304 A N C 1 K N 'J' iM O N U M E N T S . 



If we are not mistaken in assigning a religious origin to that large portion of 

 ancient monuments, Avliich arc clearly not defensive, nor designed to perpetuate 

 the memory of the dead, then the superstitions of the ancient people must have 

 exercised a controlling influence upon their character. If, again, as from reason 

 and analogy we are warranted in supposing, many of these sacred structures are 

 symbolical in their forms and combinations, they indicate the prevalence among 

 their builders of religious beliefs and conceptions, corresponding with those which 

 prevailed among the early nations of the other continent, and which in their 

 elements seem to have been common to all nations, far back in the traditional 

 period, before the dawn of written history. Their consideration under this 

 aspect involves a preliminary analysis of the religious belief of the various 

 aboriginal American families, an examination of their mythologies and supersti- 

 tious rites, and a comparison between them and those of the primitive nations of 

 the old world. It involves, also, an attention to the sacred monuments of the 

 eastern continent, to the principles upon which they were constructed, and to the 

 extent to which a symbolical design is apparent in their combinations and orna- 

 ments. But it is alike beyond the scope and design of this work to go into these 

 inquiries, which in themselves, from their attractiveness and importance, deserve a 

 full and separate consideration. We may, however, be permitted to express the 

 belief, that researches in this department, philosophically conducted, must lead to 

 results of the highest value, and greatly aid in the solution of the interesting prob- 

 lems connected with our aboriginal history. For, in the words of a writer of 

 distinction, " of all researches that most efiectually aid us to discover the origin of 

 a nation or people, whose history is unknown or deeply involved in the obscurity 

 of ancient times, none perhaps are attended with such important results, as the 

 analysis of their theological dogmas, and their religious practices. In such matters 

 mankind adhere with greatest tenacity, and though both modified and corrupted in 

 the revolutions of ages, they still preserve features of their original construction, 

 when language, arts, sciences, and political establishments no longer retain 

 distinct lineaments of their ancient constitutions."* 



The antiquity of the ancient monuments of the Mississippi valley has been made 

 the subject of incidental remark in the foregoing chapters. It will not be out of 

 place here to allude once more to some of the facts bearing upon this point. Of 

 c ourse no attempt to fix their date accurately can, from the circumstances of the 

 case, be successful. The most that can be done is to arrive at approximate results. 

 The fact that none of the ancient monuments occur upon the latest-formed terraces 

 of the river valleys of" Ohio, is one of much importance in its bearings upon this 

 question. If, as we arc amply warranted in believing, these terraces mark the 

 degrees of subsidence of the streams, one of the four which may be traced has 

 been formed since those streams have followed their present courses. There is 

 no good reason for supposing that the mound-builders would have avoided building 

 upon that terrace, while they erected their works promiscuously upon all the others. 



* Mof'ri.i.nii, Philoaophitnl njiil An/if/iiaricai lusidirlics, p. 225. 



