Mound-Builders. 79 



Enclosures. — In the State of Ohio, alone, there have been 

 found 1,500 enclosures. Some of these have walls ranging 

 in height from three to thirty feet, enclosing areas of from 

 ten to 400 acres. Those areas, enclosed by strong walls, 

 erected in regions difficult of access, were undoubtedly 

 intended as military enclosures ; while those areas enclosed 

 by slight walls, with no mounds to cover the openings, were 

 intended as sacred enclosures. I shall leave the considera- 

 tion of the sacred enclosures until I describe the temple, or 

 sacrificial mounds, giving a brief outline of some of the 

 famous fortifications built by those strange people. 



Within convenient distance of the city of Xenia, on Little 

 Miami River in Warren county, Ohio, can be seen at any 

 time that famous enclosure known as " Fort Ancient." There 

 can be no mistake as to the intention of this wonderful 

 enclosure. It is situated on the east bank of the Miami on 

 a most commanding position. On the east, two ravines 

 originate, running on either side towards the river, leaving 

 the great fortress on an elevation of 230 feet above the 

 river. The whole is surrounded by a wall of five miles in 

 length, but owing to the uneven course of the river, there are 

 only enclosed one hundred acres. The wall has numerous 

 openings, which, however, are well protected by inner walls, 

 or mounds. These openings could be occupied by warriors 

 while the interior would not be exposed to the enemy. 

 Within the enclosure are disposed twenty-four reservoirs, 

 which could be dexterously connected with springs, so that 

 in time of siege, they would be comparatively independent. 

 The strength of this fortress does not depend on the walls 

 alone, which range in height from five to twenty feet, but 

 upon its isolated position and steep sides. Near the fortifi- 

 cation are two large mounds from which run two parallel 

 walls for 1,350 feet, and then unite, enclosing another 

 mound. We cannot tell what part these outer walls and 

 mounds played in the defence of this fortification. But we 

 know that all give evidence of an immense garrison occu. 

 pied by an ancient and somewhat civilized race, whose num- 

 erous enemies, doubtless, forced such strong defence. In 

 point of inaccessibility, engineering skill, and strength, this 



