The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1886-04-30
THE MOUND BUILDERS.
brooklyn Union


the series at Adelphi Academy was that
Of last night Professor r. w. Hooper
was the lecturer, aud "The Mound
Builders the subject. The lecture was
illustrated with scores Of views, and Pro-
fessor Hooper's explanations OF them
were such as to hold the closest attention
of the audience.
Among the views was one OF a masto-
don and others of an extinct race OF ele-
plants that iiyed before the Mound
Builders Five mounds were shown,
representing the ancient Notifications III
Ohio, and three showing those 10 West
ern New York. Similar Notifications IN
England and France were exhibited, and
the Enclosures at Marietta, Ohio, and
Newark, and the graded way running
from the river up to the mounds at Mari.
eta, 300 feet wide. Another view was
Of the great burial mound at Marietta,
from which parts Of skeletons have been
taken, and still another of burial
mound in Hamilton county, Ohio. The
famous Creek mound of Ohio, and sec.
tion showing the tombs! within, was
shown, and two groups of sepulchral
mounds, as we'll a. sections exhibiting
the vaulted tombs and affairs, and the
charcoal layers that were produced by
the sacrifices. Views OF skulls Of several
mound builders were exhibited, and the
skulls were compared with those OF other
prehistoric races. After series of altar
mounds, upon which sacrifices were Of
fered, came several temple mounds upon
which had been built large wooden struc-
lures, all parts of which had entirely dis
appeared A series OF animal mounds,
which indicated the worship of animals,
came next, and then the great lizard
mound of Newark, Ohio, with its stone
altar, upon which sacrifices were offered
to the lizard. Another view showed the
great serpent mound Of Adams county,
ohio, Professor Hooper explaining that
the serpent was 900 feet long, and indi.
Gated an apparent connection between
the Mound Builders and the people of
Mexico and Peru, and also spoke of the
serpent in Egypt and Assyria, aud said
that among the Celts it formed promi-
nent feature of their worship. Views Of
large lumber Of stones with animals
engraved on them were shown, indlcat-
ing an extensive worship Of animals. and
then came series of views representing
stone implements, such as arrows, arrow
heads, stone polished axes Of different
shapes, and pestles and mortars, and diff.
ferent stone implements used for culti-
waiting the soil, such as shovels, spades.
pickaxes, etc., and stone ground in the
form of disc used in playing the game
Chungkee. At later time, Professor
Hooper said, copper implements were
used, the copper being beaten into shape
with stone hammers. Other views
showed large number of clay pipes rep
resenting forms of birds, reptiles and
quadrupeds, made into bowls. burial
urns, water jugs. drinking bowls and
sepulchral urns, in cue Of the latter of
which had been found the remains Of
Mound Builders. On one tomb in Ohio
were found stone images representing
persons in captivity, and views of these
were exhibited.
The Mound Builders, Professor Hooper
said, belonged to the polished stone and
bronze ages, and we're comparatively re-.
cent inhabitants of the Mississippi Val
Icy. They were preceded by races ignor.
ant and lower in structure than them.
selves. The balance OF opinion at
present runs in favor Of the belief that
various tribes of Indians were the inhabi-
tauts of some portion Of the mound build
ing places. The evidence was not COM
plete that all the mounds in the Missls-
sippi Valley were constructed by one and
the same people, but that several success
siye nations had occupied the territory,
each building structures OF its own.