TextSearch

A guide to various types of mounds and related earthworks produced by Pre-Columbian cultures of North America.

Facebook-f Icon-twitter-x Pinterest Pre-Columbian Mounds & Mound Builders of North America A number of Pre-Columbian cultures in North America from the Archaic Period to the Mississippian period built many different types of mounds and related earthworks for a variety of purposes. The reasons for their construction range from burial mounds, ceremonial and ritual uses, to more secular and political functions. These mounds and earthworks are an important part of the cultural heritage of the indigenous peoples of North America. In pre-Columbian Eastern and Central North America they were the only significant monumental constructions. TABLE OF CONTENTS Add a header to begin generating the table of contents A Brief Introduction to 'Mound Builders' & their Mounds Pre-Columbian North America was home to a variety of indigenous cultures that built mounds and earthworks for a variety of purposes. These cultures, collectively referred to as “mound builders,” flourished from the Archaic period (8000-1000 BC) to the Mississippian period (800-1600 AD).During the Archaic period, many Native American cultures built mounds for burial purposes. These mounds were typically conical or oval-shaped and were used to inter the remains of important individuals or groups of people. In some cases, these mounds were also used to mark territorial boundaries or to signify the presence of a particular group or community.One of the most famous mound builder cultures of the Archaic period was the Adena culture, which flourished in the Ohio Valley and parts of the eastern United States between 1000 BC and 1 AD. The Adena people built elaborate burial mounds, often containing grave goods such as pottery, jewellery, and other artifacts. They also built circular enclosures, known as “sacred circles,” which were used for ceremonial purposes.During the Woodland period (1000 BC – 1000 AD), various Native American cultures continued to build mounds and earthworks for a variety of purposes. The Hopewell culture, which flourished in the eastern United States between 200 BC and 500 AD, is known for its elaborate earthworks, including mounds, geometric enclosures, and effigy mounds. The Hopewell people built these earthworks for ceremonial and ritual purposes, as well as for burial and to mark territorial boundaries.The Mississippian period, which lasted from 800-1600 AD, saw the rise of several powerful Native American societies that built elaborate mounds and earthworks. The most well-known of these cultures is the Mississippian culture, which built large, complex settlements featuring mounds, plazas, and palisades. The Mississippian people built mounds for a variety of purposes, including as platforms for buildings, as burial sites, and for ceremonial and ritual purposes.One of the most famous Mississippian sites is Cahokia, located near present-day St. Louis, Missouri. Cahokia was a large, complex settlement featuring dozens of mounds, including the 100-foot-tall Monks Mound, which was the largest prehistoric earthwork in North America. The people of Cahokia also built a number of other mounds, including burial mounds and platform mounds, as well as a network of palisades and plazas.Other notable Mississippian cultures that built mounds and earthworks include the Oneota culture, which flourished in the Upper Midwest, and the Fort Ancient culture, which flourished in the Ohio Valley. Both of these cultures built mounds and earthworks for a variety of purposes, including as platforms for buildings, for ceremonial and ritual purposes, and for burial. The 'Mound Builder Myth' The so-called ‘Mound Builder myth’ refers to the erroneous belief, popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries, that the mounds found throughout the eastern United States were built by a lost civilisation of white Europeans. These whites had brought their advanced architectural and engineering skills with them. And had almost surely been wiped out by the ‘red man’. And it was the task of the new wave of white colonists to reclaim North America. The Mound Builder myth was used to support the idea that Native Americans were inferior to Europeans and did not have the skills or knowledge to build the mounds themselves. This belief was used to justify the displacement and exploitation of Native American cultures, as well as the theft and destruction of many of their cultural artifacts and sites.The myth persisted despite Thomas Jefferson’s early attempts at archaeology on the mounds at Monticello showing these monuments were in fact built by Native Americans. As Jason Colavito sets out in his book, The Mound Builder Myth, Fake History and the Hunt for a “Lost White Race”, this myth was peddled by some of the most powerful, white men in the land. With the specific intention to create false ancient history of North America. A false narrative that would have devastating consequences for Native communities.The myth persisted for well over a century after Thomas Jefferson’s pioneering wo...