Unraveling mysteries of Serpent Mound. Ohio's ancient snake-shaped enigma with possible astronomical purpose

The whole structure maintains a standard width of between 3.9 and 4.9 feet and a height ranging from 19.6 to 24.9 feet. Notwithstanding, how the Serpent Mound came to be in Ohio (North America) remains a mystery.

IFL Science points out that the mound's origins were the subject of archaeologists' debates over the past century. For many similar structures, scientists concentrated on the images affixed to them and other artifacts left behind by people. However, no discoveries have been found to enlighten us about the Serpent Mound.

Recent studies suggest that while we still know little about the mound in Ohio, one radiocarbon dating indicates that the Serpent Mound was erected around 1120 CE. This implies that the Fort culture -- native Americans residing in the valley of a neighboring river (and its surroundings) between 1000 and 1500 CE -- likely constructed the mound.

However, there is no shortage of other works to determine the mound's age. The Ohio History Connection mentions archaeologists who assert that the approximately 1,312-foot serpent might have been constructed much earlier, around 300 BCE. In this scenario, the mound's creation may be credited to the Adena culture, which dates from 1000 BCE to 200 CE. Though older than the Fort, the Adena culture is recognized for its distinctive architecture, including cone-shaped mounds.

It's also worth mentioning that the American mound almost certainly had significant cultural importance. IFL Science underlines that its end, or the snake's head, points towards the setting sun during the summer solstice. The opposite end -- the tail -- indicates the direction of the rising sun during the winter solstice. These observations suggest that the Serpent Mound served an astronomical purpose, although we're still unsure who built it.