The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-10-25
PREHISTORIC PREDECES-
SORS.
The Archaeological Association
at the Abiding Places Of
American Antiquity
at Anderson.
A SCIENTIFIC PICNIC.
EXPLORING Antediluyian Architecture
by Day and BivOuaehfng ON fttc Bee
Line Track by Night

Line Track ny Night
Systematic archaeological investigation by
an organized body of skilled observ
-ers is = somewhat new feature in the
scientific annals of Indiana And
this notwithstanding the abundant ma
Terial the state affords for earnest work in
the department of science. A large portion
of Indiana, from the banks of the Ohio
north throughout the entire extent of the
Wabash, White and Whitewater valleys, is
dotted with remains of ancient works re-
garding which history is silent and whose
origin and use can only be referred to races
which have left no other record than these
enduring monuments in the solid earth.
Much has been accomplished in the
study of these remains through the
labOrs of enthusiastic individual scien-
uits, ibrt the syste APP ieRces of
organized body of archaeOlogists
have been lacking. This want is now sup
piled by the formation of the State Archa-
logical Association, little body of earnest
workers, whose first annual session has just
closed in this city, and which promises to
accom- plish much for the future in its pecu-
liar field of research. The practical char
acter of the work the association proposes
to itself, is declared in the closing feature of
the meeting, which was an excursion of the
whole body to Anderson, to make personal
examination of some interesting pre-histOr-
ic earthworks in that vicinity. These have
been known lOT some time as the DeSJ
preserved remains of the mound builders
epoch in the state, and had been previously
examined by Prof. Cox and Mr.. HOugh of
this city; hence the unconcealed interest
with which the archaeological body, with a
few invited guests and solitary minion of
the city press, assembled at the Union depot
about noon yesterday. A special car had
been provided, through the courtesy of Mr.
&C. c. Gale of the Bee Line, which was COM
fortably filled by the party. Among those
present were Prof Il. L. Cox and ladies' DR. r.
7. Brown, Daniel Hough, w. s. Brown, John
Dillon, L. s. Keller. Rev. A. T. Bailey, Martin
Burton, Charles P Jacobs and wife
Kiersted of this city; j. C. Mcpherson and
l.. B. Case and ladies of Richmond, and
Horatio n. Rush of Chicago Prof. Cox, act
ing as courier with his usual activity and
energy On the trip out. the party were
under the of Mr. J. Il. Van Tillburgh,
the obliging conductor of the Dayton Elk
press to which the car was attached.
Nothing noteworthy occurred during the
forty miles ride and the only thing to dis
tinguish the scientific party from a ear load
of even Christians was the antediluvian and
somewhat CHASTITY tone of the prevailing
conversation. An antique and mouldy
tinge, caught, doubtless from the familiar
objects of their research, seemed to pervade
the thoughts of the enthusiastic delivers in
the dust of past ages, and skulls and bones,
yawning graves and prehistoric charnel
houses formed the burden of their converse
After thus Willing away couple of hours
in congenial chat, the train stopped without
warming at the crossing of rural
lane seemingly in the midst of woods,
and with but a single house in sight.
This, we were informed, was the
terminus IF the journey by rail, and the
whole party disembarked upon the road
side with somewhat bewildered and where
Neutrality-suspicious. aspect. Prof Cox
came to the rescue and led the party to the
ancient works they had come to see,
which lay but few reds dis
tant from the track in pleasant grove.
After some desultory skirmishing a de-
tailed examination of the remains was made
which. with some measurements taken by
Prof. Cox on previous visit orms the basis
of our description. The entire works are
comprised within an area of two or
three acres lying along the bank of White
river, which here flows at the foot of a bluff
IS feet high. There are seven distinct earth
works, one of which is much larger than the
rest and may serve type for the whole.
1t consists of circular wall or embankment
of earth eight feet high, 63 feet thick at the
base and nine feet across at the top, which
encloses space 361 feet in diameter from
outside to outside of the wall The circum-
ference measured on top of the wall is $50
feet Inside of this embankment a
ditch, whose decline is continuous
with that of the wall 60 feet wide
at the top and 1OH feet deep. Both
ditch and wall are broken by gateway thir-
ty feet wide which enters the work on the
south. In the center of the enclosed span
within the ditch, which is 1873 feet in dame
ter is an irregular mound so feet in diane
ter and four feet high. All these various
positions of the work are very well defined
All spac1lations as to its use are wild guess
Al IL.
was TO note facts Even approximate esti-
mates as to the age of the ruins are unattain-
able, the nearest approach possible being a
minimum estimate founded upon the age
of the trees growing on the mound. These
are large and numerous, one lordly oak being
estimated at four hundred years old, and one
felled walnut showing on examination a total
of two hundred and nineteen annual rings
This places the origin of the work far back
of any civilized occupation of the country
and as they are clearly not constructed by
the now existing red men establishes the
existence of the prehistoric race of mound
builders. The lesser works lie at varying
closely. except in the absence of a central
mound, and In asemewhat less systema-
teal outline. One tree in particular
has the shape of an irregular oval, somewhat
resembling figure eight Another work
lies close to the bluff and in the immediate
neighborhood of an excellent spring of cha
lybeate water possessing fine hygienic prop
critics A well Defined sloping pathway de-
scends to this spring, upon which, rumor
says. the remains of ancient stone steps were
once 10 be seem Growing on and about these
mounds were some SO species of forest trees
and shrubs, including all the common spe-
cies of our woods
A thorough examination of these various
works was made in spite of occasional dashes
of rain. After this the whole party return
ed to the main mound where the ubiquitous
photographer was found with his portable
camera, waiting for an opportunity to inn
morialize the event in lasting sun paint
Anr.A HrnfnI