The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-09-25

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio, Sept 25-AI
sacred city of the dead will look just
as 1t did IN prehistoric times, a
thousand or more years ago, when the
program for restoration of the Mound
City group of mounds, three miles
north of here, is carried out. When
the mounds are reconstructed, they
will be one of the greatest scientific
and historical sights in the country,
Ohio archaeologists assert.
Through efforts of the Ohio archae-
illogical and historical society, and Al
ing with the government, practically
bert Spetnagle, local merchant, work
clear title to the territory where the
mounds originally were, has been OBJ
tanned. After the work of restoration
has been completed, the place will be
thrown open to the public as park
The mounds will be contained in an
enclosure, consisting of about IL acres
surrounded by three-foot wall, Just
as a survey originally showed them to
look There were % mounds, and they
all will be restored, from the specifi-
cations made while they were intact,
including those of Squier and Davis,
who made the first authorized explor-
alton of the earthworks in 1886.
Open Mounds.
The main part of each mound, in
vestigators found when they opened
them, was the crematory; in some
mounds, there were two or three.
Then there was found the receptacles
containing the personal possessions
of those whose bones were buried
there-many of these articles may be
seen in the Archaeological museum on
the campus of Ohio State university
in Columbus-and the graves for the
bones.
The greatest finds, according to w.
c. Mills, director of the museum,
were made in Mound No. z, which was
practically in the center of the city.
This mound was IT feet high. There
was a remarkable collection of pipes
in it. One of the graves in the earth
work was lined with slabs of pure
mica, some of them foot in diamet-
er. When the grave was opened, Mills
said, thus relieving the pressure, the
pieces of mica rebounded like they
were alive THE pliability of these
things after probably thousand
years, was remarkable he said.
Obstacles Overcome.
The history of explorations in the
earthworks is one of obstacles over
come and prejudices fought. After
the Squier and Davis investigation
there was not an authorized explora
ton until few years ago, and that
undertaken by Mr.. Mills and H. G,
Shetrone, curator of the museum, has
just been completed. Por 20 years
prior to that, the then owners of the
land refused to permit any excava
lions.
Finally, when Camp Sherman was
constructed, the land passed under
control of the government, and good
half of the mounds were obliterated
in the construction of the great sol
der training center.
Before the Mills Shetrone investi
cation, scientists had to take at full
value the findings of Squier and
Davis, which, it was felt, were rather
perfunctory. They held, among Other
things, that the prehistoric people WHIT
constructed the mounds practiced hu
man sacrifice. These views, said Mills
and Shetrone, were absolutely with
out foundation, as far as they coult
ascertain.
Scene of Exploration.
The mounds have been the scene o.
amateur and professional exploration
however, for nearly a century, during
which time their original contour hal
almost completely changed. TIL
group will be restored as nearly a
possible to the condition before tn,
hand of white man touched it. Worl
will be started soon, with the societ.
cooperating with the citizens and mu
nicipality of Chillicothe.
After being banked, piled and Level
led, until it assumes its former pre-
portions, the site will be harrowe
and seeded, and landscape artists vii
be put to work.
The land passes into the control G
the Ohio archaeological and historica
society in essentially the form of
clear title. After almost a year