The Ohio State University's Newark Earthworks Center (NEC) has been awarded a $400,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to develop materials to enhance the Ancient Ohio Trail, a driving tour of Ohio that explores the earthworks built by ancient Native American cultures in central and southern Ohio. The Ancient Ohio Trail, considered the Heartland of Ancient America, showcases the largest concentration of geometric earthen architecture in the world. Anchor sites include Newark, Fort Ancient, Serpent Mound and Hopewell Cultural National Historical Park in Chillicothe.

"Winning this national award demonstrates the global importance of earthworks in Ohio," said Richard Shiels, associate professor of history, Newark Campus and director the NEC. "We are working with partners across the state, creating a driving tour of Ohio sites that will draw people from around the country and around the world."

The NEC's partner in the grant is the Center for the Electronic Reconstruction of Historical and Archaeological Sites (CERHAS) at the University of Cincinnati. Together, they will develop enhanced resources to help visitors more easily trace early settlements in the region and to better access information on Ohio's many historic towns, scenic roads, and cultural, artistic, and tourist amenities.