MOUND CITY ..GROUP

, NATIONAL ·

OHIO MOUND CITY GROUP NATIONAL MONUMENT

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR J. A. KRUG, Secretary (Cover) Copper Breastplate-Eagle Design. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Excavated at Mound City and now on display at the Ohio State Museum NEWTON B. DRURY, Director

A prehistoric group of Indian mounds in southern Ohio

The Hopewell People craftsmen, and worked with a great variety of material foreign to Ohio. Copper from the Lake Before the first white man set foot upon the Superior region was used for breastplates, head- Western Hemisphere, over 450 years ago, an In- dresses, earspools, and other ornaments and dian civilization, scattered over the region of the ceremonial objects. Stone tobacco pipes were Mississippi River and its tributaries and now beautifully carved to represent the bird and referred to as the Hopewell culture, had flour- animal life around them. From obsidian, a vol- ished and disappeared. The term "Hopewell", canic glass brought from the Rocky Mountain which archeologists have assigned to these pre- region, they made delicately chipped ceremonial historic Indians, comes from the Hopewell blades. Fresh water pearls from local streams, mound group, located in Ross County, Ohio, quartz and mica from the Allegheny Mountains, not far from Mound City Group National ocean shells from the Gulf of Mexico, grizzly Monument. Being the first remains of its kind bear teeth from the West, all were used in mak- to be explored, the name of this site came to be ing the beautiful and elaborate pieces buried applied to all other remains of the same prehis- with the dead. Pottery of excellent workman- toric culture. The origin of the Hopewell people, shi p was made, and even woven fabric of bark one of the most advanced prehistoric societies and other wild vegetable fibers has been found, north of Mexico, is not known, but probably as preserved through contact with copper objects. early as 1000 A. D. they had developed their Animal bone was used extensively, and wood highly specialized civilization in the area of must also have been important in the manufac- southern Ohio. ture of implements and utensils. The Hopewell people are best known for The Hopewell people apparently lived in their high artistic achievements and for their small villages near rivers and streams, often practice of erecting mounds of earth over the some distance from their mounds, which must remains of their dead. From the extraordinary have been used chiefly as ceremonial centers. wealth of offerings found in the mounds, Though it is believed that they knew how to archeologists have learned a great deal about raise corn and may have had simple gardens, these prehistoric people. They were outstand- their diet was augmented by the hunting of wild ing among the American Indians as artists and animals and the gathering of wild fruits and vegetables. Though their culture was wide- prehistoric , Ancient of spread, and made use of materials obtained by the Mississippi Valley, appeared in 1848 in the travel and trade in distant parts of North first publication of the newly founded Smith- America, the evidence of their remains suggests sonian Institution. Although many of the that they were a peaceful and more or less sed- mounds had been noticed by earlier explorers, entary people. Possibly this was one of the the work of Squier and Davis was the first de- Obsidian Blade. reasons for the disappearance of their culture. tailed study of the prehistoric structures in the But whether it was due to conquest by more Mississippi Valley, and is a milestone in warlike tribes, or disintegration from within, or American archeology. a combination of various factors, the Hopewell The excavations at Mound City by Squier and culture flowered for a period and then passed Davis produced a great many spectacular ob- away. jects, most interesting of which were a large number of stone tobacco pipes, many being Exploration and Excavation of realistically carved in the images of birds, animals, and the human head. These objects, Mound City first acquired by the Blackmore Museum in Copper H.eaddress. The Mound City group consists of a rectangu- England, were later transferred to the British lar earth enclosure approximately 13 acres in ex- Museum, London. tent, within which are located 24 burial mounds. During the First World War the area com- The earth walls of the enclosure vary in height prising Mound City was occupied by Camp from 3 to 4 feet, with an entrance or gateway on Sherman. At the close of the war, the Ohio State Excavated at Mound City and now on display at the Ohio State Museum both the east and west sides. The largest mound Archeological and Historical Society, in 1920 in the group was described by early observers and 1921, conducted extensive excavations at Columbus, are shown in the accompanying sibly accorded only to persons of high rank. as 17 Y2feet high and 90 feet in diameter, but it the site, supplementing the information secured ill usrrarions. Archeologists discovered, in excavating is somewhat smaller today. All the mounds are by Squier and Davis. A few years later the Since Mound City was primarily a ceremonial Mound City, that they were not the first to conical in shape, with the exception of one Society restored