Spiro Mounds

Spiro Mounds is an archaeological site in LeFlore County, Oklahoma, covering roughly 150 acres (60 hectares) along the Arkansas River. The grounds include twelve earthen mounds of different sizes and functions, among them structures for burials and residential areas.

The settlement began around the year 850 and grew over six centuries into a major center of Mississippian culture. Around 1450, the inhabitants left the site, likely due to environmental shifts or changes in trade routes.

The people who lived here belonged to a community that maintained contact with other settlements across hundreds of miles, exchanging shells, copper and stone. These connections brought ideas and craft techniques into the Arkansas River valley, reflected in the preserved objects found at the site.

Visitors can walk the trails between the mounds and view the exhibits at the archaeological center. Guided tours led by specialists provide insight into the excavations and the history of the site.

One of the larger mounds contained a sealed chamber where organic materials such as textiles and woven baskets survived. These rare finds provide insight into the daily life and craftsmanship of a community long gone.