Until recently, the study of Native American history has been plagued by misinformation and influenced by the specter of cultural bias. This is particularly true with respect to pre-contact civilizations and their architectural accomplishments. Throughout the colonial period, and even into the formative years of the republic, scholars would not allow for the possibility that the great pueblos of Chaco Canyon were the product of indigenous societies. The prevailing thought with respect to these and other architectural wonders was that they represented a distant arm of a Mesoamerican empire, or were evidence of some lost European expedition. Such was the case with the Mound Builders, a pre-contact culture whose origins remain a subject of debate.
Mound Builders
Mound Culture represents the earliest efforts at establishing a permanent architectural presence in North America. What has become known as the Mound Cultural Area stretches from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico--encompassing most of the northeastern United States; from New England to the tip of Florida. The Mound Builders were not a specific tribal group, but rather several indigenous societies who thrived on trade and established an agricultural base during a pre-contact era known as the Formative Period. Archeologists have identified four distinct groups, or cultures, of Mound Builders--Poverty Point, Adena, Hopewell, and Mississippian. These cultures grew from nomadic bands into established city-states long before the first Europeans “discovered” the continent.
Poverty Point
The mounds of Poverty Point represent the earliest examples of Mound Culture. Constructed between 1500 and 500 B.C., these structures represent a dramatic shift in indigenous development--the movement from nomadic bands into established communities. The people of Poverty Point Culture were originally nomadic, but settled into small communities in what is now the State of Louisiana between 2500 and 1500 B.C. Over a period of several hundred years, they eventually migrated throughout Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Missouri, and Florida. As they possessed only a limited agricultural base, it was important for the people of Poverty Point to establish a lasting trade with surrounding communities. This was how they thrived and were able to expand into new regions--leaving their mark in intricately designed mounds.
Mounds of Poverty Point
The people of Poverty Point constructed a wide variety of mounds, each with its own intrinsic purpose. When first excavated, it was assumed that these mounds were objects of religious veneration. However, subsequent evaluation of excavated sites has revealed that the people of Poverty Point constructed specific mounds for specific purposes. What is peculiar about the mounds constructed by Poverty Point Culture is that they were not simple domed earthworks graced by thatch houses. The mounds constructed by the people of Poverty Point ranged in size and scope from small hills to large earthen structures shaped like animals. It is believed that those mounds shaped like animals were linked to spiritual expression. The architects who designed these structures often placed temples atop the completed mound. Other mounds were used as burial chambers for celebrated figures in the community--possibly high ranking leaders and religious figures. These burial mounds had numerous internal compartments, designed to house multiple individuals.
Sources:
Le Roy H Appleton, American Indian Design and Decoration. (New York: Dover Publication, Inc., 1971).
Carl Waldman, Atlas of the North American Indian. (New York: Checkmark Books, 2000).
Carl Waldman, Encyclopedia of Native Tribes. (New York: Checkmark Books, 2006).
