HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
CHAPTER II
THE MOUND BUILDERS
Throughout the entire extent of the Mississippi Valley may be found abundant and convincing evidence of a pre-historic race of humanity. Beyond this fact of existence but little is known. The time, habits, customs and origin of this long perished people are so deeply and obscurely veiled in unknown and unrecorded centuries that the most diligent and active investigation has hitherto failed to throw upon them more than a single ray of light. It would be foreign and out of place in the present work to attempt an elaboration of the various theories that have from time to time been projected by the different investigators concerning this extinct race. They are at best only theories, and their conclusions conjectures. Suffice it to say that this people have received their name, Mound Builders, from the numerous mounds and earthworks that are scattered more or less over most of the American Continent and are their works. Their civilization was considerable in advance of the Indians and they are supposed to have been an agricultural people, as indicated by the implements of various kinds found, and which they undoubtedly used for that purpose. By some archaeologists the Mound Builders are thought to be have been contemporaneous with the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians, while others rank them with Aztecs and Peruvians who peopled the torrid climes of the Western World. Some advance the idea that the Indians are descendants of this ancient race while others emphatically deny it and claim a separate origin for the Indians. In this it is undoubtedly true that the supposition of a distinct origin of these two races has the preponderance of evidence on its side.
THE PAOLI FORTIFICATION
There are in Orange County several traces of these Mound Builders, some of which are quite important and interesting to the archaeologist, and demonstrate a large population of this people. In many parts of the county arrow and spear heads are found in large quantities, especiaily around the larger springs and along the banks of streams. Besides these, are found in considerable numbers fleshing implements, stone axes and ornaments of curious fashion. About one mile east of Paoli, on the south bank of Lick Creek, is an important earthwork made by this primitive people in untold centuries of the past. It consists of two embankments, now about three feet high, at a distance ranging from about twelve to thirty feet apart, and nearly thirteen hundred feet in length. These begin upon the bank of the creek, and extend their full length in the form of the large end of an oval, returning again to the stream some distance further down. The ground around this embankment is of smooth and even surface, and many arrow-heads have been found. Growing upon these earthen walls are a large number of forest trees, some as much as three feet or more in diameter, and have of course grown since the building of the walls. Some of these trees undoubtedly represent no less than three hundred years. The height of the walls is said, and with no doubt of the truth, to be constantly decreasing. Excavations in several parts were made, although but little was found to indicate the purpose for which they were constructed. If there is any difference the outer wall is the higher one, and a cross section shows it to be made of fine dry dirt of the surrounding fields, while here and there scattered through it are slight traces of ashes and charcoal, and an occasional animal bone. This bank was probably built after the time of the inner one, and into it were thrown the refuse of the camp, which consisted largely of the camp-fire ashes and bones of such animals as they were accustomed to eat, and broken pottery. The other wall is made of the same kind of soil, but about half way down from the top is a layer of large flat stones contiguously arranged. These have been brought from the creek bottom, and vary considerably in size. Close to the surface on the inside of this wall a considerable number of broken pieces of pottery are found, mingled with more of ash and charcoal than appears in any other part of the entire embankment. These pieces of pottery are all blackened with fire, and being found with the ashes would lead to the conclusion that the cooking for the inhabitants was nearly all done close to this bank, or the ashes and pottery broken by accident were cast against the bank to be out of the way. This is farther confirmed by the shallow earth that covers them, for they were most likely left as they had been used, and all that now covers them has been washed down from the bank or has been deposited from the overflowing waters of the creek. A few ornaments have also been found, but so far as can be learned nothing of any particular consequence has ever been unearthed here.
To state the object and purpose of this large double embankment to its builders is only to conjecture. Some have thought it for sacrificial use, where the people met to perform their religious rites, whatever they may have been. Others have thought it to be sepulchral in nature, but of this there is scarcely any evidence in accordance with the general records of discovery, or opinions of archaeologists in matters of that kind. The best conclusion, and one that seems most plausable, is that these embankments were made and used entirely as a fortification in times of battle, and to ward off the encroachments of wild animals in times of peace and repose. There is little doubt that it was constantly inhabited as a village, although its confines may have been too limited to afford room for all, and the surplus population may have dwelt on the adjacent fields, resorting to the walls or fortification in times of danger. Being built upon the banks of the creek, and near a neighboring spring, the inhabitants were enabled to withstand a long siege without a failure in the water supply. Neither within nor without the walls were seen any mounds, although writers in the State Geological Report for 1875 claim to have observed twelve small ones within the enclosure "from one to two and a half feet high, eight feet in length by about four in width, the longest diameter being from northeast to southwest." Mounds of the same kind were seen outside along the banks of the stream, and were concluded to be "kitchen mounds", or places for the building of wigwams.THE VALEENE FORTIFICATION
Another embankment similar to this Lick Creek fortification is said to have been upon the banks of Patoka Creek, on the farm of Samuel Harned, about one-half mile east of Valeene. It had but one wall, in much the same shape as the other one, and situated on a level piece of ground. This has been entirely destroyed by the plow, and it is said that many ornaments were found there. In the western part of the county, about six miles from Paoli, there is a burial mound that was opened a few years ago and a number of human skeletons exhumed, and the usual small ornaments and implements of various kinds were found. The mystery that enshrouds this ancient and long buried people is one of the most puzzling that confronts the modern scientists. These monuments lie promiscuously in the midst of our boasted and advanced civilization, reminding us of distant ages and races. From their tombs the bones of distinguished individuals of unknown nations come forth to stand ghastly in the recent halls of science. But all alike stand mute when questioned of the times and circumstances that brought them forth