History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present, Part 34

Author: N. N. Hill, Jr.
Publication date: 1881
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 826

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Mica is often found in proximity to the skele- tons, as well as specimens of pottery, bone and copper beads, and animal bones.

The name given to this description of tumuli

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clearly indicates that they were erected chiefly for burial purposes. They generally contain but a limited number of skeletons, indeed, often but a single one; but Professor Marsh, of the Sheffield scientific school, connected with Yale college, a few years ago opened a mound in this county, which contained seventeen skeletons in whole or in part.

The most remarkable of all mounds in the State, was one in Hardin county, in which were found about three hundred skeletons. A doubt has, however, been expressed that these were all Mound Builders' skeletons-some persons entertaining the belief that they were Indian remains, as it is well known that the Indians frequently buried their dead on or near the mounds.

Sacrificial mounds are usually stratified, the strata being convex layers of clay and loam, alter- nating with a layer of fine sand. They generally contain ashes, charcoal, igneous stones, calcined animal bones, beads, stone implements, pottery and specimens of rude sculpture. These mounds are frequently found within enclosures, which were sup- posed to have been in some way connected with the performance of the religious rites and ceremo- nies of the Mound Builders. An altar of stone or burnt clay is usually found in this class of mounds.

These altars, which sometimes rest on the sur- face of the original earth, at the centre of the mound are symmetrically shaped, and are among the chief distinguishing characterisicts of sacri- ficial mounds. Upon these altars sacrifices of animals, and probably of human beings, were offered, the fire being used to some extent in that superstitious and cruel performance. Some of this class of mounds seem also to have been used for purposes of sepulture as well as sacrifice; the presence of skeletons, in some of them at least, suggest their sepulchral as well as sacrificial character.

In common with sepulchral mounds these like- wise contain implements of war, also mica from the Alleghanies, shells from the Gulf of Mexico, obsi- dian, and in some instances porphyry from Mexico, as well as silver and copper articles, both for use and ornament.

Temple mounds are less numerous and generally larger than the preceding classes, and in form are

oftenest circular or oval; but, whether round, square, oblong, oval, octangular, or whatever form, are invariably truncated, having the appearance of being in an unfinished condition. They are fre- quently surrounded by embankments, and many of them have spiral pathways, steps, or inclined planes leading to their summits. They are gen- erally of large base and of comparatively limited altitude.

The supposition is that the summits of these mounds were crowned with structures of wood that served the purposes of temples, all traces of which, however, owing to the perishable nature of the materials used in their construction, have disap- peared. They were also used to a limited extent for burial purposes, as well as for uses connected with their religion.

Mounds of Observation are generally situated upon eminences, and were doubtless "observa- tories," "alarm posts," "watch towers," "signal stations," or "look outs," serving the purposes indicated by their title. They are said by some writers to occur in chains or regular systems, and that many of them still bear traces of the beacon fires that were once burning on them. They are sometimes found in connection with embankments and enclosures, forming a portion, though greatly enlarged, of the banks of earth or stones that compose said embankments and enclosures.

One of this description is situated two miles west of Newark, and though somewhat mutilated, is yet about twenty-five feet high.

This class of mounds is tolerably numerous in some portions of the State.

Memorial or Monumental mounds belong to the class of tumuli that were erected to perpetuate the memory of some important event, or in honor of some distinguished character. They are mostly built of earth, but some of the stone mounds found in some portions of the State probably belong to this not numerous class.

Effigies or Animal mounds are simply raised figures or gigantic basso relievos of men, beasts, birds or reptiles, and in some instances, of inani- mate objects. They are on the surface of the earth, raised to a limited height, generally from one foot to six feet above the natural surface of the ground. Mr. Schoolcraft, an authority, calls

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this class of ancient works Emblematic mounds, and expresses the belief that they were "Totems" or "heraldic symbols." Professor Daniel Wilson, the learned author of "Pre-historic Man," and other writers of distinction, call them Symbolical mounds, and hold the opinion that they were erected as objects of worship, or for altars upon which sacrifices were offered, or that they served some other purposes connected with the religious worship of their idolatrous and superstitious con- structors.

