Maps of Ohio Valley prior to 1784.

Although it has been occupied for as long and possesses a mound-building tradition of considerable scale and interest, Muller contends that the archaeology of the lower Ohio River Valley—from the confluence with the Mississippi to the falls at Louisville, Kentucky – remains less well-known that that of the elaborate mound-building cultures of the upper valley. This study provides a synthesis of archaeological work done in the region, emphasizing population growth and adaptation within an ecological framework in an attempt to explain the area’s cultural evolution.

As stated in the title, this book is primarily intended to guide the readers into understanding a famous prehistoric archaeological site called the Great Serpent Mound, located in Ohio, United States. The Great Serpent Mound is a 1,348-foot-long (411 m), three-foot-high prehistoric effigy mound. It is named that way because when seen from an aerial view, the effigy mounds are shaped like a large snake.