1 18 Cincinnali Society of Natural History. 



highest section, or that which stands immediately south of the 

 road, we would sa}- that its original height was twenty-four 

 feet, or two feet higher than at present. The decrease in 

 elevation we would attribute in part to settling of the wall. 

 The width of base was fifty-four feet, as before stated. Width 

 of summit, somewhere between fifteen and twenty feet. 

 Slope of sides, fifty or fifty-five degrees. 



We think it highly probable that all of the enclosing walls 

 of Fort Ancient had flat or level summits. But it was at the 

 north-eastern part of the fort where .such a form of embank- 

 ment was most needed. Here was the place of greatest dan- 

 ger. It has been the custom in all ages of the world for the 

 inhabitants of a walled town or city, when the place was 

 attacked, to make their defense principally from the tops of 

 the walls. And it was often necessary to have room for quite 

 a large force, in order to repel the a.ssaults of the enemy. 

 Now, we can not suppose that the inhabitants of Fort Ancient 

 formed an exception to this mode of defensive warfare. 



There is evidence that the north-eastern part of the fort was 

 set apart as a place of assembly, whether for civil, religious, 

 social or military purposes, we can not, of course, positively 

 determine. But we believe that it was used as a military 

 camp, or at least as a place of general rally of the warriors in 

 times of danger. Here are a number of acres that have been 

 smoothed off very evenly. The portion of this level area 

 adjoining the high embankments pre.sents a most remarkable 

 evenness of surface. To fully appreciate this a person should 

 view it from the road just inside of the fort. 



All indications go to show that the north-east part of the 

 fort was regarded by the inhabitants as the point of greatest 

 danger. Hence this military campus, and the massive walls 

 with wide summits, ready to be mounted with files of hardy 

 warriors, armed with bow and battle-ax, wliencver the fort 

 was in danger of l:)eing assaulted. 



In this connection we will refer briefly to the earth-work in 

 the northern part of the fort, known as the crescent or semi- 

 circle. It is 270 feet long, about sixteen feet wide at base and 

 not over two feet high. From a careful study of its charac- 

 ter, location and immediate surroundings, we have come to 

 regard it as the remains of a complete circle that once 



