Serpent Mounds Provincial Park, Provincial park and archaeological site near Rice Lake, Peterborough County, Canada
Serpent Mounds Provincial Park is an archaeological site near Keene, Ontario, holding nine earthen mounds on Roach's Point beside Rice Lake. The largest, called "the serpent" for its winding outline, is 59.1 m long, 7.6 m wide and 1.5 to 1.8 m high, a low grass-covered ridge with no exposed stone or marker. Eight oval or round mounds, the "serpent's eggs", lie nearby.
The site shows continuous settlement from the 1st century BCE through the 3rd century CE and provides key evidence of the Point Peninsula cultural group. Later periods saw different patterns of land use, reflecting the long span of human presence in this region.
The mounds reflect how Indigenous peoples of the region conducted funerary practices and valued certain objects in death. The discovered shell beads, copper ornaments, and pottery fragments show the craftsmanship and ritual customs of these ancient communities.
The park has been closed to the public since 2009, so there is no access to the mounds, beach or former campground. The site lies near Keene in Peterborough County, by Rice Lake; the mounds are on Roach's Point, and East Sugar Island is part of the designated site. Check current access conditions with Hiawatha First Nation before planning a visit.
The serpent mound measures 59.1 metres long, 7.6 metres wide and 1.5 to 1.8 metres high, and is the only one of its kind in Canada. Eight smaller oval or round mounds, called the serpent's eggs, lie nearby and range from 7 to 14.6 metres long. Excavations inside them yielded shell disc beads, copper foil beads, a fish bone hook and carved limestone.
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