner is an Associate Professor in Global and Intercultural Studies and the Inaugural Chief Floyd Leonard Faculty Fellow at the Myaamia Center (Miami University, Oxford, Ohio). Her broad research and teaching interests focus on culture, in particular the construct of Indigenous identities emergent from settler colonial contexts and best practices of community engagement. Her pedagogical approach seeks to engage students in community outreach through experiential learning activities and the development of community-driven research projects with Native American nations. She serves the Myaamia Center as the faculty liaison outreach specialists and facilitates year long workshops with faculty members on the development of culturally sensitive modules and courses.
Among Garner's publications: To Come to a Better Understanding: Medicine Men and Clergy Meetings on the Rosebud Reservation, 1973-1978 (University of Nebraska Press, June 2016); "Community-Driven Research: From Indian Country to Classroom and Back in Replanting Cultures, Chief Ben Barnes and Stephen Warren, editors, (SUNY Press, 2022); "To Come to a Better Understanding: Complicating the Two Worlds Trope" in Beyond Two Worlds, Joseph Genetin-Pilawa and James Buss, editors, (SUNY Press, 2014); "Aztec Dance, Transnational Movements: Conquest of a Different Sort," The Journal of American Folklore, (Fall 2009); three encyclopedia entries "Black Hills Dispute and Black Hills War," "Shawnee," and "Tecumseh's War," for Multicultural America: A Multimedia Encyclopedia, Carlos E. Cortés, editor (SAGE Reference, 2013); and multiple invited book reviews.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The Copyright Holder of the submitted text is the Author. The Reader is granted the rights to use the material available in the RIAS websites and pdf documents under the provisions of the Creative CommonsAttribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0). Any commercial use requires separate written agreement with the Author and a proper credit line indicating the source of the original publication in RIAS.
- License
The University of Silesia Press provides immediate open access to journal’s content under the Creative Commons BY 4.0 license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Authors who publish with this journal retain all copyrights and agree to the terms of the above-mentioned CC BY 4.0 license.
- Author’s Warranties
The author warrants that the article is original, written by stated author/s, has not been published before, contains no unlawful statements, does not infringe the rights of others, is subject to copyright that is vested exclusively in the author and free of any third party rights, and that any necessary written permissions to quote from other sources have been obtained by the author/s.
If the article contains illustrative material (drawings, photos, graphs, maps), the author declares that the said works are of his authorship, they do not infringe the rights of the third party (including personal rights, i.a. the authorization to reproduce physical likeness) and the author holds exclusive proprietary copyrights. The author publishes the above works as part of the article under the licence "Creative Commons Attribution - By the same conditions 4.0 International".
ATTENTION! When the legal situation of the illustrative material has not been determined and the necessary consent has not been granted by the proprietary copyrights holders, the submitted material will not be accepted for editorial process. At the same time the author takes full responsibility for providing false data (this also regards covering the costs incurred by the University of Silesia Press and financial claims of the third party).
- User Rights
Under the Creative Commons Attribution license, the users are free to share (copy, distribute and transmit the contribution) and adapt (remix, transform, and build upon the material) the article for any purpose, provided they attribute the contribution in the manner specified by the author or licensor.
- Co-Authorship
If the article was prepared jointly with other authors, the signatory of this form warrants that he/she has been authorized by all co-authors to sign this agreement on their behalf, and agrees to inform his/her co-authors of the terms of this agreement.
I hereby declare that in the event of withdrawal of the text from the publishing process or submitting it to another publisher without agreement from the editorial office, I agree to cover all costs incurred by the University of Silesia in connection with my application.
