Raymond Charles Vietzen


Raymond Charles Vietzen was an American automobile dealer, artifact collector, and amateur archaeologist. As prolific author and artist from Elyria, Ohio, he wrote and illustrated numerous articles, books, and chapters in edited volumes on the history and prehistory of North America winning him many honors—chief among them the title of "." Col. Vietzen is probably best known for establishing the Indian Ridge Museum in 1930 and for founding the Archaeological Society of Ohio, whereby he presided as its editor, president, secretary, and treasurer from 1941 to 1980. Most of his publications are dedicated to the excavations that he led at many famous archaeological sites in Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. His relic collection was sold by between 1998 and 1999 grossing $1,777,652. In 2000, Colonel founded the New Indian Ridge Museum in Amherst, Ohio, celebrating Col. Vietzen's legacy. However, Col. Vietzen has received criticism for digging, as well as the sale and trade of antiquities.

Publications

Vietzen was an authority on archaeology, geography, and history of the midwestern and eastern United States, particularly for Kentucky, Illinois, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Tennessee, between 1941 and 1995. He penned over 35 publications. They include at least 17 books, 14 peer-reviewed scholarly articles, and 4 chapters in edited academic volumes. Many of these are available at public libraries or online.
  • Vietzen, Raymond. "Birdstones and their probable use". '. 4 : 15–30.
  • Vietzen, Raymond. "Prehistory of the Black River Valley." ' 15: 6–9.
  • Vietzen, Raymond. "Fraternizing with the ancient Kentuckians". '. 16: 3–13.
  • Vietzen, Raymond. "Along the Sandusky." https://www.worldcat.org/title/2265415Society Bulletin 17: 6, 8.
  • Vietzen, Raymond. "Morrison site." Ohio Indian Relic Collectors Society Bulletin 17: 8, 10.
  • Vietzen, Raymond. "Petroglyphs on the Ohio." ' 19: 10–16.
  • Vietzen, Raymond. "Prehistoric pipes from Lorain County, Ohio." ' 20: 9–10.
  • Vietzen, Raymond. "The Hasler mound." ' 21: 1–14.
  • Vietzen, Raymond. Grimm, Robert "My first visit to Cahokia." . St. Louis, Missouri: Greater St. Louis Archaeological Society. pp. 70–72.
  • Vietzen, Raymond. "Cave crawln’." ' 2 : 31.
  • Vietzen, Raymond. "A magnificent birdstone." ' 2 : 32–34.
  • Vietzen, Raymond. "A birdstone study." ' 3 : 30–34.
  • Vietzen, Raymond. Aborigines of Cansadooharie. Ohio Genealogical Society Report 6 : 3.
  • Vietzen, Raymond. "Lorain County's Indians." ' 2.
  • Vietzen, Raymond. Lorain County Historical Society "Prologue." '. Elyria, Ohio: American Multi-Service. pp. 6–7.
  • Vietzen, Raymond. Lorain County Historical Society "Indian Ridge Museum." '. Elyria, Ohio: American Multi-Service. p. 17.
  • Vietzen, Raymond. "Fakes." 30 : 37–39.
  • Vietzen, Raymond. Rothgery, James and Glendening, Anne "Sheffield." . Wellington, Ohio: Camden Historical Society.
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Honors

Col. Veitzen received numerous awards and honors for his accomplishments. For his achievements as an artist, author, archaeologist, artifact collector, historian, he 14 accolades were bestowed upon him. Some of the most prestigious are listed below.
  • Eugene Field Society, 1941
  • , as well as the, 1944
  • Honorary "Kentucky Colonel" and "" by gubernatorial commissions 1957
  • Author Award, 1962
  • by the state's legislature, 1969
  • ," 1962–1965
  • " in Antiquities," 1972
  • International "Who's Who in Art," 1973
  • Committee for Lorain County by gubernatorial commission, 1974
  • "Who's Who in America," 1975
  • "Man of Achievement" by the, 1981
  • Lifetime Member of the
  • The Founding Fathers of the

Excavations

Col. Veitzen excavated hundreds of archaeological sites in the U.S. Among his contributions to knowledge are 15 well-known areas of interest archaeologically and historically in Kentucky, Illinois, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. They have Smithsonian trinomial designations. For example,, a, is 11MS2 with "11" for state of Illinois, "MS" for Madison County, and "2" for the second site to be documented therein.