
A Tour of Two Prehistoric Rock Effigy Mounds, Putnam County, GA
September 19
Geography-Geology, Building B11 University of Georgia 210 Field Ave
Athens, American Samoa 30602 United States
Sponsored by: AIA-Athens Society
AIA Society: Athens

The Athens Society will sponsor a guided tour of two prehistoric rock effigy mounds located in Putnam County, Georgia. Both effigy mounds are well-known archaeologically but are enigmatic is terms of their actual ages. Surveys and excavations at the effigies began in the late 19th century continuing into the 20th century. Rock Eagle and, its lesser known near-neighbor, Rock Hawk, lie 30 miles apart in the Georgia Piedmont. Noted Georgia authors to include Alice Walker have written about the Rock Eagle mound. Both sites have park-like settings with viewing towers overlooking the mounds’ enclosures. Garrison and University of Georgia (UGA) colleagues, who are society members, have conducted non-invasive studies of the effigies in 2024-2025. He, together with these research colleagues, propose to enter both enclosures with tour participants to facilitate a more intimate experience. On-site drone-based mapping of an effigy will be demonstrated. Handicap access is provided at both sites with a walkway around the Rock Eagle effigy. The Rock Hawk effigy site does not have a walkway around the mound but it has a broad entryway complete with information-signage along its entire length. The site has handicap accessible restrooms and small on-site museum kiosk.