the earthworks to their present center for the disposal of the dead, much of the disturb these ancient remains. In many of the which is elongated. Just outside the enclosure appearance and developed the tract into a State information obtained from its excavation con- mounds were found intrusive of another are two additional mounds, and several de- memorial. The final excavation of the site by the cerns the burial customs of the people. The site prehistoric people, accompanied by artifacts pressions from which material was taken for society brought to light many interesting details of each mound was originally occupied by a quite distinct from those of the Hopewellians. constructing the wall and mounds. of the construction and purpose of the mounds, wooden structure, which was probably the scene Another group ofIndians had found the mounds The site was mapped and partially excavated and yielded many fine artifacts typical of the of the last rites for the body. It is believed that a convenient and suitable place for the burial of in 1846 by two explorers, E. G. Squier and E. H. Hopewell culture. Examples of these objects, after a suitable period of use, this structure, their dead, and then they tOo left the region well Davis. The results of their extensive survey of now on exhibit in the Ohio State Museum at probably a mortuary , was intentionally before the white man came. burned, perhaps with the idea of purification, or View of mounds and earthen enclosure wall at Mound City Group National Monument of allowing the spirit of the dead to escape to . Mound City Group National the spirit world. Then over the bones and the Monument offerings left with the dead, the mound was The 13-acre mound area and surrounding erected. This was a considerable task when one property, including 57 acres in all, was estab- remembers the simple tools and equipment used lished as Mound City Group National Monu- by the Indians. Using only digging sticks, or ment on March 2,1923, by Presidential procla- hoes of shell or animal shoulder blades, they mation. Although Federal jurisdiction was scraped up the earth, carried it in baskets or transferred from the War Department to the -_._-- skins, and dumped it, load by load, on the National Park Service of the Department of the slowly growing mound. It is obvious that Interior in 1933, the Ohio State Archeological onl y a small percentage of the Hopewell and Historical Society continued to administer dead were buried in mounds, an honor pos- the area until August 1, 1946. Effigy Tobacco Pipe of Stone (Left). Pottery Vessel (Right). Excavated at Mound City and now on display at the Ohio State Museum z It is now one of the many areas of the Na- Miamisburg Mound, Newark Earthworks, Seip tional Park System, part of our national heritage, Mound, and Serpent Mound. owned by the people of the and Interesting historical and archeological ex- f-< administered for them by the National Park hibits are contained in the museum of the Ross Z ~ Service. These outstanding scenic, historic, and County Historical Society in Chillicothe. At the ~ scientific areas are to be found in all sections of Ohio State Museum, Columbus, many of the ~ the country, and are protected and preserved for objects excavated at Mound City and other Z the benefit and enjoyment of the people. Hopewell sites are on display. 0 Among the sites of prehistoric remains in- ~ In the former Camp Sherman reservation, .....l cluded in the National Park System are Ocmul- near Mound City, are two interesting Federal ~ gee National Monument at Macon, Ga., another institutions. One, the United States Industrial Z great mound-builder site, and a number of out- Reformatory, is a model correctional institution; 0.... standing ruins in the Southwest, most famous the other, the United States Veterans' Hospital f-< of which is Mesa Verde National Park, Colo. <: No. 97, has been in operation since World War z 5:0 1. This area has a long military history, Camp 0 p.. Sherman being preceded by Camp Logan of the How to Reach the Monument ::> Ci vil War and Camp Bull of the War of 1812. 0 Mound City Group National Monument 1S P::: situated on the west bank of the Scioto River, o 4 miles north of Chillicothe, Ohio. In leavi ng Service to the Public >< f-< Chillicothe, the mon ument is reached by fol- Mound City is open to the public, free of .... lowing United States Highway 35 and State charge, throughout the year, from 9 a. m. until U Highway 104. dark. Information and literature relating to the Cl area may be secured without charge at the Z ~ Nearby Points of Interest monument office. Organizations and gtoupS will 0 be given special service if arrangements are made ~ Southern Ohio is very rich in prehistoric In- in advance with the custodian. Archeological dian sites, some of the Hopewell culture and exhibits and other interpretive facilities are some of other mound-builder cultures. A num- being planned for the benefit of the visitor. ber of the most interesting of these have been Communications or inquiries concerning the set aside as State memorials under the custody monument should be addressed to the Custo- of the Ohio State Archeological and Historical dian, Mound City Group National Monument, Society, including , Fort Hill, Chillicothe, Ohio. 1947. U. S. Govemmem Priming Office: 1947 O·F-742In