The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-11-24
Forum Of The People
Description OF Old Indian Mounds.

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
In your issue of Nov. 16 appeared news
item from Moulton touching proposed exca-
vations of an Indian mound in that vicinity
to be made by DR.. Fowke, of the Smithsonian
Institute. Two mounds were referred to, one
described as of the cOnical variety and the
other as a flat-topped mound. Recently
gave you a descriptive account of the origin
of the conical mounds as furnished by Bar
tram (1776). The flat-topped mound, how
ever, served a very different purpose. One
found by Cabeza de Vaca in Florida in 1928,
twelve years before the coming of DeSOto,
was used as the foundation of the house of
the chief, and so built, as the writer says,
"for strength" One found by De Soto in
what is now North Georgia, is described very
nearly the same way. Among the Greeks and
other tribes later on, other houses were
built the same way; but the largest Of this
class were found in what was formerly Old
Mexico. These were sometimes built in the
shape of an T.; sometimes in the shape of an
opensided quadrangle; sometimes in the shape
of crescent, with all of the doors opening
out on the partially enclosed space. Some
of these were of stone, and all were COM
munity or tribal buildings.
Among certain tribes in this part of the
country, the tribal houses were of logs, and
not all of them were on mounds. But among
the older creek towns, they were associated
with the chunky" or "chungke' yards The
"Chungke" yard was an oblong square, from
two to three hundred yards long, but not
quite so wide, and from two to three feet
below the surface, in the centre of which was
n circular elevation on the top of which stood
the Chungke pole, composed of the heart of
four pine trees, set apart at the bottom, but
coming together at a point at the top, and on
top of which was fastened target for arrow
and later rifle practice at stated times. In
these yards also the game of Chungke was
probably played and here too probably captives
ran the gauntlet.
At one end of the yard on either side of
the middle or entrance point stood two poles
about twelve feet high, known as slave
posts. 1t was to these posts, captives con-
demned to death by fire, were fastened for
execution; and to the top of these posts also,
which were often topped with the skull of a
dead captive, were fastened little hoops over
which had been stretched the scalps taken
from their enemies, several of which were
often fastened to the top of the same slave
post" at the same time.
The dirt taken from this excavated yard
was placed along the sides, and part of the
way around the ends; and sometimes so ar
ranged as to form two terraces (maybe seats
for OnloOkers); but an opening in these ter
races was left at each end. AT the end near
the slave posts, just outside the yard" stood
a circular mound about nine or ten feet high,
and on this mound stood the Great Rotun-
da." At the other end of the yard" stood a
square mound, about the same height, and
located so that one corner was at the open
ing to the Chungke yard. On top of this
mound were located four buildings; and these
ocrnered to the Chungke yard. One was di-
vided longtudinally in half by a wall; and
the front part divided by two low clay walls
into three parts. The centre was used exclu-
sively for the chief, unless he invited one or
more others to sit with him. The one on
the chiefs right was for honored warriors,
and the one on the left was for the people.
The part back of these rooms, the entrance
to which was by very low doors or openings
from the front, was the prophets quarters,
and here was the receptacle for the national
standard" 1.-THE eagles taiD and the sacred
charms of the tribe. No one was permitted
to enter this, except the Prophet, on penalty
of death.
The building fronting this across the pub
lie Square" was used as a banquet hall, and
here the chief occasionally entertained the
people The two other buildings were for the
use of the people. The residences of the peo-
pie fronted the Chungke yard on either side.
The Cherokees usually had but one public
building, and it stood on a circular mound
like ten feet high; and the Chungke
yards found among them had fallen into dis
use, and were in ruins when found by the
traders. These facts are collated from sew
eral very old records and may be of interest
to some of your readers,
ED. ID. HAMMER.
Alfalfa, Ala, Nov. 20, 1924.