Poverty Point Now an UNESCO World Heritage Site!

Monumental Earthworks of Poverty Point

June 22, 2014.

"Poverty Point now joins Cahokia Mounds, Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon as the only ancient North American Indian sites to have received this ultimate level of international recognition.

The inscription of Poverty Points will mean an increased international appreciation of the remarkable achievements of North American Indian cultures."

-Brad Lepper, Ohio History Connection Archaeology Blog.

Poverty Point is "located in the Lower Mississippi Valley on a slightly elevated and narrow landform. The complex comprises five mounds, six concentric semi-elliptical ridges separated by shallow depressions and a central plaza. It was created and used for residential and ceremonial purposes by a society of hunter fisher-gatherers between 3,700 and 3,100 B.C. Research has not clarified yet whether the complex had a steady residential function or was a campground occupied temporarily during ceremonies of trading fairs. It is a remarkable achievement in earthen construction in North America that was not surpassed for at least 2,000 years."

-UNESCO World Heritage.

For more information, visit:

• Poverty Point, Louisiana Tourism
• Poverty Point- A Terminal Archaic Culture of the Lower Mississippi Valley
• Poverty Point World Heritage Initiative
• Poverty Point UNESCO World Heritage Nomination
• Poverty Point World Heritage Justification

• UNESCO World Heritage
• National Park Service World Heritage Page
• New World Heritage Inscribed Properties (2014)
• Ohio History Connection Archaeology Blog, June 22, 2014.

We have a former post about Poverty Point, 

which can be found here: 

Archaeologist Discovers New Mound at Poverty Point.

May, 30, 2014