Of the three most notable examples of Effigies in the State, two are situated in this county. One is the Eagle mound, near the center of what is known as the "Old Fort," near Newark; and the other is called the "Alligator mound," and is situ- ated on the summit of a hill nearly two hundred feet high, near Granville. Both of these re- nowned works will receive more particular atten- tion in the histories of the townships in which they are located.

Inclosures defensive and sacred, have been briefly mentioned. Most of them are earth-works, though a few are of stone. Defensive enclosures are of irregular form, are always on high ground, and in naturally strong positions, frequently on the summits of hills and steep bluffs, and are often strengthened by exterior ditches. The walls gen- erally wind around the borders of the elevations they occupy, and where the nature of the ground renders some points more accessible than others, the height of the wall and the depth of the ditch at those weak points are proportionally increased. The gate-ways are narrow, few in number, and well guarded by embankments placed a few yards inside of the openings or gate-ways, parallel with them, and projecting somewhat beyond them at each end, thus fully covering the entrances, which, in some cases, are still further protected by projecting walls on either side of them.

These works are somewhat numerous, and indi- cate a clear appreciation of the elements, at least, of fortification, and unmistakably point out the purpose for which they were constructed. A large number of these defensive works consists of a line of ditch and embankments, or several lines carried across the neck of peninsulas or bluff head-lands, formed within the bends of streams-an easy and

obvious mode of fortification, common to all rude peoples. To this class of inclosures belongs that situated on the summit of a hill one mile east of Alligator mound in Licking county.

Covered ways are parallel walls of earth of lim- ited height, and are frequently found contiguous to inclosures, sometimes, indeed, connecting them by extending from one to another. . One of their purposes, at least, seems to have been the protec- tion of those passing to and fro within them.

Sacred inclosures are mainly distinguished from those of a military character by the regularity of their form, their different construction and their more frequent occurrence. They are of all shapes and forms, and where moats or ditches exist they are invariably found in the inside of the embankments. They are generally in the form of geometrical fig- ures of surprising accuracy, such as circles, squares, hexagons, octagons, ellipses, parallelograms and of various others. They are sometimes found within military inclosures, and evidently had some con- nection with the religious ideas and ceremonies of their builders. Frequently there is situated in the center of this class of works a mound, or elevation, supposed to have served the purposes of an altar upon which sacrifices were offered, or which was, at least, in some way, used in conducting their re- ligious services. Within these sacred inclosures were doubtless celebrated religious festivals, and upon those central mounds or altars were un- doubtedly performed, by priestly hands, the rites and ceremonies demanded by their sacrificial and idolatrous religion.

The very extensive works near Newark, known as the "Old Fort," and situated in the fair grounds, evidently belong to this class, and receive particu- lar attention in another chapter. Some archeolo- gists, however, maintain that many works called sacred inclosures were erected for and used as places of amusement, where these ancient people practiced their national games, and celebrated their great national events, where they held their national festivals and indulged in their national jubilees, as well as performed the ceremonies of their religion.

It may be that there are those (and there are many such) within which no central elevation or altar occurs, were erected for the purposes last named, and not exclusively (if at all) for purposes

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connected with their religion, and are therefore er- roneously called sacred inclosures.

Other ancient peoples, if indeed not all the na- tions of antiquity, had their national games, amuse- ments, festivals and jubilees, and why not the Mound Builders? Without doubt they had, and congregated within their inclosures to practice, cel- ebrate and enjoy them.

It is natural to indulge in speculations regarding these ancient works. Probably none of them have been constructed since Christopher Columbus reached America in 1492. About sixty years ago a tree which stood upon the bank of the inclosure last named, at a point where the bank was twenty feet high, was cut down, and its concentric circles numbered five hundred and fifty, thus proving con- clusively that the said inclosure was constructed more than six hundred years ago.

