Grave Creek Mound

Grave Creek Mound is a conical earthwork in Marshall County, West Virginia, rising 20 meters (66 feet) above ground level with a base diameter of 73 meters (240 feet). The mound sits near the Ohio River and towers over the surrounding landscape as the largest burial mound of its kind on the American continent.

The Adena people built this mound between 250 and 150 BC, transporting more than 57,000 tons of earth during its construction. Later excavations in the 19th century uncovered burial chambers and made the mound a key discovery for understanding prehistoric North American cultures.

The burial ground represents a communal effort by the early Adena society, expressing their religious beliefs and social structures through monumental construction. Today, the site continues to draw people interested in pre-Columbian cultures of North America.

The Delf Norona Museum on site opens Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM and offers free admission to exhibits about prehistoric cultures. A footpath leads from the museum to the top of the mound, where visitors gain a wide view over the Ohio Valley.

Excavations in 1838 uncovered copper bracelets, shell beads, and ceremonial objects that give insight into Adena burial customs. A trench with a single entrance originally surrounded the mound and functioned like a protective moat system.