Chapter III: Earthworks—sacred Enclosures (4)

[58] The description of the two principal truncated pyramids embodies the substance of an account of the same, published by Dr. S. P. HILDRETH of Marietta, in the “American Pioneer” for June, 1843,—the entire fidelity of which has been attested by actual survey.

[59] Such is the result of careful admeasurements made by Dr. JOHN LOCKE, whose accuracy in matters of this kind, as in all others, is worthy of emulation.

[60] A very laudable disposition has been manifested, on the part of the citizens of Marietta, to preserve the interesting remains in their midst. The Directors of the Ohio Land Company, when they took possession of the country at the mouth of the Muskingum, in 1788, adopted immediate measures for the preservation of these monuments. To their credit be it said, one of their earliest official acts was the passage of a resolution, which is entered upon the journal of their proceedings, reserving the two truncated pyramids and the great mound, with a few acres attached to each, as public squares. They placed them under the care of the future corporation of Marietta, directing that they should be embellished with shade trees, when divested of the forest which then covered them, which trees, it was added, should be of «native» growth, and of the varieties named in the resolution. The great mound with its surrounding square was designated as a cemetery, and placed under the control of trustees. Ten years ago, these structures being yet unenclosed and much injured by the rains washing through the paths caused by the cattle that roamed over them, the citizens raised a sum of money adequate to the purpose, and fully restored them. The magnificent avenue named, not inappropriately, by the Directors, “«Sacra Via»,” or Sacred Way, but now generally known as the “Covered Way,” was also preserved by a special resolution of the Company, “never to be disturbed or defaced, as common ground, not to be enclosed.” One of the streets of Marietta, Warren street, passes through this avenue. It is, of course, impossible to resist encroachments upon the walls of the enclosures, which are rapidly disappearing.

Had a similar enlightened policy marked the proceedings of all the early companies and settlers of the West, we should not now have occasion to regret the entire obliteration of many interesting remains of antiquity. Or did a similar disposition exist generally, there would be less necessity for a careful, systematic, and «immediate» survey of our remaining monuments. The works at Chillicothe, Circleville, Cincinnati, and St. Louis, might have been preserved with all ease: and would have constituted striking ornaments to those cities, to say nothing of the interest which would attach to them in other points of view. It is proper to observe, that the facts embraced in this note were kindly communicated by Dr. S. P. HILDRETH, of Marietta.

[61] The account of an English adventurer named «Ashe», respecting some extraordinary remains which he professed to have discovered here, it is hardly necessary to say, is entitled to no credit whatever. The remark holds good of similar accounts, by the same hand, of some of the works at Newark, one hundred miles above, on the upper tributaries of the Muskingum.

[62] From the Survey and Notes of JAMES MCBRIDE, Esq.

[63] From the Survey and Notes of CHARLES WHITTLESEY, Esq.

[64] From the Plan and Notes of CHARLES WHITTLESEY, Esq.

[65] From the Survey and Notes of JAMES MCBRIDE Esq.

[66] From the Survey and Notes of JAMES MCBRIDE Esq.

[67] “It consists of a ditch dug down to the edge of the river, the earth from which has been thrown up principally upon the lower or down river side. The breadth between the parapets is much greater near the water than at any other point, so that it might have been used for the purpose of affording a safe passage to the river or as a sort of harbor in which canoes may have been drawn up or both. This water way resembles that found at Marietta though smaller.”—«Long’s Second Expedition», vol. i. p. 60.

[68] The reader is requested to compare the plan of this work given by Mr. ATWATER in the Archæologia Americana, with the one here presented.

[69] Previous to the entire destruction of this mound, and at the time when about one half of it remained, it was examined by Mr. McBride, from whose original notes the following observations respecting it are taken:

“The mound was composed of rich surface mould, evidently scooped up from the surface; scattered through which were pebbles and some stones of considerable size, all of which had been burned. Upon excavation, we found a skeleton with its head to the east, resting upon the original surface of the ground, immediately under the apex of the mound. Some distance above this was a layer of ashes of considerable extent, and about four inches thick. The skeleton was of ordinary size; the skull was crushed, and all the bones in extreme decay. Near the surface were other skeletons. The inhabitants of the neighborhood tell of a copper band with strange devices, found around the brow of a skeleton in this mound; and also of a well carved representation of a tortoise of the same metal, twelve or fourteen inches in length, found with another skeleton.”

[70] From the Rafinesque MSS.

[71] From the Survey of JAMES MCBRIDE.

[72] The proprietor of this structure, ASHEL AYLESWORTH, Esq., we are happy to say, has determined to permit no further encroachment upon it. It is to be hoped that the citizens of Granville will adopt means to permanently and effectually secure it from invasion.

[73] This work should have been figured on a preceding plate. Its position, in connection with the effigies here described, was determined by accidental circumstances.

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