Authorities differ regarding many matters con- nected with the Mound Builders, but a few facts seem to be fully established by their works. There can be no doubt that they were a numerous peo- ple. Works so elaborate, so gigantic, could not have been erected by a people insignificant in num- bers. This is the more apparent when it is con- sidered that they were without iron or any suitable metal instruments or tools with which to perform their herculean labors.

It could scarcely have been otherwise than that they were also the subjects of a single strong gov- ernment, because, under any other, the perform- ance of such an immense amount of, probably, enforced labor could not have been secured. Very likely some sort of vassalage or servitude pre- vailed. There is abundant evidence that they were a war-like people, and probably, like some savage nations now existing, they made slaves of their prisoners. The number and magnitude of their works, and their extensive range and uni- formity, prove that they were essentially homo- geneous in customs, habits, religion, and govern- ment. The general features common to all their remains identify them as appertaining to a single grand system, owing its origin to men moving in the same direction, acting under common im- pulses, and influenced by similar causes.

That they possessed military skill, and were not without some knowledge of mathematics, is quite

evident. Building their defensive works in natural- ly strong positions, and constructing many of their other works in the form of various geometrical figures, show this.

The construction of military works would indi- cate that they were, occasionally, at least, at war, either among themselves or with some other nation or tribe. If another nation, what other? Perhaps with the North American Indian to whom the country may have belonged before the Mound Builders entered it. There are various scraps of history relating to the antiquity of the Indian. For instance, in the annual report of the council of the American Antiquarian society, page 40, occurs this note from Sir Charles Lyell:

"A human cranium, of the aboriginal type of the red Indian race, had been found in the delta of the Mississippi, beneath four buried forests, superimposed, one upon another, implying. as estimated by Dr. Dowler, an antiquity of fifty thousand years."

Lyell, himself, estimated the age of the delta at one hundred thousand years. It may be con- jectured from many historical facts, that the Mound Builders were a foreign people who in- vaded the soil of America, as there is but little evidence that they spread themselves over the continent, but much, that they passed through it from northeast to southwest, covering a broad belt, on which they erected their mysterious mounds. The time occupied by them in crossing the continent can only be conjectured. It is a well known historical fact that the Northmen reached the coast of North America from Green- land in 999, A. D. Perhaps the mysterious Mound Builders were no other than these-they came in great numbers, attempted to conquer the country, found the Indians too strong for them, but con- quered a certain portion of the territory, clung together, moved gradually southwest, protecting themselves on the way by forts and other earth- works, finally disappearing in Mexico, either con- quering that country or intermingling with and be- coming absorbed by that people.

The Mound Builders were doubtless a supersti- tious people, cherishing faith in some religious system. The amount of labor bestowed upon those of their works that were erected in the in- terest of their religion, shows a strong tendency

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STONE RELICS.

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toward a superstitious belief. They doubtless of- fered up animals in sacrifice, as a part of their religious ceremonies, and it may be that human sacrifices were not unknown among them. Pris- oners of war are thus disposed of sometimes by peoples and nations who have attained to as high a grade of civilization as that reached by the Mound Builders. The sacrificial character of their religion is clearly established.

The late Dr. Foster hesitated not to say that they were worshipers of the elements; that they also worshiped the sun, moon and stars; and that they offered up human victims as an acceptable sacrifice to the gods they worshiped. He deduced this fact from the charred or calcined bones that cover their altars. Other high authorities also un- hesitatingly assert that there is convincing proof that they were fire-worshipers.

It may be well in this connection to notice, briefly, the implements made and used by this people, especially so far as investigation has re- vealed their character in Licking county.

