Prehistoric Native American Indian Town

Prehistoric Native American Indian Town. . Sometime between 900-1050 A.D, a group of Native American Indians, known as Mound Builders, built a town center that consisted of four mounds, a town square, individual dwelling structures and a separate cemetery area. A fifth mound, located outside the town center, overlooked the Little Harpeth River. , Mound #1 , The tallest of the mounds, 25 feet tall, was built on a 6 foot natural knoll with soil removed from the square and Mound #4. The tribal leader's house was probably located here. , Mound #2 , On the west side of the town square is an oval mound. Originally dwellings were built in this area. When these early homes were destroyed, three feet of soil was placed on top of the area to form a mound. More buildings were erected, subsequently torn down and the mound was raised another three feet. A tribal ceremonial house was built, later burned and the mound's height was increased again. Unfortunately today, all traces of the last use of the mound have been destroyed by years of farm cultivation., Mound #3 , Located on the southwest corner of the town square was a flexed-burial mound, built atop a natural knoll. As the bodies were buried, the mound was raised around and over them. The mound probably contained 15 stone-slab graves, from a later group., Mound #4 , This low, four-foot tall mound was shaped by the removal of soil that was used to build Mound #1. The mound could have been used for an important building, but evidence of its use has been destroyed by erosion and cultivation. , Mound #5 , Overlooking the Little Harpeth River is a small three-foot tall oval mound which contained a domestic fire bed., Captions , Mound Builders were also referred to as flexed-burial people because of the way they buried their dead. , Tidbits , . The golden era of the Mississippian period included the Mound Builders. , . The Mound Builders lived in permanent planned ceremonial centers and large towns surrounded by smaller towns and villages. , . The Mound people were primarily an agricultural community and participated in complex social, religious and political systems. , . By the 1500s the Mound Builders and their culture had mysteriously disappeared. They were the last of the prehistoric Native Americans to live in this area. , . In 1920, archaeological research was conducted and many artifacts were found including arrowheads, pottery and tools. Mound #3 artifacts were associated with grave items. All of the artifacts were sent to the Smithsonian.