The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-07-08
Antiquities of the Old World and
the New.

cavations among the mounds of the NIississi o.
pi Valley, to inquire what points of similarity
they might present to the ancient remains of
Egypt and the distant Orient. We were pre-
pared to believe them to be far more humble
in their origin, as they certainly are in their
finish and proportions but, so far as they
light serve to indicate the peculiar habits of
the mysterious people who founded them, we
have ever possessed a curiosity to get clear
and succinct account in relation to each,-
In connection with brief notice Of lecture
on the Arts and Manufactures Of the Egyp-
! tlans," delivered in Cincinnati by George r.
Gliddon, Esq, a late number of the Scioto
| Gazette, published at Chlicothe, Ohio, fur
nishe5 an address given by E. G. Squier, Esq.
of that place, which throws so much light on
this very point, that we have thought it worth
while to condense some portions of the article
for our columns. The curious will find them
as follows:
Both people, acting under a common, not
to say universal impulse, signalizcd the final
resting-place CT their eminent dead-the
Egyptian by the =" eternal pyramid" the
mound-builder by simple tumulus of earth
or stones rudely heaped together. Yet these
erectons, constituting the extremes of monu-
mental record, had identity of design and pur-
pose; the pyramid is but Developed mound,
marking in its superior structure only
more advanced stage Of mans progress
Many of the large mounds of the Mississippi
Valley were places Of sculpture, not for the
mass of the people, as has been generally
supposed, but for chieftains; and, like the
pyramids, had sepulchral chambers-not
lined with the polished granite in massive
blocks, but built oftimber or of unhcwn stones.
Ac thoY Il,
structed at the base and the dead body, after
proper development, deposited within them
with is ornaments and badges of power and
authority: The great mound at Grave Creek,
like the great pyramid of Ghiza, had two
chambers, one placed thirty feet above the
other, occupying, indeed, exactly the same
relative positions in respect to each other and
the structure in which they were contained.
doubtedly the same in both cases-the upper
part containing a subsequent deposite, per-
haps the son or successor of the occupant of
the lower and earliest chamber.
We need not 90 out of our own country to
mark the gradual development of the mound
tombs. AS we 90 southwark, we find them
increasing both in size and regularity: In
Louisiana Trick enters into their construction,
III bAS-NACO olCS pass llllO luC regular DyE-
amdal form, are built of stone, and rival the |
monuments of Egypt in size. The large pyr- i
amid of Teothuacan is not less than POI feet |
in height, with base 6S2 feet square. 1t
is built Of stones cemented together, and the |
whole was originally coated with a layer of
pure white cement. The second pyramid, |
which has been most thoroughly investigated,
has interior chambers, communicating with |
the pYtprIpr hIy ,,;+
brick. Surrounding these, as the tombs clus-
ter around the Memphite pyramids, are thou
sands of small monuments, significantly des-
ignated, by the ancient inhabitants the Mico-
tai or Path of the Dead.
The condolences between what may be
termed the minor remains of the ancient in
habitants of our country and of Egypt are
still more striking than those to which we have
alluded. We have been told that in the pre-
paration of the materials comprising the vast
structures Of Egypt, and in the myriad scuIp-
lures OF her PAlraonic PERIOD copper nipple
mcnts were alone used. The MeXicans and
Peruvians possessed in common with the
Egyptians the means of hardening by alloy, or
otherwise so tempering that metal as to cut
the hardest stones-a. secret now lost. The
mound-buildcrs, if they did not have that
knowledge, certain used copper axes in form
identical with those Of Egypt, Peru and Mex
leo. The speaker here exhibited some cop
per axes from the mounds, in contrast with
the nations above named, between which it
was difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish.
lie also presented some axes ofnntand green +
stone from Denmark, and others from the
mounds, which displayed identity of shape
and Workmanship. Also, some copper brace
lets from the mounds, perfect counterparts of
some in Mr.. Glddon's collection from Egypt;
also some beads of blue and green enamel or
glass, the production of one of the Western
Indian tribes of the present day, hardly dis
from similar Egyptian ornaments.
He also adverted in further illustration to the
subject of pottery: In their pottery we also
observe marked resemblances, both in shape,
material and finish. In all primitive earthcu