Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex in Moundsville will present an “Adena Garden Celebration” workshop for the entire family to usher in the spring planting season. The event will feature one of the plants the prehistoric Adena people might have cultivated at the time they were building the Mound from 250 - 150 B.C. The activity will take place on Sunday, April 26, from 1 - 4 p.m., and is free and open to the public.
The afternoon program will explore archaeological evidence which shows the Adena people had sunflowers, squash, pumpkins, gourds and other plants with starchy seeds that many consider to be weeds today. Goosefoot, which grows in garden beds today, is one of the most well known of these starchy plants. Visitors are invited to tour the museum and see specially marked sections in the exhibits to learn more about Adena food production. In addition, everyone attending will be given containers in which they can plant several different varieties of sunflower seeds and take them home to grow for their own garden.
Children must be accompanied by an adult. For more information about the “Adena Garden Celebration,” on April 26 or other programs at the complex, contact Andrea Keller, cultural program coordinator for the Mound, at (304) 843-4128, ext. 202, or e-mail her at [email protected].
Operated by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex features one of the largest and most famous burial mounds built by the prehistoric Adena people. A massive undertaking, construction of the mound took place in successive stages from about 250-150 B.C., and required the movement of more than 60,000 tons of earth. Exhibits and displays in the complex’s museum interpret what is known about the lives of these prehistoric people and the construction of the mound. The Archaeological Complex is located at 801 Jefferson Ave., in Moundsville. Contact the museum for information regarding group registration and detailed driving directions. The museum is free and open to the public Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Access to the mound closes 30 minutes before the museum.
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Its administrative offices are located at the Cultural Center in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, which also houses the state archives and state museum. The Cultural Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. The agency also operates a network of museums and historic sites across the state. For more information about the Division’s programs, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
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