The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-10
INDIANA ARCHAEOLOGY.
"FOrt AzatIan" and other Defensive
Works built by the Mound Builders.
from w, HI. Smiths History of Indiana.

From w. H. Smiths History of Indiana.
In Sullivan county, Indiana, near the town
OF Merom, is situated very curious and
interesting defensive work or fertilization,
built by the mound builders. 1t has been
christened Fort Azatlan." 1t is situated
on a plateau on the east bank of the Va
bash river. The river bank is of sandstone
and very steep The plateau is one hundred
and seventy feet above the river ana is a
natural fortiicatiOn. It's extreme length
is about twelve hundred feet. And its
northern end is fifty feet wide, but it
stretches out until 1t reaches a width OF four
hundred feet, and then narrows again grad
ually until at the southern end 1t IS only one
hundred and twenty-five feet. On the east
and along the southwestern part of the plat
eau are oeep ravines. The weak places in this
naturally strong position were strengthened
by artincial walls. On the eastern side, and
about three hundred and fifty feet from the
southern end, the ravine makes an inden-
ture of nearly one hundred and fifty feet.
AT this point a magnificent spring and
the line is protected by a double wall. The
entrance is at the southern end and is pro-
tected by thanking walls extending, inward
about seVenty-five feet. The walls here are
about thirty feet thick. The interior of the
fertilization is dotted with depreSSiOnS or
sinks. They are circular in form and vary
in width from ten to twenty feet. The sup
position is that these pits were dwelling
places of the garrisons In the Enclosure,
as well as all around It, are burial mounds,
showing that the place was quite densely
populated for very long period of time
A few miles above Jeffersonville is an ele-
the east is the Ohio river, which flows along
washing the base of the ridge. To the west
is "tourteen-mile creek, which, at the
northern point or neck of the ridge, almost
touches the river, but makes a wide sweep
to the west and then to the south, finally
emptying into the Ohio few rods below the
southern extremity of the high ground
From the top of this ridge is one of the
finest views to be found in the West. The
extreme northern point is two hundred and
eighty feet above the level of the river, and
from it the broad and beautiful river may
be seen for many miles each way. 1t also
overlooks the shore of Kentucky far to the
east and south, and TO the west are the fer
tile acres of Indiana. This pear-shaped
ridge was fortified and strengthened by the
mound builders until IT became Tor that
period and for their mode of warfare, a
perfect Gibraltar. The area inclOSed is a
space about fifteen hundred feet long and
five hundred feet wide at its widest point
At the northern point the ridge is two hum
bred and eighty feet above the main land
and slopes gradually to the southwark, I'M
til at the low timber line 1T is only one hum
dred and twenty feet above the river The
bottom land at the south end is sixty feet
above the river Along the river front is
an abrupt eScarpment of rock, too steep to
be scaled A similar natural barrier exists
on the northwest side Of the ridge. At the
extreme northwestern end, however, the
natural wall breaks away into shelves or
benches. TO protect this angle an artificial
wall was built along the slope of the hill
to an elevation of sevepty-five or eighty feet
above it's base, the last ten feet being verti-
cal. This wall is one hundred and eighty
feet long, and connects the natural wall of
the creek side with that of the river. At
this point is a slight break in the cliff which
affords narrow passage way to the river
At a point ON the west side, and about
middle way OF the ridge, the natural wall
again breaks away, and from there on
around the south end until ii strikes the
river bluff, is made stone wall ten feet
high. The walls are laid up without the
use of lime or cement, and some of the
stones very large. The inside of the
wall is protected by a ditch twenty feet
wide and five feet deep. Between the wall
and the ditch is a series of earth mounds
rising 20 the height of the wall. The sides
of the mounds are protected by stone
shields, the stones being set on end. Al sew
eral places along the ditch channels have
been cut and corresponding openings made
in the wall. These were evidently for the
purpose of carrying off the surplus water.
On the top of the ridge are several distinct
mounds, the one at the neck being the larg-
est and highest. From its top an unob-
structed view for miles in every direction is
obtained Nothing but the walls, ditch and
mounds are left to tell of the race that had
once occupied this fertilization, except hun
dreds Cf flint arrow heads and stone battle
axes, which have been picked up in the vi
entity. About eight miles north of this
stone fort is circular Enclosure. This is
an earthwork of about two thousand feet
in circumference. The embankment was
originally about twelve feet high. In form
it is almost perfect circle. Pottery. ktch-
en- refuse, fresh water shells and fragments
of bones of various animals have been found
in great abundance. From this to the stone
fort is line or signal or observation
mounds.
The third fertilization in the series lies
in the edge of Jefferson county and is a
stone Enclosure. Ii is the bank of Big
creek. and is eighty feet above the creek
bed. The north and south sides of the in
closure are protected by natural walls from
sixty 10 eighty feet high. On the east end is
a made stone wall about four hundred feet
long. This wall is curved SO as 10 protect
all points. and was originally about ten feet
thick. On the west the natural walls come
close together, forming a narrow neck.
Across this narrow neck a made stone wall
was thrown. The area inclOsed is about
ten acres. short distance south Of the in
closure are three curious stone mounds or
memorial pillars. The largest OF the three
is egg-shaped with transverse diameter
of one hundred and forty feet, and a conju-
gate of sixty feet The other two are much
smaller. With the exception of two on the
Ohio river. not far from the "stone fort"
these are the only stone mounds known in
Indiana. The object for which these mounds
were erected can only be conjectural, but