Tucked away in the tiny (but appropriately named) town of Pioneer, Louisiana lies one of the world’s greatest feats of engineering: Poverty Point. Not only is this historic site a U.S. National Monument, but its historical significance earned it the high honor of being designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, enjoying company such as Easter Island, Stonehenge, and Pompeii. It’s one of the most incredible pieces of history in the country, and we are lucky enough to have it right in Louisiana’s backyard.
The 400 acres surrounding Poverty Point contain the largest and most complex Lake Archaic earthworks ever discovered in North America.
Consisting of several ridges and mounds that stretch for about 345 acres, these mounds were built by the Poverty Point culture that lived here more than 3,000 years ago, but there are many questions as to how these giant structures were built without modern tools.
Here’s a reconstruction of what historians believe Poverty Point would have looked like in its heyday.
These mounds were built between 1700 and 1100 BCE, and while they average out at about six feet in height today, they were much larger 3,000 years ago. As you can see, the mounds are centered around Bayou Macon, which would have been a very important waterway.
Today, you can visit these mounds and learn all about the history and mystery that surrounds this ancient village.
Some of these mounds would have been 70+ feet high, which is an impressive accomplishment considering they lacked advanced tools. The original inhabitants left no written word behind, so historians have had to piece together what they know from relics that have been uncovered.
When you visit, be sure to check out the Visitor's Center, where you can see some of the artifacts that have been found, as well as replicas of what the village is believed to have looked like.
Spear points, clay figures, and primitive tools are just a few of the discoveries you'll see here.
Every new discovery seems to reveal more questions than answers, though. One of the main questions historians have yet to answer is what purpose the village actually served. No bodies have been uncovered, so it was not used as a burial site, yet it took generations of people carrying basketfuls of dirt by hand to build these mounds, which took decades. Why put so much effort into something, only to abandon it suddenly?
The bayou would have been an important resource for the Poverty Point Culture, and that's been evident by the many fish bones that have been found during digs.
The bayou would have been much larger and acted as a navigational highway of sorts, and it's believed that the Poverty Point Culture used this waterway as a port for trade, as well as fishing. Some of the rocks and minerals that have been found here aren't native to the area, suggesting that boats traveled great distances (as far as the Appalachians) to retrieve these resources.
As you walk along the trails between the mounds, try to imagine what this area would have looked like 3,000 years ago.
From the top of the mounds, you'll have a magnificent view of the surrounding land.
What do you think made this culture seemingly vanish out of the blue?
Visit Poverty Point's website for more information, and be sure to give them a follow on Facebook, too, so you can stay up to date on any future special events and potential discoveries. While you're in the area, the nearby Poverty Point State Park is a great place to call home for a few days while you explore the wonders of Poverty Point and the surrounding area.
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