Arledge Mounds I and II

Arledge Mounds I and II are two connected earthen mounds built by the Adena people and located on farmland in Pickaway County. The larger mound rises about 20 feet (6 meters) high and spans about 120 feet (36 meters) across.

These structures were built about 2000 years ago by the Adena culture, an early people who lived in the Ohio region. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 to protect it for research.

The mounds show the engineering skill of the Adena people, who built earthworks for ceremonies and burials. They reveal how this early population organized community rituals and honored their dead.

Visiting requires advance permission since the site is privately owned and protected for archaeological work. It is best to contact local authorities or archaeologists beforehand to arrange access and learn about proper timing for a visit.

These two mounds are connected at their base, forming a rare paired structure found at only one other location in Ohio. This connection suggests a specialized building technique or special ritual purpose that researchers continue to study.