The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1902-07-12
The Mounds of Ohio.
For the Democratic Advocate.

found. The Mound Builders whose re-
naming works are there, are yearly draw
ing increased crowds.
The centers of life of that mysterious
race were in the valleys of the Little and
Great Miami and Licking Rivers. Though
a thousand years have probably elapsed
since they fourished in their populous and
barbaric glory, miles of their works yet re-
main to forcibly speak of glory departed.
Oak trees, 800 years old, now stand on
the long abandoned earth works which,
yet, after the erosion of unnumbered CEN
turies, rise twenty feet from the level
The forgotten race offers more attract
i've, though less satisfactory, study than the
Incas of Peru or the Astecs of Mexico.
Their history is written only in their miles
of earth works, signal and efigy mounds,
and some wonderful chalcedony mines.
They had no written language though they
had reached respectable civilization; at
least not a syllable has been found.
Their home life, public life, employment,
habits, stature, dress, and the tools they
used in their mighty works have become
the lore of the archaeologist by means of
the relics, thousands of which can be seen
about the homes of the people in Ohio and
the museums of the country.
The present site of the thriving town of
Newark was once peopled by them in count
less thousands. A beautiful alluvial valley,
formed by the three streams forming Lick
ing River was completely covered with
their earth works. Fortunately, good maps
of them remain; more fortunately, large
part of them have been saved from the
iconoclastic plow share and are in the hands
of the Licking County Agricultural Society.
The State of Ohio also utilizes another
equally interesting section of the works as
its encampment grounds for the militia
The two mentioned tracts include perhaps
| 25O acres. The 'sold fort is the attrac-
ton in the first named plat, and was the
center of the system in the Licking Valley.
Covered with virgin TIMBER earthen walls
in perfect circle, measured on the top of
the wall, are just mile. With a mote on
the inside, several feet deep, the walls still
rise 8 feet from the level, and are pierced
on the east side by an imposing gateway.
On the State encampment grounds, the
remaining works consist of circle about as
large as the one described, and an octagon
of greater proportions The two are con-
nected by parallel walls, and the octagon is
connected with the ''old fort by two sim
liar walls yet to be traced, though steam
and electric roads and street grading have
done their worst.
This locality contains two of the great
efiigy mounds of Ohio An eagle with
outstretched wings is yet seen in the center
of the ssold fort. - From an eminence four
miles west of the octagon and overlooking
the system is the ''Alligator' mound, fre
quently referred to by archaeologists.
That the Mound Builder was war; like,
took this land and held it by the edge of
the sword, is in evidence in another way.
That he had the country under complete
cultivation and denuded of the timber which
now clothes good part of it is clear by
the same process of reasoning The val
leys alluded to are surrounded by rolling
foot hills of pretentious size. With no ex-
ceptions the commanding points are crown
ed with signal mounds Where the conn
try is cleared, now lights from one to the
other are visible at distance of 10 or more
miles. Notice of hostile movements were
thus heralded, as it was by other nations,
from the birth of history until civilization
evolved the telegraph and heliograph.
Two systems of electric roads traverse
two of these valleys, and four steam lines
do Justice to all, A short drive over good
country roads from adjacent stations takes
but little time and expense, and even those
who have given the subject little or no
previous attention are amply repaid for the
outlay. All of the parts of the system
mentioned above are within gunshot of
the electric street cars which run on
schedule of four cars to the hour.
Archaeologists differ SO widely as to the
Mound Builder as an individual, that the
field is fertile one for speculation. Enough
is known, however, to fix the fact that in
his development he had reached the highest
point in the stone age Hundreds of his
stone axes, daggers, hammers, throw stone,
anchors, net sinkers, awl points, mortars,
pestles, pipes, thread sizers and ornaments
are to be seen in local collections. He
mined copper in the Lake Superior region,
and carrying it to the Ohio valley fashioned
it to suit the needs of his time and place.
One copper axe is now shown which after
the wear of the ages yet weighs 3S pounds.
Though he is not credited with knowl-
edge of metalurgy, he fashioned suits of
armor of this metal with considerable ar
tistic skill, as we'll as all ornaments which
appealed to bis barbaric vanity. Copper
beads are quite common in these mounds.
To the preservative quality of the salts of
that metal we owe the knowledge that he
mounted his pearl and copper beads on
buckskin thongs To the same source we
trace the information that this prehistoric
man attended such social functions as came
his way, in faxen shirt, which for beauty |
of finish and absence of starch would not
have appealed very strongly to the late
Ward McAllister.
From his kitchen middens it is known
that he nourished his body for the great
work before him, with the spoils of wood |
land and stream He utilized the native
fishes, the pearl oyster, the bear, deer,
raccoon, squirrel, muskrat, beaver, bison
and wild turkey. The same Indian corn,
the basis of Ohio agricultural wealth, was
made to yield him harvest and will an
swer the query why they occupied the fair
est and most productive parts of the Ohio
basin.
The destruction of these earth works by
modern contractors has demonstrated his
primitive methods. The imposing piles
were slowly and laboriously carried to their
resting places in baskets or hand barrows.
Equipped with steam shovel and modern
appliances the work would still be prodigi
Gus, but with the hand basket and flint hoe
and spade, they stagger mankind.
The Mound Builder was practical and
thorough hthologist and made good use of
all rocks from the metamorphic to the sedi
mentary OF the latter, he mined the
chalcedony, and by thorough understand
ing of its fine grain and texture, made
craditahla arrow smear head awl-noint ar |