Posted in Indiana January 22, 2021 by

This Native American Burial Site Found In Indiana Is A Historical Wonder

Resting on the bank of the Ohio River in southwest Indiana is a beautiful and intriguing group of eleven mounds, built thousands of years ago by Native people, for many purposes. It is said to be one of the best preserved Native American historical sites in North America.

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Angel Mounds State Historical Site was built over time somewhere around AD 1000.
Angel Mounds State Historic Site/Facebook
Chances are, this little "town" on the river served as a very active hub for commerce, and at its peak, it was likely home to over 1,000 people of the Mississippian culture.
Eleven mounds were built in total; some of them were used for things as simple as elevating prominent structures, some were used for ceremonies, and others were used for burials.
Angel Mounds State Historic Site/Facebook
Over the decades of gentle excavation of the site, more than 300 separate burial sites have been discovered in and around the mounds. Numerous artifacts, highly valuable to those seeking to understand more about the people they represent, have also been found.
Some burial spots seemed haphazard- found near palisade walls, for example, whereas others seemed to have been buried with more purpose within the sides of mounds "F" and "I".
Angel Mounds State Historic Site/Facebook
The majority of the ancient people laid to rest here are located in the East Village area of the town.
Mound "A" is the largest, measuring up at an impressive 44 feet high.
Angel Mounds State Historic Site/Facebook
It's clear to archeologists that these mounds were all constructed with purpose, in multiple layers and with different types of materials.
The Mississippian people were highly resourceful and are known for the creation of the mounds, as well as shell-tempered pottery and widespread trade networks.
Angel Mounds State Historic Site/Facebook
They established a Maize-based agriculture system, and marked a development of hierarchy-based civilization. Over time, they gradually stopped creating the mounds, ant it's unclear why.
It is also unclear as to why, sometime around AD 1400, the Mississippian people began abandoning the area.
Angel Mounds State Historic Site/Facebook
It is widely thought that perhaps the land had been depleted as a result of over-farming, or an increase in civil and social unrest.
Today, the site is a historic wonder, offering tours and education to curious visitors.
Angel Mounds State Historic Site/Facebook
You will find yourself immersed in a beautiful world full of intrigue. Go hiking through the mounds, or check out the information center for more fascinating backstory about the Mississippian people and the legacy they mysteriously left behind over 1,000 years ago.

For more information about the site, visiting, and a deeper look at the history of Angel Mounds State Historic Site, please visit their official website.

Have you ever visited an ancient, historic burial ground? Where was it? Tell us about it in the comments!

Address: 8215 Pollack Ave, Evansville, IN 47715, USA