Welcome to The River Discovery
Center, your offsite classroom
Today we will focus on the culture of
the ancient Mound Builders, some of
America’s indigenous peoples.
Who were the Mound Builders?
They were some of the earliest inhabitants of our land. They lived here 1500-3000
years ago. They were called the Mississippians, not because of where they were
from , but WHEN they lived….the Mississippian Era.
How large were their settlements?
Some settlements were small but some were as large as 25,000 people, the size of
Paducah. The largest settlement we know about is at Cahokia, Illinois , near St.
Louis.
Why were they called Mound
Builders?
Some mounds were
used as burial mounds
Some mounds were
built to resemble
animals and were
most likely
ceremonial grounds
Some mounds were
used as the foundation
for the home of the
chieftains
Where did the Mound Builders come
from?
The Mississippian Mound Builders were descendants of
some of the first Native Americans to come into the Western
Hemisphere 20,000 years ago crossing a strip of land, now
submerged, beneath the Bering Straits, connecting the Asian
and North American continents. They drifted slowly into the
Midwest.
When did the Mississippians arrive in
what is now Kentucky?
It is believed that the early peoples lived in North
American during 4 main historic periods. The
Mississippian civilization (Mound Builders) were the
group of people who migrated into the region now
known as Kentucky.
Paleo (14,000 years ago)
Archaic (9500 years ago)
Woodland (3500 years ago)
Mississippian (3000 years ago)
What do we learn from them?
We learn 3 basic things we can apply to today’s
living:
1. We learn the value of working together in
communities for the good of the whole
2. We learn to plan ahead
3. We learn to be resourceful
How do we know about them:
EVERYTHING WE KNOW WE KNOW FROM
THE ARTIFACTS THEY HAVE LEFT BEHIND
WHAT IS AN ARTIFACT?
An artifact- any object made by or used by
human beings
Where did the Mound Builders live?
They lived primarily in the eastern half of the US. They usually lived close to a
river. There is evidence that there were 16,000 villages and camps in the area
covered by Kentucky .
Why did they live close to rivers:
Rivers and the riparian environment provided:
1. A byway for travel
2. Food from river (fish, mussels, crayfish)
3. Clay from the river
4. A trade route
How did they differ from the cultures
before them?
Following the Woodland culture, these Mississippians suddenly
became more “settled” as they began to build homes and grow
crops. They also developed new pottery forms and potters
added handles to jars, bowls and bottles, attaching human and
animal effigies.
The appearance of the “3 sisters” crops occurred about this
time. They learned they could plant 3 crops that would grow
successfully together: corn grew vertically,
beans wrapped around and grew up the
cornstalk and squash was planted at the base
to spread out and prevent the growth of weeds.
What did the
Mound Builders eat?
They enjoyed the bounty of Nature: wild
plants, berries, nuts, animals in the riparian
environment, fish and mussels from the
rivers and streams. Rabbits, squirrels, deer
and fowl would have been abundant. They
also dried their crops and
animal meat for winter months.
What did the Mound Builders wear:
There is evidence that the Mound Builders wove
cloth from plant fibers: reeds, grasses, etc. They
also used animal hides to make clothing. Bone
needles and sinew have been found in caves.
What natural resources were
used by the Mound Builders:
Animals: food, clothing, tools, shelter
Plants: food, cordage, shelters,
basket weaving, dyes
Stones: weapons, tools, kiln
construction
Clay: tools, utensils, jewelry
What items were traded into KY:
Copper: Lake Superior region
Mica: North Carolina
Sea Shells: Gulf of Mexico
Obsidian glass: Northwest
A mica hand made by the Hopewell Native Americans
What were their homes like:
They did not live in teepees!!
Western Plains Native Americans ONLY used those.
They built daub and wattle houses. Daub is a
plaster-like mud; wattle is a panel construction
using vertical poles and woven vines. The poles
were inserted into a ditch several feet into
the ground and the walls were attached.
It appears the homes had 2 rooms and
the villages often had stockades around
the perimeter.
Did Mound Builders practice religion?
There is evidence from some artifacts that they wore
engraved figures on shell gorgets (neck ornaments).
Also, like the Egyptians, they buried objects with their
dead…pipes, shell necklaces and, pottery with shell
spoons…all in anticipation of an “afterlife” for the
deceased. From images found on cave walls and carved
into shells and bone, it is evident they believed in
“animal spirits”. It is possible they also believed in
weather and ancestor “spirits”.
Designs of shell gorgets
How did they change the
physical lay of the land?
They built earthen mounds, dug
trenches and built dams to control
water for irrigation of crops.
What was their life expectancy?
From physical evidence left behind, the average
age of a Mound Builder is believed to have been
50 years. The skeletal remains indicate they
were generally healthy with a good diet. Poor
sanitation would have resulted in illness most
likely. Many infants did not survive. There is
some evidence that villagers died from violence,
perhaps raids or acts of war from other
settlements.
What scientific methods are used to
study ancient peoples?
The field of Archaeology mainly includes these
two methods:
Scientific knowledge: basing information on
available artifacts or soil evidence
Experimental knowledge: concluding likely
facts from comparisons to other
evidence
Did the Mound builders have a written
language?
There is no evidence that they had any form of a
written language. Their wide-spread use of
images, however, suggests they made those
images purposefully. Perhaps they were used
to tell stories or simply to
record an event. Some of
the artists were quite skilled
with their creativity.
What happened to this magnificent
culture?
There are many theories as to what happened
to the Mound Builders. It is entirely possible
that they were just assimilated into ( or became)
a new culture. Some think, however, that the
conquistadors who arrive in Central America and
migrate northward brought with them diseases
to which the Mound Builders had no immunity.
There is some evidence that their civilization
may have succumbed to war.
How can we learn more about Mound
Builders today?
Many of their ancient burial grounds have become
parks and national monuments. Archaeologists
continue to have permission, however, to study
their sites. New laws have been enacted that
prevent people from digging into their burial
grounds today. Only artifacts from the ground or
loose in caves may be taken. High fines are levied
on anyone desecrating their gravesites. The laws
were enacted after Native American activists went
before Congress asking for their ancestors’ remains
to be protected.