Poverty Point

Poverty Point

A World Heritage Site built 3,400 years ago by American Indians featuring massive earthworks.

Earthworks

Man-made structures created from moving earth, including mounds and ridges.

Poverty Point Objects (PPOs)

Shaped balls of fired clay used for heating earth ovens, widely traded or carried by visitors.

Mound A

The largest mound at Poverty Point, measuring 72 feet tall and constructed in three distinct parts.

Mound B

A small, conical mound, 21 feet tall, built around 1700 B.C. with an unclear purpose.

Mound C

An oval-shaped mound constructed in 16 thin layers, with its exact age uncertain.

Mound D

A flat-topped, rectangular mound built around A.D. 700, showing a connection to earlier cultures.

Mound E

One of the oldest mounds at Poverty Point, built around 3,700 years ago, later reidentified as man-made.

Mound F

The smallest mound at Poverty Point, about 5 feet tall, indicating a decline in mound construction.

Ridges

C-shaped earthen ridges unique to Poverty Point, with artifacts suggesting year-round habitation.

Cultural significance

Poverty Point illustrates the advanced society of hunting and gathering communities involved in trade.

Natural resources

Variety of materials such as fish, fruits, and nuts available near Poverty Point that supported its inhabitants.

Trade network

Poverty Point was part of the largest trade network in North America during its time.

Construction methods

Involved the movement of nearly 2 million cubic yards of earth over approximately 600 years.

Artifact evidence

Archaeological findings such as tools and the remains of food that provide insight into the life at Poverty Point.