GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 7 



ville, and Cincinnati, in Ohio ; Frankfort in Kentucky ; and St. Louis in Missouri, 

 may be mentioned in confirmation of this remark. The centres of population are 

 now, where they were at the period when the mysterious race of the mounds 

 flourished.* 



The aboriginal monuments of the Mississippi valley, the general character of 

 which has been thus briefly and imperfectly indicated, fall within two general 

 divisions, namely, Constructions of Earth or Stone, comprising Enclosures, 

 Mounds, etc. ; and Minor Vestiges of Art, including the Implements, Ornaments, 

 Sculptures, etc. of the ancient people. 



The Earth and Stone Works resolve themselves into two classes, viz : Enclo- 

 sures, bounded by embankments, circumvallations, or walls; and simple tumuli, 

 or MouNDS.f They constitute, together, a single system of works ; but, for 

 reasons which will satisfactorily appear, it is preferred to classify them as above. 

 These grand classes resolve themselves into other subordinate divisions : Enclo- 

 sures FOR Defence, Sacred and Miscellaneous Enclosures ; Mounds of 

 Sacrifice, Temple Mounds, Mounds of Sepulture, etc. 



* " The most dense ancient population existed in precisely the places where the most crowded future 

 population will exist in ages to come. The appearance of a series of mounds generally indicates the con- 

 tiguity of rich and level lands, easy communications, fish, game, and the most favorable adjacent posi- 

 tions." — Flint. 



" The most numerous, as well as the most considerable of these remains are found precisely in anv part 

 of the country where the traces of a numerous population might he looked for." — Braclcenridge. 



f The term Mound is iised in this work in a technical sense, as synonymous with Tumulus or Barrow, 

 and in contradistinction to embankment, wall, &c. 



