The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-11-21
MOUND BUILDERS.
WHO THEY WE'RE TOLD BY THE
BUREAU BY ETHNOLUGF.
They Were Ancestors of the Indians
and Came to America in Two
Distinct Bodies-Uses Ct
the Mounds.

A/A ton Otaf the Durean OF EUn-
IL nology believes that it has
nov solved ore OF the greatest
problems which has ever bewildered
the ELmerican historian. It Las at last
come to a point where it can answer
the question: "Who we're the ound
builders?" This question has been
debated By archaelogists and ethuolo-
gists the world over for hundred
years or more. Ever since the latter
part of the last century, when the an
tiquity Of these mounds was first real
lied, speculation has been rife as to
who were the people nble to construct
edifces differing so widely from the
modern habitations O. the modern In
dians.
DR.. Franklin attributed them to De
Soto and his followers. Sa7ants of
the present century have said that
they were temples, others sacrificed
affairs, and still others burial struc-
lures, built b. tribe now lost in OBJ
livion. The introduction to every his
torical text book devoted to this con-
tinent and taught to The American and
foreign youth, rs well, opens with q
chapter on this subject. Almost all Of
these speak Of the mound builders IS
q prehistoric race distinct from the
Indians. and who were driven out by
the latter. This has been the state Of
affairs even up to the present day.
But the opinion CT the Bureau Of
Etlanology is that al; these historians
hare gone astray on this question. In
other words, it is now believed that
the mound builders wei no more than
the aancestors Of The same Indians found
By the first Europeans landed on our
shores. Professor ldcGee, chief eth
Dologist of the bprsan, in announcing
this decision says that its Importance
will be felt by tie makers and readers
OF history n all parts of the world.
1t WIS as early as 1858 when Major
Powell, the present chief OF the bu-
reau, began to examine the mounds OF
Ohio. Since 1881 a systematic line
of work has been carried on under
Professor Cyrus Thomas and CORPS
OF assistants, wnu have examined,
possibly, al Of the mauy hundreds Of
prehistoric mounds to be found in the
whole eastern half OF tho continent.
This work has now been completed.
II considering the opposing opinions
OF those who believe that man first
landed on the Pacific coast and those
who think be first arrived on the At
iantic side, Professor Thomas ''splits
The difference" with them By conclud
! ing that ne came to both sides in two
distinct tribes, ea:h afterwertl cccu-
pying distinct half OF the continent.
In other words, the Indians were two
separate races Of men.
Very briefly, the arguments made
By Professor Thomas IN behalf Of the
bureau are rs follows: AL the an
eient artificial works known as
| mounds" found east OF the Rockies
ore attributed 10 chose tribes found il
possession Of This region at the time
Of its discovery, and their ancestors.
IT is probable that there WAS inter
i course between some tribes Of this re.
sion and the carly people OF Mexico
and Central America, IS we'll IS the
Pueblo tribes, but the three latter
named races must moi be given any
credit for building the mounds.
The Indian has BEN considered un-
able to build such structures because
Of the universal! opinion that when
first discovered br Europeans he T7t's
the same rocip9, unhousea and uu-
agricultural being as he is to-day.
The Indian, however, has degendrated
since the coming of the white man.
Judging from the extent OF their
works, tie mound builders must have
had fixed villages, and tlev must haze
depen;led upon agriculture rather
than the hunt for food. This has
pointed to the supposed fact that they
were rot Indians. But latest invcsti-
gstiou proves that when first visited
by Europeans there was scarcely a
tribe between the Atlantic and the
rrairies but which had it's fixed seat.
But what were the mounds used for?
In some southern districts it WAS Gus.
Iomary to build dwellings on low ter
races, apparently artificial. When
deaths occurred it seems to have been
tae practice to bury the bodies be-
meath the earthen floors. The houses
were then set on fire and mounds were
besped over the ruins while still smol-
deri2g. These houses were built by
setting upright sticks in the ground
ard joining them by Intervening
twigs or canes, then riasteriDg these
rude wa?!s with clay, and finally
thatcAins the roc:s. This IS exactly