· Very few copper implements have been found in this part of Ohio, owing partly to the fact of the unexplored condition of many of the mounds, and to the fact that little, if any, copper exists in this part of the United States. What does exist is in loose fragments that have been washed down

from the upper lake region. When mounds are explored, great care is necessary lest these small utensils be lost, as they are commonly scattered through the mass, and not always in close prox- imity to the skeletons. The copper deposits about Lake Superior furnished the pre-historic man with this metal, and, judging from the amount of relics made of this metal now found, it must have been quite abundant. The population of the country, then, must have been quite numerous, as occasional copper implements, tempered to an exceeding hardness, are still found about the country. These implements are small, generally less than half a pound in weight, and seldom' exceeding three pounds. There were millions of these in use during the period of the ancient dwellers. which must have been hundreds of years in duration. The copper implements left on the surface soon disappeared by decomposition, to which copper is nearly as liable as iron. Only a part of the dead Mound Builders were placed in burial mounds, and of these only a part were buried with their copper ornaments and implements on and about them. Of those that were, only a small part have been discovered, and, in many instances, the slight depth of earth over them has not prevented the decay and disappearance of the copper relics.

Articles of bronze or brass are not found with

CHISELS, GOUGES AND ADZES.

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the builders of the mounds. It is evident they knew nothing of these metals in the Ohio valley, nor did they possess any of the copper that had been melted or cast in molds.

Stone relics are very numerous and well pre- served. Stone axes, stone mauls, stone hammers,

stone chisels, etc., are very plentiful yet, and were the common implements of the pre-historic man in this part of the west. None were made with holes or eyes for the insertion of a helve or handles, but were grooved to receive a withe twisted into the form of a handle. Under the head of axes, arch-

WEDGE-SHAPED IMPLEMENTS.

æologists include all wrought stones with a groove, a bit and a poll. They are found unpolished, partly polished and polished. The bit was made sharp by rubbing, and the material is hard and tough, generally of trachyte, greenstone, granite, quartz or basalt. Most of them are straight on one edge. In Ohio, it is very rare that stone axes are found in the mounds, indicating that they are modern, or were not so much prized by the Mound Builders as to be objects of burial. Occasionally, axes of softer material are found, such as slate, hematite and sandstone, but these are small in size

and not common. They appear to have been manufactured from small, oblong boulders, first brought into shape by a pick, or chipping instru- ment, the marks of which are visible on nearly all of them. They were made more perfect by rub- bing and polishing, probably done from time to time after they were brought into use. A handle or helve, made of a withe or split stick, was fast- ened in the groove by thongs of hide. The bit is narrower than the body of the axe, which is gen- erally not well enough balanced to be of much value as a cutting instrument.

SCRAPERS-FLINT.

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. It is very seldom the material is hard enough to cut green and sound timber. The poll is usually round, but sometimes flat, and rarely pointed. It is much better adapted to breaking than cutting, while the smaller ones are better fitted for war-clubs than tools. As a maul to break dry limbs, they were very efficient, which was probably the use made of them. In weight they range from half a pound to sixteen pounds, but are generally less than three pounds. The very heavy ones must

have been kept at the regular camps and villages, as they could not have been carried far, even in canoes. Such axes are occasionally found in the Indian towns on the frontier, as they were found in Ohio among the aborigines. The Mound Builders ap- parently did not give them as much prominence among their implements as their savage successors. Double-headed hammers have the groove in the middle. They were made of the same material as the axes, so balanced as to give a blow with equal

RICHES COL.O.

HEAVY STONE AXE.

force at either end. Their mechanical symmetry is often perfect. As a weapon in war, they were, indeed, formidable, for which purpose they are yet used among the Indians on the Pacific coast.

Implements, known as "fleshers" and "skin- ners," chisel-formed, commonly called "celts," were probably used as aids in peeling the skins of animals from the meat and bones. For the pur-

pose of cutting tools for wood, they were not suf- ficiently hard, and do not show such use, excepting in a few flint chisels. They may have been applied as coal scrapers where wood had been burned; but this could not have been a general thing with- out destroying the perfect edge most of them now exhibit. The grooved axes were much better adapted to this purpose.

STONE PESTLE.

