During many travels throughout rural areas of the Buckeye State I have had the good fortune of visiting several locations that provide glimpses back through history and how the original Ohioans (the pre-European settlers from 10,000 BC through to the 18th century) lived and worked the fertile flood plains of the many river valleys and hunted in the woodlands that at one time covered nearly the entire area now known as Ohio.
Miamisburg Mound, Serpent Mound, Sunwatch Village, the Newark Earthworks, Mound City Group in Chillicothe and Ft. Ancient in Oregonia - these are sites I have walked and photographed and represent just a few of the hundreds of archaeological sites scattered throughout Ohio. Many of these sties were built and occupied first by the Adena cultures, followed by the Hopewell and Ft. Ancients. Their ancestors - the Shawnees - were the last native people to occupy Southern Ohio prior to their populations being decimated by the eventual contact with the European Settlers, beginning in the 1600’s.
I have always been intrigued with Native American Culture, particularly here in Ohio. My interest probably started with the stories of human bones discovered in hillsides near where my grandparents once lived along Tait Road in Moraine, not too far from Sunwatch (pictured below). Construction of a home was delayed while archaeologists were brought in to carefully mark and exhume the sacred remains.
The land of Ohio is not only rich in natural beauty, but infused with human history - a history of a people who learned to live in harmony (or as close to it as possible) with the ebb and flow of nature and the skyward journeys of the sun, stars and Moon. Similar to the ancient Celts of Western Europe, the Adena, Hopewell and Ft. Ancient people worshiped and respected all that the ‘Great Creator’ provided, recognizing the divine in every animal and plant they came in contact with and the wonder and beauty of the light of the never-ending circle of the seasons.
By no means do I have a background in archaeology. For that I highly recommend Brad Lepper’s book, Ohio Archaeology: An Illustrated Chronicle of Ohio’s Ancient American Indian Cultures, published by Orange Frazer Press in 2005 (you might also see a few familiar Jim Crotty nature photographs in there as well). What I do claim is my interest and respect for Native American Culture, which is why I was excited to hear about the annual inter-tribal powwow held every June at Ft. Ancient. This year’s celebration was held during the weekend of June 7th and 8th. I was there on the 7th to capture a few images of “A Gathering of Four Directions.”
The color and movement of the dancers were wonderful to photograph and the atmosphere of the event was great to take in - from the beats of the drums, to the chants and songs within the center of the circle and even the background chorus of cicadas - all combined to re-awaken the spirits of those who danced on this land before.
