The Criel Mound in South Charleston, WV, is a circular earthwork of the Adena culture complex that dates back to 250-150 B.C. Photo Credit: Robert F. Maslowski

The prehistoric culture complex known as Adena extends from 2600 to 1900 BP. It is found in the central Ohio River valley and adjacent regions of the United States. Adena was a mortuary cult involving several interacting groups that shared mortuary practices and ceremonies. They kept their mortuary mounds and residential camps separate. They were small, mobile social hunter-gatherers and horticulturalists. Although the mounds seem to indicate some status differences may have existed, the residential sites indicate they were egalitarian.

Learn more about the Adena tradition in eHRAF Archaeology, a database for comparative archaeology. Once logged on you can explore the Browse Traditions for brief overview of this culture, or the Tradition Documents for the collected and indexed works.  In Advanced Search you can search the Adena and other prehistoric cultures for subjects and keywords.