Earlier this year, John E. Hancock, professor emeritus of architecture at UC specializing in architectural history, released his book Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks: Landscape Monuments of the Ancient Ohio Valley (Smithsonian Books). The book is the result of his work as principal author and photographer of the nomination dossier of Ohio’s Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The earthworks are a set of eight massive, sacred sites across southern Ohio used as ceremonial sites for Indigenous people who participated in the Hopewell tradition between 1,600 to 2,000 years ago, constructed in precise circles, squares, and octagons that align with the cycles of the sun and moon. In 2023, UNESCO added the Hopewell Earthworks to its World Heritage list, where it joins the likes of historical architectural masterpieces such as Stonehenge and the Great Wall of China. It is the only site on the list in the state of Ohio, and the 25th across the U.S.
Following more than 35 years spent studying and doing public education projects on the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, Hancock’s newest release features more than 250 images in addition to maps, histories of the sites, summaries of archaeological research, and Indigenous perspectives. He has also published a Traveler’s Guide to Ancient Ohio (Ohio University Press) featuring the eight sites and about 50 others…