Leake Mounds

Leake Mounds is an archaeological site featuring three earthwork mounds and a circular ditch that sits along the Etowah River. The site shows the construction methods and settlement patterns of an early North American population.

People lived at this site between roughly 300 BCE and 650 CE and built the mounds across several construction phases. Settlement stopped several centuries before similar mounds were built downstream.

Pottery found here features diamond-shaped patterns that show how southeastern Native Americans shared artistic traditions with communities from the Midwest. This connection reveals how distant groups traded and exchanged ideas across long distances.

Portions of the site were damaged in the 1940s, but the remaining sections are accessible to visitors. Wear sturdy shoes since the ground is uneven and overgrowth can be thick in some areas.

The semi-circular ditch comes from an altered course of the Etowah River and sets this place apart from other sites in the region. This geographical adaptation shows how residents cleverly used the natural landscape.

Location: Georgia

GPS coordinates: 34.13930,-84.84610

Latest update: December 13, 2025 11:45