109 



ANCIENT AMERICA. 



By W. A. WADDINGTOy. April 10th, 1883. 



By way of iutroduction attention was called to the wonderful 

 interest in archaeological investigations which has recently mani- 

 fested itself in nearly every country in Europe, and how a com- 

 prehensive range of speculative and inductive research has heen 

 estahlished, in which the geologists and ethnologists are working 

 hand in hand with the archaeologists in solving some of the most 

 deeply interesting problems of modern science. America was 

 now regarded as a field especially favourable to the study of 

 striking and novel truths in reference to primeval man. It was 

 complained that the Americans, who freely subscribed to the 

 unearthing of the treasures of Egypt and Assyria, Greece and 

 Eome, should leave imexplored the remains of scores of cities 

 in their own continent which were being hidden under or being 

 rent asunder by dense forest growths. Mr. Waddington dealt 

 in the main with the Earthworks of the Mississippi Valley and 

 the Stone Structures of Central America. These works present 

 quite distinct characteristics, being probably the outcome of two 

 distinct civilizations — which separated only by short geographical 

 distances — are yet divided by ages in point of mechanical and 

 artistic development. Tlie first works comprise Enclosures for 

 Defence— iovts and strongholds — some of these being of immense 

 magnitude, indicating the presence of large populations of settled 

 habits. Next come the Sacred Enclosures — forming groups of sym- 

 metrical enclosures — square, circular, ellij)tical, and octagonal, 

 with long connecting avenues. Some of these works occupy an 

 area of sis square miles, having avenues in some cases two and 

 a quarter miles long. Within the enclosures are circular mounds 

 and pyramids of immense size, and often the plans are so com- 

 plicated as to leave room for endless conjecture. There are 1000 

 to 1500 of these works in the State of Ohio alone. After de- 

 scribing the temple mounds, and mounds of sacrifice, some of 

 which are 1000 feet in circumference, an account was given of 

 " Animal Mounds," chiefly found in Wisconsin. These form 

 huge "basso relievos" on the face of the country, and are 

 numbered by thousands. They present entire singularity in form, 

 and have but slight analogy to any others of which there is any 

 account in any portion of the globe. They represent the forms 

 of beasts, birds, reptiles, and men. The " Great Serpent " is 

 1,000 feet long. The Alligator Mound is 250 feet long, having 

 a width of 40 feet. These figures often occur in groups, and 

 there is evidence that they have originally been finished in fine 

 clay, with very faithful attention to details. Speaking of the 

 significance of these mounds, observations were made upon 



