ADENA: Mound Builders of the Ohio Valley Hardcover – Large Print, March 20, 2026

Adena: Mound Builders of the Ohio Valley Volume I is a richly detailed, accessible exploration of one of North America’s earliest mound-building societies. Drawing on archaeology, early surveys, and modern research, this book traces the rise of the Adena people from scattered Woodland communities into a tradition defined by monumental earthworks, long-distance exchange networks, and complex ceremonial life.Readers are guided through the construction and meaning of conical burial mounds, sacred circles, and ritual landscapes that still mark the hills and river valleys of Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, and eastern Indiana. The book examines Adena lifeways—craftsmanship, mortuary practices, belief systems, and social organization—while carefully separating evidence from long-standing myths and outdated interpretations.Special attention is given to the transition from Adena to Hopewell traditions, showing how ideas evolved rather than vanished. Case studies of well-known and lesser-known sites bring the past into sharp focus, revealing what these ancient earthworks tell us about memory, power, and community.Written for both general readers and serious enthusiasts, Adena Mound Builders of the Ohio Valley offers a grounded, respectful portrait of a culture whose legacy still shapes the American cultural landscape. Read more