E. G. Squier on the Ancient Monuments of Kentucky. 11 



This is a singular instance, since nearly all the ancient monuments are 

 on high ground. The place is sometimes overflowed, which, however, 

 is owing to the bed of the creek having been raised of late by allu- 

 vium ; circumference 800 feet ; gateway S.E. directed towards No. 22. 

 Parapet only one foot high, and often obsolete; it was three feet high 

 before being ploughed ; but it may easily be traced by the growth of 

 corn on it, being much lower and poorer than inside and outside. 

 This happens in all instances, the ground of the parapets having been 

 made up by throwing on them different and often gravelly earth, taken 

 from the ditch or some deep place. 



" No. 24. A large circular enclosure on Colonel Williams's farm, 

 nearly a mile S.VV. from No. 22, and near a branch of Sommerset 

 creek called Higgins's branch. I did not visit it, because it was rep- 

 resented to me as lying in several fields which have been under culti- 

 vation for 20 or 30 years, and to be therefore very difficult to trace ; 

 but it is said to consist of 10 acres of ground, and to have been for- 

 merly very distinct. 



" No. 25. A mound on Moses Higgins's farm, S.E. of No. 22, and 



between Sommerset creek (left bank) and Higgins's branch. Circum- 

 ference about 150 feet, and five high. 



"No. 26. Another mound 160 feet in circumference and six high, 

 west of No. 22, ahout half a mile distant, and near Grass Lick creek. 



" Gkoup VI. A small one, consisting of an enclosure and a mound, 

 situated on a high hill in John Wilson's farm, about five miles N.W. 

 from Mount Sterling, above the junction of Aaron's run and Grass Lick 

 creek, and on their left side near Duncan's mill, in a corn field. 



" No. 27. A circular enclosure, 1100 feet in circumference. Para- 

 pet 40 feet wide, four feet high above the ditch, two above the ground. 

 Ditch 20 feet broad, and inside as usual. Gateway towards the S.E. 

 The ditch was six or eight feet deep formerly. 



"No. 28. A circular mound, joining No. 27, and lying to the N.E. 

 Circumference 225 feet, height five feet at present ; but it was much 

 higher before being ploughed. " 



Prof. Rafinesque concludes his notice of the above monuments 

 with the following observations : 



"From the above descriptions, it may safely be surmised that each 

 group of monuments belonged to a particular town, and that there were 

 therefore six towns, within the same space of ground, where only one 

 exists at present, whence it might be conceived that the ancient popula- 

 tion was there six-fold the actual one. 



M From the rapid decay, or rather diminution of height in these mon- 

 uments, even without the help of the plough, it is evident that they must 

 all have been formerly much higher, with deeper ditches, &c. ; there- 

 fore much more remarkable and difficult to raise. 



" Allow me, besides, to venture a few peculiar suggestions, respect- 

 ing their ultimate use, which may be considered as a probable hypothesis. 



"LI conceive that each group was surrounded by a town, particu- 

 larly the compact and complicated groups. 



"2. The circular enclosures with outward parapets, were probably 

 temples dedicated to the sun, like those of the Natchez nation. 



