Near Lake Mills in Jefferson County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Princess Burial Mound
Photographed By William J. Toman, September 4, 2010
1. Princess Burial Mound Marker
Inscription.
Princess Burial Mound. . Ancient people built this mound to mark a young woman's grave. The mound was the last in a line that once bordered the western side of the ancient community of Aztalan and the only one that contained a burial. Her community placed the young woman on her back, hands at her sides, in a pit dug down to a natural layer of white sand. They carefully wrapped her body with three six-inch-wide and four-feet-long beaded belts placed at her shoulders, waist, and feet. Hundreds of disc-shaped beads made from local clamshell and tubular beads made from shells imported from the Gulf Coast adorned her belts. She was then covered with soil, a layer of white sand and a large mound of earth. Because of the ornate belts and careful placement of her remains, the interment has been referred to as the "Princess Burial".
Ancient people built this mound to mark a young woman's grave. The mound was the last in a line that once bordered the western side of the ancient community of Aztalan and the only one that contained a burial. Her community placed the young woman on her back, hands at her sides, in a pit dug down to a natural layer of white sand. They carefully wrapped her body with three six-inch-wide and four-feet-long beaded belts placed at her shoulders, waist, and feet. Hundreds of disc-shaped beads made from local clamshell and tubular beads made from shells imported from the Gulf Coast adorned her belts. She was then covered with soil, a layer of white sand and a large mound of earth. Because of the ornate belts and careful placement of her remains, the interment has been referred to as the "Princess Burial".
Erected 2007 by the Wisconsin Historical Society. (Marker Number 515.)
Location. 43° 4.347′ N, 88° 51.715′ W. Marker is near Lake Mills, Wisconsin, in Jefferson County. Marker
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can be reached from the intersection of County Highway Q and County Highway B, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Lake Mills WI 53551, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photographed By William J. Toman, September 4, 2010
3. Princess Burial Mound Marker
The burial mound is in the background.
Photographed By William J. Toman, September 4, 2010
4. Stone Princess Mound Marker
This is a closeup of the stone on top of the burial mound.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 5, 2018. It was originally submitted on September 8, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 1,277 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on September 8, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. 2. submitted on October 23, 2010, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. 3, 4. submitted on September 8, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.