What Is An Effigy Mound?

An effigy mound is a geoglyph, or symbol made of earth. The most common effigy mounds in North America are animal effigies. Ohio has only two well-documented effigy mounds, Serpent Mound and Alligator Mound. Ohio's effigy mounds were not burial mounds, though effigy mounds in southern Wisconsin and eastern Iowa typically were used for burial. Effigy mounds are giant earthen sculptures that may be shrines built to honor the powerful spirits they represent. Serpent Mound is the largest effigy mound in North America. It is more than 1,400 feet long and originally may have been more than 5 feet high at its highest point. Alligator Mound in Licking County is another Ohio effigy mound. With its round head and curled tail it does not look much like an alligator. It may be a squirrel or an opossum, or it may be the Underwater Panther. Like the Great Serpent, the Underwater Panther was the Lord of the World Below in many American Indian traditions.

Ohio · United States