description High Bank Works Overview
The High Bank Works is an ancient Hopewell culture earthwork complex located in Chillicothe, Ohio. Built between roughly 100 BCE and 500 CE, the site is distinct for its large octagonal geometric enclosure connected to a massive circular earthwork by a set of parallel embankment walls. Now part of the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, the mounds were utilized by Indigenous peoples for ceremonial and astronomical purposes.
help High Bank Works FAQ
Where is High Bank Works located, and who built it?
High Bank Works is an ancient Hopewell earthwork complex near Chillicothe, Ohio. Its builders created a large geometric enclosure system with a circle, an octagon and connecting embankments. [source](https://www.nps.gov/hocu/learn/historyculture/high-bank-works.htm)
How large are the circle and octagon at High Bank Works?
The main circle and octagon each measure about 1,000 feet across, within a site covering roughly 197 acres. Parallel embankments extend southwest for almost 2,000 feet. [source](https://www.nps.gov/hocu/learn/historyculture/high-bank-works.htm)
Was High Bank Works designed around astronomical alignments?
The National Park Service says the earthwork appears aimed at 12 precise solar and lunar standstill points. The site also appears to mark the solstices, although that interpretation describes alignment rather than proving a single purpose. [source](https://www.nps.gov/hocu/learn/historyculture/high-bank-works.htm)
Is High Bank Works part of a UNESCO World Heritage site?
Yes. High Bank Works is one of the eight component sites in the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks World Heritage property, inscribed by UNESCO in 2023. [source](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1689)
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