The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1908-10-01
A Church of the Mound-Builders.

A Church of the Mound-Builders.
Below is a description of an an
cient mound in Ohio. One similar
to it in several respects, and doubt
less built by the same race of people
was washed away from the Savan'
nah river low grounds few miles
above Old Petersburg during the re-
cent freshet. The one in Ohio is In
terestingly described by O. ]. Fair
field as follows:
Near my boyhood home in Ohio
are the remains of an ancient church
about which I have often speculated
I have wished I might call back to
life those who built that sanctuary
and ioined in it's worships that
might find out the thoughts and
emotions that stirred within their
lives; but, alas! they have passed be-
yond recall, and no record remains
of their ideals of worship and deVo'
ton save that which can be read
from the few relics that remain.
This ancient church is probably
older by far than any in New Eng
land. When Columbus came to these
shores, it was already old and in
ruins. Over it's circular mounds the
vegetation of uncounted summers has
accumulated q depth Of soil that tells
of a great lapse of time. The forest
primeval has planted gigantic trees
where possibly the priest of this
church stood.
It is a church of the mound-bulld-
ers, a relic of that ancient race that
disappeared from the Mississippi Val
lev so many generations ago that the
American Indians had no traditions
concerning them. It stands on bank
of the Little Miami river on a natu'
raj tableland above the stream. About
it is a mound circular in form, some
eight feet high, enclosing an acre
or more of ground. Within the cir
Gle is another mound, square in FORM
some ten feet high, and large enough
for a hundred people to congregate
on it's level summit. On one side OF
this elevated square is a broad pas
sageway leading down from the sum-
nit in gradual slope toward an open
ing in the outer circular wall. This
way leads directly east, as it to eaten
and welcome the first rays of the ris-
ing sun. Within the enclosure there
are also two small burial mounds
the graves of some chiefs no doubt.
Except for portion Of the square
central mound, the earth and gravel
that make the mounds was brought
from a near locality or from the bed
of the river. Four feet below the
surface of the square mound there
was found an altar of stones and clay
that must have been brought from a
considerable distance, as the stones
and clay are unknown in that portion
of Ohio. What sacred associations
made this clay sacred or from what
holy land it was brought no one can
tell.
On this altar sacrifices were Of
fered, and great festival was held
lasting several days, and at it's con-
clusion there was cast into the tre
on the altar votive offering of per-
sonal adornments in silver and gold
and copper and shells, together with
pottery and a few clay images-pre-
sumably idols-strangely like those
made in the valley of the Nile in
Egypt half world away. And, after
the impressive ceremonies were COM
pleted, the altar and the entire square
mound were covered over to the
depth of four feet with gravel from
the bed of the stream and the broad
roadway built from the summit to-
ward the first rays of the morning
sun in the open distance beyond.
So carefully was everything sacred
covered up that even the ashes from
the altar and the refuse of the feast,
charred bones of deer and turkey,
were carried a considerable distance
away and buried beneath a depth OF
gravel from the stream. Only the
mounds were left to tell to coming
ages the story of what this ancient
church-for such it was-stood for.
It has passed away, together with
the people who worshipped there.
Another race, stronger in fighting
ls,& IN, info11acfn91