Ancient Earthworks Society

September 21, 2006
Herman Bender: "The Cosmos Complete: Modeling the Universe"
Over the past 12 years, many significant discoveries have been made at the Kolterman site in Dodge County. It was one of the first sites where stone bison effigies were discovered 'emerging' from the earth and aligned to the summer solstice. With continued clearing of grass and brush, more petroform has been documented and mapped over the past few years and now a complete picture of what this place must have represented is emerging. When the ancient Lakota and some Algonquin traditions are factored in, this site appears to be a model of the universe, perhaps the best preserved one in North America. This program will explore what it encompasses and how the world below can mirror the universe above at a place where the two join to become one. Herman Bender is President of the Hanwakan Center for Prehistoric Astronomy, Cosmology and Cultural Landscape Studies. He is a geologist, amateur astronomer, and published historian with decades of experience observing the sky.

May 18, 2006
Dr. Jim Sherz

April 20, 2006
Jack Steinbring: "Tie Creek Site in Manitoba, Canada"

March 24, 2006
Richie Brown: "The Search for the Medicine Wheel in Wisconsin"
Ritchie Brown is a tribal member and the manager of the Ho-Chunk Nation's Division of Natural Resources. Ritchie discussed early Ho Chunk history, including the earliest medicine wheel and the medicine wheel in Wyoming.

February 22, 2006
Dennis Merritt, Ph.D.: "Sacred Landscapes, Sacred Seasons: A Jungian Ecopsychological Perspective"
Ecopsychology is a relatively new field that studies our dysfunctional relationship with the environment and explores ways of deepening our connection to the land. Dreams, sacred sites and most American holidays and popularly recognized special days can be related to in a manner that connects us to the land and seasons and establishes a sense of place. A developed understanding and appreciation of ancient sacred sites forms the basis for protecting the remaining sites. It helps our culture more fully realize the depth of the sacred connection that indigenous peoples have felt with the earth and the heavens. Orientation with respect to earth and sky also displays significant elements of dynamic systems theory that illuminates our understanding of many natural and psychological phenomena.

January 19, 2006
Robert Birmingham: Charles E. Brown and the Mounds of Madison
Madison and the Four Lakes had one of the largest and most interesting concentration of Indian mounds in North America. Many are still preserved largely as the legacy of Charles E. Brown, Wisconsin Historical Society director and co-founder and editor of the Wisconsin Archeological Society. This presentation provided an overview on the mounds of Madison focusing on Brown's innovative efforts to promote preservation in the early 20th century. Robert Birmingham retired from his long time post as Wisconsin State Archaeologist in 2004. He is a recipient of the Lapham Research Award from his Wisconsin Archeological Society and the Steinbring Prize from the University of Wisconsin Press. His forthcoming book "Aztalan: Mysteries of An Ancient Indian Town".