The Mount Vernon Site, or GE Mound, near the Ohio and Wabash rivers in southwestern Indiana was one of the largest known Hopewell mounds before its destruction and is most likely tied to the Mann phase of the Crab Orchard Culture. A ceremonial and burial mound, it yielded an exceptionally rich collection of artifacts, including stone blades, copper and silver objects, ornaments, panpipes, and rare surviving cloth and leather. Materials from Michigan and Wyoming, along with regional pearls, show far-reaching exchange networks. Its partial destruction and looting in 1988 led to a major federal case that strengthened archaeological protections and sparked enduring legal and ethical debate.

Mount Vernon, Indiana · USA