  Location within Ohio today | |
| Location | Lebanon, Ohio, Warren County, Ohio,  USA |
|---|---|
| Region | Warren County, Ohio |
| Coordinates | 39°24′27.22″N84°5′16.8″W / 39.4075611°N 84.088000°W /39.4075611; -84.088000 |
| History | |
| Cultures | Ohio Hopewell culture |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 2009 |
| Archaeologists | Robert Riordan |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural styles | timber circle, |
Moorehead Circle was a triplewoodhenge constructed about two millennia ago at theFort Ancient Earthworks in theU.S. state ofOhio.
The outer circle, discovered in 2005 by Jarrod Burks, is about 60 metres (200 ft) in diameter.[1] Robert Riordan, Professor of Archaeology atWright State University and lead archaeologist investigating the site, estimates that about two hundred wooden posts were set in the outer circle.[2] Following the 2009 Field Season though, this estimate will likely be reevaluated given a huge number of tightly spaced post-molds found on the geographic south of the feature.[needs update]
Thirty post-molds in all, were found in an eight meter long area excavated on the border of the circle. "A radiocarbon date on charcoal from a remnant trace of a post suggests it was built between 40 BC and AD 130. Burned timber fragments from the pit were dated AD 250 to AD 420."[2] Both dates fall into the time period of theHopewell culture, preceding theFort Ancient culture occupation that predominates the site. The use or uses of the circles has not been determined, although it was likely ceremonial.
Dr. Riordan named the circle in honor ofWarren K. Moorehead, first curator of archaeology for the Ohio Historical Society and a leading North American archaeologist around the turn of the twentieth century, who was largely responsible for preservation of the Fort Ancient site.
Other woodhenges have been found in the central part of the United States, including theCahokia Woodhenge andMound 72 Woodhenges (both located at theCahokia site in western Illinois)[3] and theStubbs Earthworks, which is also a Hopewell culture site located in Warren County, Ohio.[4]
