Moundville Archaeological Park contains the remains of one of the largest prehistoric Native American settlements in the United States. Founded around 1120, Moundville was located on the banks of the Black Warrior River 14 miles south of present day Tuscaloosa. A thriving ceremonial and political center of Mississippian culture, the site was occupied for more than three centuries but was abandoned by the early sixteenth century.
The present-day park encompasses the original site, with its large earthen mounds arranged around an open plaza, a museum with interpretive displays of artifacts, an archaeological research center, a nature trail, and camping facilities. Administered by the University of Alabama Museums, Moundville Archaeological Park receives about 40,000 visitors a year, including hundreds of Alabama school children.
Moundville Archaeological Park
Photos courtesy of: Alabama Department of Archives and History