(J A N C 1 E N 1' M O N L' .M E N T S . 



All tlie cibove-mentioned constructions are composed of" earth or stone ; tliougli 

 a combination of these materials in the same work is by no means rare. When 

 there arc no ditches interior or exterior to the embankments, pits or " dug holes," 

 I'rom \\ hich tiie earth for their formation was taken, are generally visible near by. 

 Tlicse arc sometimes very broad and deep, and occasionally quite symmetrical in 

 shape.* In the vicinity of large mounds such excavations are common. The 

 earth and stone composing these Avorks are sometimes foreign to the locality which 

 they occuj)v, and must have been brought from considerable distances. 



A large, ])erhaj)sthe larger, portion of these enclosures are regular in outline, tin; 

 s([uare and the circle ])redominating. Some are parallelograms, some ellipses, others 

 polygons, regular or irregular. The regular works are almost invariably erected 

 on level river-terraces, great care having evidently been taken to select those least 

 broken. The irregular works are those which |)artake most of the character of 

 defences, and are usually made to conibrm to the nature of the ground upon \\ hich 

 tliey are situated, — running along the brows of hills, or cutting off the approaches 

 to strong natural positions. The square and the circle often occur in combination, 

 fr(M|ucntly connnunicating with each other or with irregular works directly, or by 

 avenues consisting of parallel lines of embankment. Detached parallels are 

 numerous. The mounds are usually simple cones in form ; but they are sometimes 

 truncated, and occasionally terraced, with graded or winding ascents to their 

 summits. Some are elliptical, others pear-shaped, and others squares or parallelo- 

 grams, with flanking terraces. Besides these, there are others already alludtnl to, 

 most connnon in the extreme north-west, which assume the forms of animals and 

 reptiles. Another variety of remains are the causeways or " roads," and the graded 

 descents to rivers and streams, or from one terrace to another. These several 

 classes of works Avill be described at length, undcn- appropriate heads. 



As already remarked, these remains occur mainly in the valleys of the Western 

 rivers and streams. The alluvial terraces, or " river-bottoms," as they are popu- 

 larly termed, were the favorite sites of the builders. The principal monuments are 

 found where these " bottoms" are most extended, and where the soil is most fertile 

 and easy of cultivation. At the junction of streams, where the valleys are usually 

 broadest and most favorable for their erection, some of the largest and most singular 

 remains are found. The works at Marietta ; at the junction of the Muskingum with 

 the Ohio; at the mouth of Grave Creek; at Portsmouth, the mouth of the Scioto; 

 and at the mouth of the Great Miami, are instances in point. Occasional works 

 are found on the hill tops, overlooking the valleys, or at a little distance from them ; 

 but these are manifestly, in most instances, works of defence or last resort, or in 

 some way connected with warlike purposes. vVnd it is worthy of remark, that the 

 sites selected for settlements, towns, and cities, by the invading lMn-()|)eans, are 

 often those which were the especial favorites of the mound-builders, and the seats 

 ol" their heaviest population. Marietta, Newark, Portsmouth, Chillicothe, Circle- 



* Tlii!se are the " uells" of Mr. Atwator and otlier writers on American aiill.iuiiiis li i- l.ai<iv 

 sible lluit a few were really wells, or ierondaiily designed for re.servuirs. 



