100 A N C I E N T M O N U M E N T 8 . 



ancient people gathered to celebrate the rites ol" their unknown worship, (ts 

 position, and all the circumstances attending it, certainly lavor such a conclusion. 

 The valley whicii it overlooks abounds in traces of the remote people, and seems 

 to have been one of the centres ol ancient population. 



PLATE XXXVl. No. :? . 



ROCK MILL WORKS, FAIRFIELD COUNTY, OHIO.* 



Tms work is remarkable as being the only one, entirely regular in its plan, 

 which has yet been discovered occupying the summit of a hill. It is situated on the 

 road from Lancaster, Fairfield county, Ohio, to Columbus, the capital of the State, 

 seven miles distant from the former place, near a point known as the " Hocking ri\ er 

 Upper Falls,"' or " Rock Mill." It consists of a small.square measuring four hundred 

 and tw enty feet on each side, in combination with two small circles, one hundred and 

 twenty-five and two hundred and ten feet in diameter respectively. The hill is nearly 

 two hundred feet in height, with a slightly undulating plain of small extent at its 

 summit. The works are so arranged that the small circle, enclosing the mound, 

 overlooks every part and commands a wide prospect on every hand. Towards the 

 brow of the hill, at prominent points, are two elliptical terraces or elevations of 

 small size. The sides of the square enclosure correspond to the cardinal points. 

 The walls, excepting those of the circular structures, are very slight, and unac- 

 companied by a ditch. The work is clearly not of a defensive origin, and must be 

 classed with those of similar outline occupying the river terraces. At a short 

 distance above this point, the champaign country commences, and no other 

 remains are found. The erections of the mound-builders are almost exclusively 

 confined to the borders of the water-courses. 



There are very few enclosures, so far as known, in the Hocking river valley ; 

 there are, however, numerous mounds upon the narrow terraces and on the hills 

 bordering them. In the vicinity of Athens are a number of the largest size, and 

 also several enclosures. (See Plate XXIII.) Mounds are found upon the high bluffs 

 in the neighborhood of Lancaster, at points commanding the widest range. An 

 examination of the valley with a view of bringing to light its ancient monuments 

 would, without doubt, be attended with very interesting results. 



* Tliis work should have been tigured on a pioceding phite. Its posiuoii. in comiLxtion uitli llie 

 fffitt'ies liere described, was deteimiiu'd bv accidental ciicunistances. 



