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Dr. Bradley Leper, Ohio Historical Society Archaeologist
Dr. Bradley Leper, head archaeologist for the state of Ohio and one of the foremost experts on the ancient Hopewell Mound Builders, speaks of several massive obsidian blades found in Ohio with origins in the Yellowstone, Wyoming region. These were likely ceremonial in nature. They were found near Newark, Ohio, sight of the largest earthwork complex in the world. Archaeologists have speculated that as a result of findings of exquisite artifacts made from exotic materials from all over North America, the Hopewell utilized this area as a gigantic ceremonial center, even hinting at a possible explanation through a massive pilgrimage into this area by the ancient Hopewell people who flourished here between about 300 B.C. and 400 AD. In the Heartland proposed geography for the Book of Mormon, this region would have been known as the Land Bountiful by the Nephites. The possible correlations are profound.