RADIN] WINNEBAGO ARCHEOLOGY 83 



their hereditary enemies. As a matter of fact, according to Mr. 

 Stout, in the small area of 31 square miles around the lake, no less 

 than 481 linear mounds have been found, and, if we take into con- 

 sideration the fact that but 50 miles to the northwest, in the Sauk 

 County area, 734 were found, we have within a radius of 231 square 

 miles an enormous number of linear mounds. Whether, however, 

 this has anything to do with the statements of the Indians mentioned 

 above is very doubtful. When the WTiter called the Indians' 

 attention to the fact that structures that were so low could hardly 

 serve as an adequate protection agamst arrows they retorted by 

 saying that the Indians did not stand up when attacked but lay 

 stretched on the ground behind the mounds. 



The same two areas that yielded such a large nimiber of linear 

 mounds were also rich ip efTigy and conical mounds, containing 225 

 of the former and 646 of the latter. The conclusion is thus forced 

 upon us that we have here the seat of a large number of Winnebago 

 settlements. The linear mounds may therefore be said to be char- 

 acteristic features of certain villages. A similarly large number of 

 linear moxmds seems to exist in Crawford County, according to the 

 investigations of Lapham. It is possible that a continuation of 

 thorough and systematic studies like those made by Mr. Stout in 

 Sauk County and Lake Koshkonong will bring to light many such 

 linear mound areas closely associated with village sites. 



With regard to the Winnebago interpretation given above it 

 might be said that we know of numerous battles that occurred both 

 along Lake Koshkonong and the Mississippi, and that it would 

 require no manipulation of the facts to accept the Indians' explana- 

 tion. It might, nevertheless, justifiably be asked why these peculiar 

 shapes 1 They can hardly have had any importance in warfare. 



As opposed to the view advanced above, various interpretations 

 have been given at different times. Peet regarded the linear mounds 

 as game drives, but this explanation seems to have been quite 

 arbitrary. At least we know of no facts that were brought forth in 

 its defense. 



Although the interpretation that we were here dealing with de- 

 fensive structures was by far the most common, two other explana- 

 tions were obtained, one to the effect that the linear mounds were 

 the bases of lodges and the other that some, at least, were snake 

 effigies. It is impossible to say anything about the latter conten- 

 tion, although there may be more in it than is suspected. The 

 other explanation, even though they had a special name for the 

 projections that are often found at one end of the linears {natci, or 

 wood houses), must be accepted with caution. The enormous 

 length of some of the linears hardly seems to support such an assump- 



