Newark Earthworks to host open house July 25

Those from Licking County and beyond can explore the Newark Earthworks during an upcoming open house.

People can explore all three segments of the ancient, expansive earthworks built by American Indians: Great Circle, Octagon and Wright. The open house, hosted by Ohio History Connection, will be from dawn to dusk, Monday, July 25.

The Great Circle Earthworks is located at 455 Hebron Road in Heath and the Octagon Earthworks is located about two miles away at 25 N. 33rd St. in Newark. The Wright Earthworks, are located in Newark north of Grant Street on James, parallel to Ohio 79.

Activities will be held at the Octagon and Great Circle from noon to 4 p.m., and staff members will be on hand to answer questions.

Guided walking tours of the Octagon with Ohio History Connection archaeologists will be at 12:30, 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. Groups will meet at the large map by the parking lot for the free tour.

Talks at the Great Circle Museum will be at 1 and 2 p.m. Staff members will talk about the Fort Ancient Earthworks in Warren County at 1 p.m. and about the precise astronomical alignments that are encoded in many earthworks at 2 p.m.

The Newark Earthworks served social, ceremonial and astronomical functions for their builders, people of the Hopewell Culture. The site is a National Historic Landmark and part of the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks network that has been nominated for consideration as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

For more details about the Newark Earthworks Open House on July 25, go to www.ohiohistory.org/openhouse. For more about the Newark Earthworks, go to www.ohiohistory.org/octagon.

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Newark Earthworks to host open house July 25