America Unearthed Season 1 Episode 6 Stonehenge in America

In season 1 episode 6 of America Unearthed, titled "Stonehenge in America," host Scott Wolter explores the possibility that an ancient site in Georgia known as Rock Eagle may have been a ceremonial center for a lost civilization that eventually influenced the Mound Builder cultures of the Ohio River Valley. Wolter, a forensic geologist and investigator of ancient mysteries, examines the evidence of pre-Columbian contact between North America and Europe and considers the possibility that Stonehenge in England may have been inspired by similar structures in America.

The episode begins with Wolter surveying the Rock Eagle site, which features a monumental effigy of an eagle with a wingspan of over 100 feet, composed of stones that were placed in the shape of the bird. Wolter notes that the site has long been a mystery, with various theories about its origin, including that it was created by the Creek Indians or the Mayas. However, he argues that the sophistication and scale of the site suggest that it was the work of a more advanced civilization that existed in the Southeast region before the arrival of Europeans.

To support his theory, Wolter examines ancient Celtic artifacts found in Georgia, including a bronze bull figurine and a stone carving of a Celtic warrior, and explores the possibility that this evidence points to transatlantic contact between Celtic sailors and native Americans. He also notes the similarity between the geometric patterns at Rock Eagle and those found at the ancient Celtic site of Newgrange in Ireland, suggesting a common cultural influence.

Wolter then travels to Ohio to investigate the Hopewell culture, which flourished in the Ohio River Valley from 200 BCE to 500 CE and is known for its elaborate burial mounds and geometric earthworks. He examines the alignments of the mounds and notes their correspondence to astronomical events such as the solstices and equinoxes, suggesting a sophisticated knowledge of astronomy.

Finally, Wolter considers the possibility that the Hopewell culture was inspired by a lost civilization that existed in the Southeast region, which he calls the Southern Atlantis. He suggests that the Southern Atlantis had contact with other ancient cultures, including the Celts and the Phoenicians, and that they left a legacy of astronomical, mathematical, and artistic knowledge that influenced the development of the Hopewell and subsequent Mound Builder cultures.

Throughout the episode, Wolter acknowledges that his theory is controversial and speculative, and that there is much that is still unknown about the prehistory of North America. However, he argues that the evidence he has gathered provides a plausible alternative to the orthodox view of Native American history and offers a new perspective on the ancient civilizations of the world.