This Louisiana Wonder is 13 Times Older Than the United States
I love ancient history, and my wife hates it. That's not really fair, she actually likes it - but she hates it when I drag her along to see it first hand. I remember our first trip to Mexico, and more specifically the ancient Mayan city of Uxmal.
My Love of Ancient History Cost Me Quite a Few Margaritas
She wanted to sit on the beach in Progresso, but I reminded her that because she got to swim with dolphins in Cozumel - I got to pick the next adventure. I wanted to climb the architectural wonders of the abandoned city founded more than 2700 years ago. Don't worry, we got lots of margaritas on the sand afterwards.
An Ancient Wonder in Louisiana is Even Older Than Mexico's Famous Mayan Ruins
Just imagine how blown my mind was when I found out an even older ancient wonder could be found right here in Louisiana! Poverty Point is just a 3 hour drive east of Shreveport, and is one of the most important historical treasures in the world.
Louisiana's Ancient Poverty Point Is Thousands of Years Older Than Older Most Countries
According to Only in Your State, historians believe that the human made mounds found at Poverty Point date back to somewhere between 1700 and 1100 BCE. Archeologists say that the massive earthworks were constructed by the indigenous cultures that lived in the area thousands of years before the country that claimed to have discovered America (Spain) even existed.
Louisiana's Poverty Point Was a Very Important Place for Ancient American Indigenous Cultures
Poverty Point is recognized as a Unesco World Heritage Site consisting of five mounds, six concentric semi-elliptical ridges separated by shallow depressions, and a central plaza. Historians believe that a rich culture of "hunter fisher-gatherers" not only lived there, but that it was a very important site for ceremonies and trade. It was "lost" only to be rediscovered in the 1900s when it was named after a nearby plantation.
My Visit to Louisiana's Poverty Point May Cost Me a Lot Of Margaritas
Don't tell my wife, but I plan on taking a little road trip with her later this year to explore the ancient mysteries waiting at this incredible site - and you can too! There's an awesome visitors center full of artifacts and information about this awesome place. I wonder how many margaritas I will owe her for this one.