Cross Mound

Cross Mound, or Tarlton Cross Mound, is a prehistoric effigy earthwork near Tarlton in southern Ohio, set on a narrow spur of land beside a tributary of the Scioto River. Recorded in the mid-1840s as a Greek-cross form aligned with the cardinal directions, it included a surrounding ditch, a shallow central depression, and a small rise of stone and earth at the rear. Later study revised some early measurements, but the site's builders and date remain uncertain. Proposed origins range from Hopewell and Fort Ancient to the Middle Woodland period, making Cross Mound significant for its unusual form and the unresolved questions it poses about ceremonial landscapes in southern Ohio.

Tarlton, Ohio · United States