The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-11-18
American Antiquities.

The first volume Oft the Smithsonian lnsti
tuition, entitled Ancient Monuments Of the
United States, contains the following account
ola curious eaItl-Work in Ohio:
TIE GREAT SERPENT, ADAMS COUNTY, o.
mo. Probably the most extraordinary earth
work thus far discovered at the West, is the
Great Serpcut,o which II faithful delincaton
is given in the plate. 1t is situated on Brush
Greek, at point known ms "Three Forks"
ON entry l,0lI, near the north line of Adams
County, Ohio. No plan or description has
hitherto been published; nor does the fact of
its existence appear TO have been known be-
yond the vicinity in which it occurs. The
notice first received by the authors of these
researches, was exceedingly vague and in
definite, and led to the conclusion that i! was
a work of defence, with baslions at regular
intervals-a feature so extraordinary MS 10 in
ducc visit, which resulted in the discovery
here presented. The true character of the
work is apparent on the first inspection.
Ii is situated Oh high, crescent form hill
or spur Of land, rising so feet above the lev
ell OF Brush Creek, which washes its base
The side of the hill next the stream presents
IL perpendicular wall Of rock, while the other
subsidies rapidly though it is not so steep as
TO preclude cultivation. The top Of the bill
is not level hut slightly convex, and presents
Il very even surface, $50 feet wide by 1000 IT,.
long, measuring from its extremity TO the
point where it connects with the table land.
Conforming to the curve ofthe hill and oc-
cupying its very summit is the serpent its
head resting ne0r the point and its body
winding back for 700 feet in graceful undua-
lions, terminating ill tripel coil at the tail.
The entire length, if extended, would be not
less than 1000 feet. The accompanying plan
laid down from accurate survey, can alone
give an adequate conception of tIie7 outline
ofthe work, which is clearly and boldly de-
fined.
The enbaukment is upward of five feet in
height hytIirty feet buse, at the centre ofthe
body, diminishing toward the head and the
tail The neck ofthe Serpent is stretched
out and slightly curved, and its. mouth is o.
pened wide, as if in the act of swallowing or
ejecting an ova! figure, which rests partially
within the distended jaws. This oval is form
ed Ivy an embankment of earth without any
perceptible opening, is four feet in height,
and is perfectly regular in outline, its trans
verse and coniug0te diunleters being 100 and
$50 feet respectively. The ground within
the oval is slightly elevated; a small circular
elevation of large stones much burned exist
cd in its centre, but they have all been thrown
down and scattered by some ignorant visitor
under the prevailing impression, probably,
that gold was hidden beneath them. The
point of the hill, within which this egg shap-
cd figure rests,seems to have been artificial
y cut to conform to its outline, leaving a
smooth platform 10 feet wide and some
what inclined inward, all around it. ..,
Upon either side the Serpent's head eX-
tend two small triangular ELEVATIONS ten or
twelve feet over. They arc not high, and al
though too distinct to.be overlooked are vet
too much obliternted TO be satisfactorily trac-
ed. Besides platform or level oval terrace,
aud Il urge mound in the centre of the 18th
mus connecting the hill with the table land
beyond. there nre no other remains, cxcep-
ting Il few mounds, within six or eight miles
none, pep.iaps, nearer than the eutrcnchcd
hill in Highland county, thirteen miles dis
tant. There are n number of works lower
down on Brush Creek, towards its mouth,
but their character is not yet known.
The poipt on which this energy occurs
commands an extensive prospect, overlook
ing the "bottons" AT the junction of the three
principal tributaries of the creek. The al
l,lvial terraces are here quite extensive, and
1t is n matter of surprise that no works occur
upon them.
The Serpent, separate or in combination
with the circle, egg or globe, has been pre-
dominant symbol among primitive nations.
1t prevailed in Egypt, Greece and Assyrin,