A team of researchers at the Etowah Indian Mounds in Georgia has unearthed a pair of embossed copper plates depicting a 'Fire Serpent' emerging from a celestial portal. The plates were discovered within a specialized ritual hearth, leading archaeologists to believe they were used during the Mississippian 'Festival of the Burning Sky'.
This festival likely occurred during the autumn equinox and involved the symbolic purification of the community through fire. The craftsmanship of the copper plates suggests a highly organized artisan class dedicated to producing ceremonial regalia for these massive multi-day gatherings that attracted pilgrims from across the Southeast.