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All that is left of the ancients in the Ohio River Valley are some Native American mounds and artifacts. Largely because the tribes were hunter gatherers. "Leave-no-trace" was the lifestyle, and their sustainable use of natural resources meant that almost all evidence of their existence disappeared quickly. Even after centuries of living off the land.
It's pretty common to find arrowheads and axeheads in the rivers and streams around Indian settlements. You just have to know where to look. Most of the state and local parks along the rivers are Native American points of interest. If not of historical significance, then probably spiritually important to the tribe. So at least they try to preserve the land with federal protection as much as possible.
I think it's inspiring they left behind so little.... How can an entire civilization can just disappear in a few hundred years, along with almost all trace of their settlements. All the knowledge they must have passed down, now almost nothing remains.
