Introduction

The Great Serpent Mound

High on a ridge in Adams County, Ohio, the Serpent Mound has puzzled archaeologists and historians for 200 years. Who built this 1/4-mile-long earthwork? When and why was it built? What purpose did it serve and what are the magic qualities of this mound?

Scientists have been trying to answer these questions since the mid-1800s. Most have come up with logical theories, based on serious research and analysis. Others have come up with more far-fetched theories, based on little to no evidence, including one published theory that claimed the mound wasn't any old serpent, but rather the serpent from the Garden of Eden, built by none other than God himself!

Today, archaeologists are much closer to knowing the truth behind the mysteries of Serpent Mound than ever before. Using radiocarbon dating and other technological advances, scientists have narrowed down a range of dates for the mound's creation and discovered other facts that help us understand the effigy better.

But that doesn't mean there's no more mystery to the Serpent Mound. The beauty of science and history is that behind each door you open you will find a whole new set of unopened doors, a whole new set of mysteries waiting to be discovered. For each question that has been answered regarding Serpent Mound, there are a thousand questions with no answers.