West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1888-08-03
THE MOUND BUILDERS.
Propositions in Regard to Ancient So.
ciety in Tennessee.

tGen. Thurston in Magazine of Ameri-
can History.)
Patient and systematic research,
vast accumulation Of valuable ma
terial. and thorough analysis Of
facts and theories by competent au-
thoritv, have finally nnravelled near
ly all the secrets of these works and
graves, until their origin and the
mysteries of their construction and
of ancient domestic life in Tennes-
see-and, indeed, elsewhere in the
Mississippi valley-represented by
them are nearly as well known as
the life and history of the modern
Indians.
The conclusions reached (often
unwillinglyl as the result of these
Investigations in all departments of
research, historic, cthnologic and
traditional, may be briefly stated as
follows:
l. The progress Aade by these
ancient tribes in the direction of
civilization or semi civilization has
been overestimated. The stone
grave race and the builders of the
ancient mounds and earthworks in
Tennessee and probably in the Mis-
sissippi valley were Indians, North
American Indians, probably the an
cestors of the southern red or cop
per-colored Indians found by the
whites in this general section, a race
formerly living under conditions of
life somewhat different from that of
the more nomadic hunting tribes of
Indians, but not differing from them
in the essential characteristics of
the Indian race.
3. The interesting collections of
mounds, earthworks and stone
graves found in Tennessee and south
ern Kentucky are simply the re-
mains of ancient fortified towns, vii
lagos and settlements, once inhabit-
ed by tribes of Indians more devoted
to agriculture and more stationary
in their habits than the hunting
tribes generally known to the
whites.
3. No single implement or article
of manufacture or earthwork or de
fensive work has been found among
their remains indicating intelligence
or advancement in civilization be-
yond that of other Indians having
intercourse with the whites within
the historic period.
4. The accumulation of dense
population in favored localities, and
progress made toward civilization,
were probably the results of periods
of repose and peace that enabled
these tribes to collect in more per-
manent habitations, and to pursue
for time more peaceful modes of
life than some of their neighbors
and successors.
5. These periods of peace and adj
vancement were probably succeeded
by years OF wars, invasions, migra
tions, or changes which arrested the
limited development in the arts of
peace and civilization, and left the
native tribes in the status in which
they were found by the whites.
These propositions | am satisfied
can be successfully maintained, and
will afford the most reasonable solu-
tion Of archaeological problems long
in controversy.
If we could have been given
glimpse of the fair valley Of the
Cumberland in 1892, the date of
Americas discovery, there can
scarcely be doubt but that we
would have found many Of these an.
cient settlements full of busy life,
and we could have learned the story
OF the mounds and graves from some
of their own builders; but nearly
three centuries elapsed before the
pioneers of civilization reached the
confines OF Tennessee.
The feature of a. recent meeting
of the British royal society was an