Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1909-08-12
The Mound Builders.

HC 4FlOuuu DuuuCIS.
Scattered through the middle west and
in other parts of the United States are
more than 10000 monstrous, odd shaped
mounds" Some are built like forts,
others in queer, sharp geometrical figures,
others shaped like huge serpents, croco-
dies, buffaioes, turtles, eagles, lizards,
dragons with eggs in their months, etc.
Some OF these mounds are mile long,
some much smaller. In Newark, o.,
stands continuous mound, constructed in
a perfect circle, more than 5000 feet in
circumference. The mounds are often
covered with trees that are many centuries
in age. These strangely shaped structures
are thought TO be more than 1900 years
old.
Who built them2
Certainly not the North American In
dans. The Indians have ever been a
lazy, rowing race, making their livelihood
chiefly by hunting and fishing, seldom
remaining long in one neighborhood and
using tents or the rudest hutS as their
dwelling places.
The mysterious people who built the
monnds were not race OF roverS. An
infinitely long time must have been re-
quired for erecting each huge earth shape.
Nor were they ignorant savageS, for the
mounds show deep knowledge ofgeome-
tay as we'll as OF astronomy and OF the
principals OF building. Carefully laid out
military Notifications abound builders
country, indicating that the aboriglnes
had martial lore and engineering skill and
that they understood many modern prln-
ciples of attack and defense,
There are also sepulchral mounds, some
of them sixty feet high. These contain
human bones, skulls, etc, as well as cop
per utensils and bits Of pottery. The
bones when exposed TO air crumble at
once to dust. As the boneSof Europeans
who died twenty centuries ago are often
found intract and strong, many authorities
believe the mound builders date back at
least several centuries before the time OF
Julius Caesar.
Cleverly made pottery and copper or
bronze implements of war and peace are
found all through the mounds. Ancient
abandoned copper mines on the banks OF
Lake Superior show that the mound
builders well understood the art OF min
ing. The workmanship OF the copper
bracelets, bronze knives, ETC., proves
their skill at the forge.
In one ofthe prehistoric Lake Superior
mines has been found mass OF copper
weighing eight tons, resting on high
platform, ready for removal TO the upper
earth. This implies the use OF well con-
structed mine machinery. Pictures that
have been found etched upon copper and
ivory portray much artistic skill.
From all this il seems that in some re-
mote age the central part OF North Amer
ica was inhabited by race OF warlike,
industrious, decidedly civilized beings
who had splendid skill at building, at the
arts of mining, engineering and higher
mathematics and who flouriShed appar-
entity during numerous centuries. Yet so
long ago did the mound builders cease TO
exist that in all Indian folklore there is
no mention, no memory, OF them.
None know where the Indians them
selves came from. Yet they apparently
settled in America long after the mound
builders mad vanished. The skulls dis
covered in the mounds are not shaped in
the least like skulls OF Indians nor even
of Europeans. Some archaeologists
claim TO find strong resemblance between
the mound builders skulls and those OF
the ancient Egyptians. II there were any
connection between the two, who can
explain how an Egyptian race CHANGED to
flourish in the middle west2
The fate Of the mound builders IS as
mysterious as the strange people them
selves. After reaching so high civiliza-
ton and thriving for so long a time II
seems strange that they should have been
completely destroyed. No satisfactory
explanation has ever been offered. Per-
haps the mound builders moved south
and became merged with the Mexican
Aztecs or Peruvians, or some savage race
from the north may have swept down
and utterly destroyed them. or whole
sale pestilence may have wiped out their
nation.
The weird looking earthen monuments
the purpose Of most of them a puzzle TO
the best archaeologistsl are the sole re-
manning proof that this great lost Ameri-