The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-12-06
THE GREAT SERPENT xouSD.
Results Of Professor Putnam's Latest
ExploratiOns-A New Jersey Arch.
eologist on the Mystery Of
The Great Mound.
[Boston Evening Transcript

Boston Evening Transcript
Professor F. w. Putnam, who has jus
returned from his expedition in Ohio
states that he has been in camp at Ser
pent Mound Park for seven weeks, ex
ploring the ground in the vicinity Of The
great earthwork. The results have
proved very interesting. Two buria
places differing greatly in character ant
with great interval of time between
them, have been traced, also more re-
cent occupation of one Of these buria
places rs village site. The evidence
says Professor Putnam, is gradually &C
cumulating, proving that the Serpen,
Mound belongs to the oldest period and
that it is absurd to regard it as in any
way connected with any people of which
we have historic account. Below we
give excerpts from an account Of re.
cent visit to this locality, written for the
american, of Philadelphia, by DR.. Charles
G. Abbott, the well known author and
archeologist of New Jersey:
The great Serpent Mound Of Southern
Ohio is one OF those curious earthworks
that for nearly half a century has been
puzzle and delight to American arch.
biologists and one that has led to much
wild speculation. Much OF this is truly
funny and none Of it more absurd than
the dogmatic assertion recently given to
the world, that it is of Cherokee origin
and of no significant antiquity. But be.
fore discussing its age and origin, let us
consider what 1t is, as it appears to the
visitor Of to-day. At first glance one
might suppose that the earth had been
merely heaped up into long and
gracefully curved line, SO as to represent
an uncoiling serpent or a snake in mo-
ton. 1t is more than this. Before its
construction the place was leveled and
the serpent, in all probability, outlined
with stones and clay, and not only all
the material gathered in clearing the
ground, but more was brought to the
spot. In short, the work was planned
before its construction, and built with
care. It's architect was at onceIan engin-
eer, a naturalist and an artist; or, If
the joint product OF Il community, then
they all showed skill in high depart
ments of human intelligence, such as
We look for in vain among historic In
dians,
When, by whom, and for what pur-
pose, was this Serpent Mound construct
ed? These are the three questions
every visitor will ask--does ask, at this
writing, of the eminent archeologist,
Professor F. w. Putnam, who is now on
the spot endeavoring to solve this triple
problem. will not, at this time, an
ticipate any of his conclusions, but con-
slider some of the suggestions he and
others have already given to the world.
Concerning the antiquity of the
Mound-builders and their works, Pro.
fessor M. G. Read, with apparent good
grounds for SO doing, has remarked that
the evidence was well.nigh conclusive
that when occupied by this people and
these works erected, the site and the
surrounding country was a treeless
region. He writes-"Their erection
with Mound. builders tools, if it involv.
ed the clearing Of forest as a prelimi.
nary work, is so nearly impossible that
we cannot imagine 1t would be ever
undertaken. 1t involved not only the
clearing Of the lands of the forest, but
also the neighboring lands which were
to be subjected to tillage. 1t is with the
utmost difficulty, in moist and tropical
climates, that men armed with the best
steel tools make a successful battle with
the forests. It is much more reasonable
to suppose that these works were origi-
nally located in treeless region, and
the works evidently of the same age
scattered over (this portion Of Ohio) ill.,
dicate that this treeless region was of
large extent. The inference
would follow that the abandonment of
the region marked the time when the
slow intrusion of the forests reduced the
amount Of tillable land below the neces.
stiles Of the community" When this
took place can only be vaguely estimat-
ed, but that it was many hundreds of
years ago is beyond all question. It re.
quired many centuries, as has been fire.
quently proved, for mixed forest
growth to take possession of a country.
It is in vain to attempt to express by
numbers the age OF an earthwork, but q
scientific examination OF both the struc.
ture and its surroundings may demon
strate relative age that antedates all
history. This has already been accom-
plished, SO far as the Serpent Mound 10
concerned. It is veritable relic OF re-
mote antiquity. Z
Bv whom Was thu SArnont Mound