Stone pestles are not plentiful in this county, while stone mortars are rare, indicating that they were made of wood, which is lighter and more easily transported. Most of the pestles are short, with a wide base, tapering toward the top. They

were probably used with one hand, and moved about in the mortar in a circle. The long, round instrument, usually called a pestle, does not appear to be fitted for crushing seeds and grain by pounding or turning in the mortar. It was prob-

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ably used as a rolling-pin, perhaps on a board or leveled log, not upon stone. It is seldom found

smooth or polished, and varies from seven to thir- teen inches in length. In outline they taper

CLUB-HEADED STONES.

toward each end, which is generally smooth, and circular in form, as though it had been twirled in an upright position.

There is almost an endless variety of perforated plates, thread-sizers, shuttles, etc. They are usually made of striped slate, most of which have taper-

ing holes through them flat-wise, the use of which has been much discussed. The accompanying plate exhibits several specimens of these; but there are, doubtless, many other forms and styles. They are generally symmetrical, the material fine- grained, and their proportions graceful, as though

PERFORATED PLATES, THREAD SIZERS, SHUTTLES, ETC.

their principal use was that of ornamentation. Many of them may well have been worn suspended as beads or ornamens. Some partake of the char- acter of badges or ensigns of authority. Others, if strung together on thongs or belts, would serve

as a coat of mail, protecting the breast or back against the arrows of an enemy. A number of them would serve to size and twist twine or coarse thread made of bark, rawhide or sinew. The most common theory regarding their use is, how-

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HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY.

ever, lacking one important feature. None of them show signs of wear by use. The edges of the holes through them are sharp and perfect. This objection applies equally well to their use as sus- pended ornaments. Some of them are shuttle- form, through which coarse threads might have

been passed, for weaving rude cloth of bark or of fibrous plants, such as milk-weed or nettles. There are also double-ended and pointed ones, with a cross section about the middle of which is a circle, and through which is a perforation.

A great variety of wands or badges of distinc-

PERFORATED PLATES, THREAD SIZERS, SHUTTLES, ETC.

tion are found. They are nearly all fabricated from striped and variegated slate, highly finished, very symmetrical and elegant in proportion, evidently designed to be ornamental. If they were stronger and heavier, some of them would serve the pur- pose of hatchets or battle-axes. The material is compact and fine-grained; but the eyes, or holes, for handles or staves, are quite small, seldom half an inch in diameter. Their edges are not sharp, but rounded, and the body is thin, usually less than one-fourth of an inch in thickness.

The form of badges, known as "double-cres- cents," are the most elegant and expensive of any yet brought to notice. They were probably used to indicate the highest rank or office. The single

1 crescent, perhaps, signified a rank next below the double. In Mr. John B. Matson's* collection -- there is a rough-hewn double one in process of construction, the horns of which turn inward. In nearly or quite all the finished ones the points turn outward. The finish around the bore of all winged badges and the crescents is the same, and the size of the bore about the same-from two-fifths to three-fifths of an inch. On one side of all is a narrow ridge; on the other, a flat band, length- wise, like a ridge that has been ground down to a width of one to two-tenths of an inch. Badges

*Mr. Matson resides in Springfield township, Richland county, not far from Spring Mills. He has one of the largest and finest collections in that county.

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and crescents are invariably made of banded slate, generally of a greenish shade of color. The other forms of wands or badges, such as those

with symmetrical wings or blades, are also made of green striped slate, highly polished, with a bore of about one-half inch in diameter, apparently to

DRILLED CEREMONIAL WEAPONS OF SLATE.

insert a light wooden rod or staff. They were probably emblems of distinction, and were not ornaments. Nothing like them is known among the modern tribes, in form or use, henee they are attributed to the Mound Builders.

In addition to stone ornaments, the pre-historic man seems to have had a penchant, like his savage successors, to bedaub his body with various colors, derived from different colored minerals. These compounds were mixed in hollowed stones or di- minutive mortars-"paint cups,"-in which the mineral mass of colored clay was reduced to pow- der and prepared for application to the body. Such

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History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present, Part 34

Author: N. N. Hill, Jr. Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Number of Pages: 826

Author: N. N. Hill, Jr.
Publication date: 1881
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 826