Mounds of North America
Common Traits
Apr 13, 2009 Jeffrey R Gudzune
When first encountered, the mounds of northeastern North America were a source of considerable speculation among members of the academic community. From the early years of the colonial period until 1894, many adhered to the belief that these complex earthworks were the product of a lost civilization--some even felt that this lost society was European in origin. This was a popular theory, but none of its adherents were able to explain just how these wayward Europeans arrived in North America centuries before anyone else. Another theory holds that the Mound Builders were touched by the powerful influence of Mesoamerican empires like the Aztec. While not totally unreasonable, there is little evidence to support such a claim. It is true, that Aztec influences are visible among the abandoned pueblos of the Anasazi, but there is nothing to show that their arm reached as far as the northeast. The truth is, Mound Builders were a totally indigenous (or, home grown) society.
What is Mound Culture
The term Mound Builder refers to any group of people that constructed mounds for ceremonial, residential, or spiritual purposes. Mound Builders existed throughout northeastern North America between 3000 B.C. and 1400 A.D. So far, four distinct mound cultures have been identified--Poverty Point, Adena, Hopewell, and Mississippian. However, this is not meant to imply that these four groups were homogeneous societies. Since there is little evidence of the major aspects of these cultures, the only way to determine which sites belong to which of the four cultures is through radiocarbon dating. Archeologists have managed to link certain sites to certain cultures based on the age of the artifacts found there and the prevalence of tribal trade at that time. Based on the evolution of the mounds themselves, scholars have been able to theorize just how mound culture grew and spread throughout North America.
Evolution of Mound Culture
The Poverty Point culture began as nomadic tribes but eventually established a limited agriculture. They grew into a rooted society, living in villages along the Mississippi River. Eventually, the people of Poverty Point established a trade network that allowed them to spread aspects of their culture to new venues. They were followed by the Adena and the Hopewell, who established even larger trade networks. The Mississippian was the last of the mound builders. They established the largest and most extensive trade network in the northeast, and evolved into the first city-building culture in the region.
What similarities that are found among the Mounds Builders results from the geographic location of their points of origin and the prevalence of trade. The primary link found among the four mound building cultures is the massive earthworks that they labored over. These mounds were far from pagan effigies to animal spirits--they were massive public works projects meant to express a common faith. The true aspects of that faith have been lost to history, but through excavation of abandoned sites, scholars have been able to determine that each of the four mound building cultures venerated animal spirits, engaged in trade, and demonstrated a tendency to bury important members of their community.
From Effigy Mounds to Temple Mounds
Excavation of the Poverty Point site in Louisiana (mutually agreed as the oldest evidence of mound building) has determined that the people who lived there first constructed their earthworks for public purposes--most likely religious ceremonies. It was not until around 1000 B.C. that they began to construct burial mounds. Successor cultures continued to construct effigy mounds, but the creation of burial mounds became more prominent. With the Mississippian culture, small domed mounds were replaced with large, pyramid shaped temple mounds. Centers of worship were placed atop these impressive earthworks and were often surrounded by smaller effigy mounds or impressive burial sites. The total evolution of mound building is evident in the examination of the four mound cultures. Poverty Point represents the earliest evidence and the most basic mound design. Adena and Hopewell constructed similar effigy mounds, but constructed larger burial mounds. Finally, the Mississippian culture entered a new phase with the construction of large temple mounds to grace their impressive city-like villages.
Sources:
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).
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