Ohio Vacations

Serpent Mound!

Atop a plateau overlooking the Brush Creek Valley, Serpent Mound is the largest and finest serpent effigy in the United States. Nearly a quarter of a mile long, Serpent Mound apparently represents an uncoiling serpent.

In the late nineteenth-century Harvard University archaeologist Frederic Ward Putnam excavated Serpent Mound and attributed the creation of the effigy to the builders of the two nearby burial mounds, which he also excavated. We now refer to this culture as the Adena (800 BC-AD 100). A third burial mound at the park and a village site near the effigy's tail belong to the Fort Ancient culture (AD 1000-1550).

A more recent excavation of Serpent Mound revealed wood charcoal that could be radiocarbon dated. Test results show that the charcoal dates to the Fort Ancient culture. This new evidence of the serpent's creators links the effigy to the elliptical mound and the village rather than the conical burial mounds.

The head of the serpent is aligned to the summer solstice sunset and the coils also may point to the winter solstice sunrise and the equinox sunrise. Today, visitors may walk along a footpath surrounding the serpent and experience the mystery and power of this monumental effigy. A public park for more than a century, Serpent Mound attracts visitors from all over the world. The museum contains exhibits on the effigy mound and the geology of the surrounding area.

For more information about this site, one of North America great ancient sites, please visit the Ohio Historical Society website at: http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/places/sw16/index.shtml

Keep in mind when walking for extended periods:

-Wear appropriate shoes (tennis shoes or hiking shoes/boots) which give support and protection to your feet. Make sure the shoes are laced and tied tightly.

-Wear your sunscreen. Being outside always requires that you avoid the harmful uva and uvb rays of the sun.

-Pack plenty of water. You need to remember to rehydrate your body when you are losing sweat from exercise. Walking for an extended periods of time, though you may not sweat as much as when doing other activities, still requires you to drink plenty of water or sports drinks. Sodas and sugary drinks do not replace the vital nutrients your body loses and may even dehydrate you further.

-Take breaks, especially if you are not used to walking long distances. Your body will let you know that it needs a break and you should listen to it. Find some shade and enjoy a brief sit and some water. Don't sit too long or your legs might tighten up (if they do remember to stretch and work back into your walk slowly). And don't drink your water too fast as it might make you feel bloated or give you a stomach cramp.

-Take in the scenery, you are after all at an historic site.

-Check out our online store for products to aid in walking comfort, like Powerstep insoles which offer support and comfort to your shoes, as well as helping to align your feet and the joints throughout your body. We also have lots of products to help with other footcare needs such as athletes foot, moisture wicking socks, and foot drying anti-fungal powder: http://www.ourdoctorstore.com/vail/