Mound E

Mound E is nearly 13 feet in height and about 300 feet by 360 feet at its base. At one time, it extended an estimated 90 or so feet south of the park property, but that portion is no longer standing. The mound also has a ramp-like projection to the northeast that may be a historic-era modification., For many years, it was believed that Mound E was a naturally occurring rise. No artifacts were found in the fill or in the immediate area. Because of its shape, it was further suggested that the mound was a natural rise that had been sculpted by people. Finally, it was determined that there were kinds of soil in the mound that could not occur together naturally, and archaeologists knew then that Mound E was built by people., Like Mound B, the original topsoil was removed before construction began. Excavation and soil cores indicate that, after that, Mound E was built in five stages. Three flat-topped platforms were built, with the first two having prepared surfaces on them. Unlike Mound B, it was not capped with a conical mantle of soil., No charcoal has been recovered from Mound E, so it has not been possible to obtain any radiocarbon dates. However, the degree of soil development indicates that the mound likely dates to the early part of the Poverty Point timeframe of 1700 to 1100 B.C.