United States

SunWatch Indian Village

Fort Ancient village reconstruction, Ohio

Location

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Historical Context

About

SunWatch Indian Village / Archaeological Park, previously known as the Incinerator Site, and designated by the Smithsonian trinomial 33-MY-57, is a reconstructed Fort Ancient Native American village next to the Great Miami River. The dwellings and site plan of the 3-acre (1.2 ha) site are based on lengthy archeological excavations sponsored by the Dayton Society of Natural History, which owns and operates the site as an open-air museum. Because of its archaeological value, the site was listed in 1974 on the National Register of Historic Places. Since that time, as the many years of archaeological research at the site have led to important findings about the Fort Ancient culture, SunWatch Indian Village was designated in 1990 as a National Historic Landmark.

Paleolithic
Mesolithic
Neolithic
Chalcolithic
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Classical Period
Post-Classical Period
Early Modern Period
Industrial Period
Contemporary Period
Temporal Epochs

Historical Timeline

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Professional excavation begins

1971

Listed on National Register

1974

Opened as open-air museum

1988

Excavations completed (major phase)

1988

Designated National Historic Landmark

1990

Classification

Archaeological Features

Unique architectural and cultural elements found at this historical site

category

Defensive Structures

Defensive WallsBarricades
category

Public and Civic Structures

Plazas
category

Burial and Funerary Structures

Graves
category

Agricultural and Land Use Features

Gardens
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Domestic and Habitation Structures

VillagesHouses
category

Astronomical and Timekeeping Structures

Observatories
Knowledge Base

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Reference

Details

Country

United States

Coordinates

39.72° N, -84.23° E