Angel Mounds, Archaeological site near Evansville, Indiana, US.
Angel Mounds is an archaeological site near Evansville, Indiana, covering around 600 acres along the Ohio River and containing thirteen earthen mounds and the remains of a fortified settlement. The complex preserves hundreds of residential areas and public spaces that were used by a large community.
The settlement began around the year 1100 and developed over three centuries into an important center of Mississippian culture before its abandonment around 1450. Archaeologists believe that climate shifts or social changes led residents to leave the area.
The site takes its name from the Angel family, who farmed the land in the nineteenth century and discovered the pre-Columbian structures. Today the grounds display reconstructed buildings and archaeological finds that show how residents grew corn and maintained far-reaching trade contacts.
The site offers several walking trails that lead through the mound landscape and reconstructed areas, plus a museum with exhibits about the excavations. A visit typically takes two to three hours and combines well with a walk along the riverbank.
The central platform reaches a height of around 44 feet (13 meters) and extends nearly 644 feet (196 meters) in length, making it one of the largest prehistoric earthworks north of Mexico. From its surface, leaders could oversee the entire settlement area and the river below.
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