96 ANCIENT MONUMENTS. 



number of other works occur in this vicinity. One of considerable size is found 

 at Oldtown, near the former site of the " Old Miami towns," so famous in the 

 history of our Indian wars. 



Among the earthworks of the Ohio valley, there is a small but very interesting 

 class, which has hitherto most unaccountably escaped observation. They are not 

 enclosures, nor can we with propriety designate them as mounds, according to the 

 technical application of the term in this work. They bear some resemblance to 

 the " animal-shaped mounds " of Wisconsin, to which public attention has recently 

 been several times directed ; but from their position, dependencies, and other cir- 

 cumstances, they seem clearly of a different origin and dedicated to a different 

 purpose. For reasons which cannot fail to be obvious to every mind, after an 

 examination of the illustrations which follow, they have been classed as works of 

 sacred origin. Their character, so far as known, will appear from the examples 

 here presented. What may have been their mythological signification, it is per- 

 haps hopeless for us to inquire. They possess some truly remarkable analogies to 

 remains of other portions of the globe, which will furnish the studious inquirer 

 with matter for deeply interesting speculation. 



PLATE XXXV. 



THE GREAT SERPENT, ADAMS COUNTY, OHIO. 



Probably the most extraordinary eartliAvork thus far discovered at the West, 

 is the Great Serpent, of which a faithful delineation is given in the accompanying 

 plan. It is situated on Brush creek, at a point known as the " Three Forks," on 

 Entry 1014, near the north line of Adams county, Ohio. No plan or description 

 has hitherto been published ; nor does the fact of its existence appear to have been 

 known beyond the secluded vicinity in which it occurs. The notice first received 

 by the authors of these researches was exceedingly vague and indefinite, and led 

 to the conclusion that it was a work of defence, with bastions at regular intervals, 

 — a feature so extraordinary as to induce a visit, which resulted in the discovery 

 here presented. The true character of the work was apparent on the first 

 inspection. 



It is situated upon a high, crescent-form hill or spur of land, rising one hundred 

 and fifty fe(;t above tlie level of Brush creek, which washes its base. The side of 

 tlie hill next the stream presents a perpendicular wall of rock, while the other 



