Myths of the Mound Builders

Myths of the Mound Builders

The first time I heard about the Mound Builders, which was in this class, these people seemed like a very primitive group. What was so exciting about having the skill of piling up a bunch of dirt. Then I was able to see some of these mounds and the scale was nothing I had imagined. These mounds were huge and also contained distinct structural shapes. Tombs, houses, and religious structures were constructed in or on top of the mounds. What made the edifices even more amazing was the time period they were built. Constructed all the way back to 3000 B.C., the mounds rivaled the most advanced engineering techniques in the world.

An interesting aspect involved with the Mound Builders were the way they were discovered and analyzed. When first discovered by the settlers of the New World, the mounds were a complete mystery. The English had refused to believe that they were built by the Native Americans. Because of nationalistic mindset the settlers possessed, they had an overwhelming sense of superiority over the Native Americans. Because of this mindset, the natives were given no credit for the construction of the mounds. Instead there were theories invented to explain the emergence of these structures, many of which were completely ludicrous. One explanation involved saying that the earthworks were made by the 10 Lost Tribes of Israel. Then divine punishment ensued when they were taken over by the white man and vanished from the Earth. As one can see, religion played a large role in impeding the truth about the true origin of the earthworks.

What intrigued me the greatest was not the physical aspects of the mounds but the story they tell. Many great minds were involved in educating the public about the significance of the Mound Builders. The mounds not only contained a scientific aspect but also contributed to the development of the human psyche. The research prompted people to realize that the Native Americans were not just savages, they were people just like everyone else. Their culture was just as important as any other and many important facts could be learned from them. The problem was that the mounds were beginning to disappear. Certain actions were going to have to be taken in order to prevent the mounds from being destroyed.

In 1787 a man named Rufus Putman began to lay out the township of Marietta, Ohio. He decided to build the town close to a complex of large mounds because he saw them as a asset for the town. This gave scientist access to study the mounds. Using dendrochronology they were able to determine that the mounds were built before A.D. 1300. The significance of the mounds were exposed and Marietta was able to raise money in order to fence the mounds off to save them. This was not the case with all the earthworks. Many mounds were being destroyed because of development and farming.

People began to discover that there were many interesting artifacts to be found inside the mounds. The artifacts created good and bad for the survivability of the mounds. Antiquarians caught word of these treasures and took full advantage. Many sites began to get looted and destroyed because of excavations. The artifacts also attracted the attention of scientist who would bring the Mound Builders