UNESCO Approves World Heritage Designation For Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks

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After years of hard work, the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks have been included as a World Heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The group has been meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and approved the Ohio earthworks designation at 5:28am ET Tuesday, September 19th.

The Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks is the collective name of eight monumental sites operated by the Ohio History Connection and the National Park Service in Licking, Ross, and Warren counties:

Great Circle Earthworks (Heath)
Octagon Earthworks (Newark)
Fort Ancient Earthworks (Oregonia)

Hopewell Culture National Historical Park (Chillicothe) includes:

Mound City Group
Hopewell Mound Group
Seip Earthworks
High Bank Works
Hopeton Earthworks

The designation will bring an estimated quarter-of-a-million new visitors to the ancient earthworks of central and southern Ohio, each year. This is the first such distinction for Ohio and the 25th in the United States. Only 1,000 such sites have been designated around the world.

Glenna Wallace, Chief of the Eastern Shawnee Tribes of Oklahoma, spoke about the designation during her comments at the WHC convention broadcast worldwide.

Pictured: US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Michael Ratney and Chief Glenna Wallace– Photo Credit: UNESCO & YouTube

“Today, eight remarkable earthworks in Ohio, built by our Native American ancestors some two thousand years ago, have now been officially designated a World Heritage Site. After nearly 20 years working toward this goal, my immediate reaction is to shout and to shout with joy. But at the same time, my eyes are moist with tears and my lips, my chin and my voice tremble. My exhilaration is coupled with reflection as I am so humbled, so honored and so thankful that the world at long last recognizes the commitment, the spirituality, the knowledge of astronomy, mathematics, art, geology and aesthetic vision resulting in the imaginative thinking used by our ancestors to create these magnificent earthworks. They were not just geniuses, they were uncommon geniuses. Their genius lives on today in many descendant tribes including the Seneca Nation, Miami Nation, the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi and the Wyandot Nation who have also sent representatives here with us today. I am so thankful for the many, many individuals and organizations that helped make this inscription a reality. We are honored and immensely blessed. Thank you.”

“Today’s inscription of Ohio’s Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks as a UNESCO World Heritage Designation will ensure that the earthworks created by American Indian Tribes over 2000 years ago will get international attention, drawing even more visitors to see these amazing places,” said Governor Mike DeWine. “I encourage Ohioans and people from across the globe to visit these eight sites to experience the awe-inspiring earthworks that are such a special part of Ohio’s history.”

The Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks were nominated to the UNESCO World Heritage List in January 2022, but the vote didn’t occur until today, after years of effort.

“We are so pleased the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks have been inscribed as Ohio’s first World Heritage Site,” said Megan Wood, Executive Director and CEO of the Ohio History Connection. “This inscription is a testament to the outstanding universal value of these masterpieces and more than a decade of work to prepare the UNESCO nomination by our various partners, including the National Park Service and federally recognized American Indian Tribes who trace their ancestry back to Ohio. We are beyond excited to share these sites with more and more Ohioans, Americans and world travelers.”

Melody Young, CEO of the Ross Chillicothe Convention and Visitors Bureau, will be a guest of Litter Media LIVE Special Edition at 10am Wednesday, September 20th, to discuss this designation and the huge impact it will have on our communities.