Mound builders of Louisiana

I'm just wondering how many of you out there are aware of the Mound Builders of Louisiana.

Hernando DeSoto found lots of them in the 1500's on his journey through what is now Louisiana. There was an 80' high one in Jonesville, Louisiana when he came.

That branch of Tribes handed him his rump to him on a plate when he got a little too pushy.

At first I thought you might have been talking about Cahokia, which is located around the St. Louis area, but perhaps this might have been a branch of the Cahokia civilization.

These being the mounds in which some skeletons were found?

There are mounds all over the mississippi river valley there are also several in Arkansas and some in Oklahoma. Here take a look at the Spiro,Ok mounds:

"Spiro Mounds, Oklahoma�s only archaeological park, is a 140-acre site encompassing 12 southern mounds which contain evidence of an Indian culture that occupied the site from 850 A.D. to 1450 A.D.


"The Mounds are considered one of the four most important prehistoric Indian sites east of the Rocky Mountains. "

"Because of the great quantity of the materials recovered and the variety and vitality of its art forms, Spiro has been linked to the "Southern Cult," an association of mound sites built and utilized during the Mississippian Period. "











www.ipa.net...


If ya do a google search there is quite a bit of info on the mounds around the area.



[Edited on 30-11-2003 by thehippiedude]

It could well be the case, or vice versa. There are mounds along the east side of Louisiana all the way up to, my favorate named town, Transylvania, Louisiana in the NE LA area.

The funniest name ive found in Arkansas is "Toad Suck,AR".... there is a park and a dam there on the way to Little Rock on I-40 going east-bound from Ft. Smith,AR.


Toad Suck Ferry Campground is located near Toad Suck Ferry Lock in Arkansas. The name was given to the river ferry, a riverside tavern, a settlement, and finally a modern gigantic dam across the Arkansas River. The scenic river provides the perfect atmosphere for a getaway to enjoy camping, fishing, boating, or picnicking. The Toad Suck Campground offers 48 sites with electric and water hook ups. Additional amenities include hot showers, a dump station, a public telephone, a playground, and a boat ramp.


www.reserveusa.com.../nrrs/ar/toad/newindex.html




This site is also the the best site to make all of your campground reservations!!

Besides being created as an elaborate burial place, what else does a mound possibly be representive of?

Some have been found to be in the shape of snakes for example.

Any ideas?

i am aware of the mound builders they are very interesting

Here is an interesting item they found at the Spiro Mounds,OK:


Obsidian blade from the Spiro Mounds, Oklahoma. Trace element studies of the blade indicate that the artifact came from the Pachuca source in Hidalgo, Mexico.





www.obsidianlab.com...

And this link has lots of nice pics of the items found at the Spiro Mounds:


lithiccastinglab.com...


Check out the arrow-heads!

The mounds are there for the same reason the crypts in New Orleans are above ground.Because that area is below sea level and the Miss. river is/was prone to flooding.

really depends how big the mounds are, if we're talking a few feet to a few hundred feet, then their significance is largely different. reverting back to cahokia, mounds that were hundreds of feet high and wide, were used as signs of rank (high chief, king, nobility, etc.). as for mounds of a few feet, i have absolutely no idea, perhaps shrines or art. nonetheless, this topic is interesting.

First I want to thank "thehippiedude" for posting my website - www.ipa.net... - and showing those photos. (I am Al Collier by the way.) Several things that are not on that web site need to be mentioned. The copper plate comes from Michigan - now imagine (this is the story they tell at Spiro Mounds) - the local Indians got into their dugout canoes, paddled down the Arkansas to Helena, AR, the went up the Mississippi River to get the copper and bring back. That must have been some trip! The conch shell came from the Gulf (a little easier to understand). But both stories show lots of trade going on and lots of LONG travel.

Now, while searching out something not related to this, in Dunklin County, MO, I found a book that was printed by the State of MO about the first settlers of the bootheel of MO. Seems several of the "learned" folks - some laywers and such started digging in the Indian Mounds in that area. The book reports the men were able "to tell by looking" the skulls were not all Indian. (That comment still amazes me - how could they tell?) Also they found evidence of Sun God worship. There is much more to these mounds than has been revealed.

The Smithsonian sent teams to Arkansas and Oklahoma basically to destroy the mounds in the mid 1800's (the actuall year slips my mind at the moment) but there is a photo that sometimes surfaces in old books of a wood log that was used as a mask that has branches carved like "deer antlers" (that is not what they look like to me) but in truth look more like the dolls you see with the SouthWest Indians.

We need a group to organize and pool notes much like the MUFON type groups do - there is much unreported or hidden truth out there.

Thanks.

Count me as very interested, Al -- I'm an anthropology grad student. I'd love to do some work there at Spiro if they'd let me!

I'm in Texas, BTW.

In nearby Moundville, Alabama there are some remarkable artifacts that have been recovered, mainly the Rattlesnake Disk. This disk has the all famous eye in the hand image, which has been found among many ancient artifacts.
If you are ever in this area, check out these mounds. Their display is fantastic, and they have actual graves displayed in the visitor center. The graves were excavated partially and turned into a permanent display.
Any opinions on this image of the Rattlesnake Disc?




Stone Pallete, plate 93
Ceremonial disk found at Moundville, Alabama
with rattlesnake and hand and eye design;
12.5" diameter (Courtesy, Alabama Museum
of Natural History).


Rattlesnake Disc - The rattlesnake disc is probably the most famous item found at Mound State Monument. We have no explanation for the meaning of the designs on the face of this 12.5 inch disc. It is thought that the rattlesnakes bound at two points mean war. The hand with the eye in the center probably represents those of the creator. Since no other disc is so elaborately inscribed, archaeologists have reason to believe that this disc was one of great importance and was probably used in religious and/or war ceremonies.
- display placard at Mound State Monument, Moundville


[Edited on 24-3-2004 by Journey]

Is everyone talking about the mounds found with giant human skeletons found within them.You know there were Indian mounds and other mounds found world wide with skeletons measuring up to 14 ft tall?Does anybody know anything about that?Or in Genesis"...there were nephilim (bully or giants) that walked the Earth in those days, and some after that..."Not to mention almost ALL "myths" legends worldwide say the same things.Hmmm..... Books sometimes are only matter of opinion.....

[Edited on 24-3-2004 by jhova]

From a native american point of veiw the eye represents your ansesters watching you and protecting you. and for the snakes, unity