This booklet is issued by the Ohio State Archæological and Historical
Society in response to a demand for a brief outline of the main features
of prehistoric archæology in Ohio.
While intended primarily for use of students in the elementary schools,
it is hoped that visitors to the Museum, and the general public, as well
as collectors of archæological material, and students of prehistory, may
find the brief summary contained herein of interest and value.
Since types of archæological specimens are fairly similar throughout the
area east of the Rocky Mountains, and particularly within the general
Mound area, the information contained in this summary is broadly
applicable even outside the boundaries of the state of Ohio. Further,
since the course of human development has been basically the same the
world over, the simple series of local “relics” selected for this study
will serve to illustrate how, through countless centuries of pioneering,
human beings have advanced from savagery to civilization, thus making
for understanding and appreciation of the present time.
The wealth of material on display and in the study collections at the
Ohio State Museum will serve as an inexhaustible laboratory in further
pursuit of the subject by those who may be so inclined.
[Illustration: Fig. 1—Archaeological Map of Ohio.
The dots on this outline map show the location and distribution of
the ancient Mounds of the State.]