Ceremonial Circles

Ceremonial Circles – A place of worship.

Ceremonial Circles are man-made with a variety of assorted sized stones and large boulders.  Sometimes the stones used to make the circular shape are carved into effigies of animals or human faces.  At some archaeological sites, I have seen as many as four Ceremonial Circles created.

Always a part of a burial ground, these rock features serve as the center of Spiritual worship for the entire tribe.  There are certain circles that are reserved just for the Medicine Man/Woman to use.  Other circles are used by everyone.  Some Ceremonial Circles were intentionally created to form the shape of a Pyramid.   Two circles at the bottom and one circle formed at the top.

Ceremonial Circles much like “Split Stones,” were used by the older Indigenous cultures and were eventually fazed out or were replaced with “Concentric Circles” or “Medicine Wheels” around the beginning of the Woodland Period.  The tribal custom of “dancing around the fire” in a circular motion is also another custom that replaced the use of Ceremonial Circles.