Angel Mounds facts for kids
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Angel Mounds
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Mound A, Angel Mound Site, Evansville, Indiana.
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 Angel Mounds
Location in Indiana
Angel Mounds
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Evansville, IN Newburgh, IN |
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| NRHP reference No. | 66000124 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | January 29, 1964 |
Angel Mounds State Historic Site is an amazing archaeological site in Indiana. It covers over 600 acres (240 hectares) near Evansville. This site was once a large town built by the Mississippian culture. People lived here from about 1100 AD to 1450 AD.
Angel Mounds was the main center for a group of communities. It was important for politics, culture, and trade. The town had about 1,000 people living inside its walls at its busiest time. It featured thirteen large earthen mounds, many homes, and a strong wooden fence called a palisade.
Today, Angel Mounds is a National Historic Landmark. It has a special center where you can learn about the Mississippian people. You can also see recreated Mississippian buildings and a copy of an old archaeology lab. Part of the site is also a nature preserve. It helps us understand the history of Native Americans along the Ohio River before Europeans arrived.
The site is named after the Angel family. They bought the land in 1852. In 1938, the Indiana Historical Society bought the land to protect it. They also wanted to study it. From 1939 to 1942, over 250 workers dug up parts of the site. They found more than 2.3 million ancient items! Today, the Indiana State Museum manages the site.
Contents
History of Angel Mounds
Who Lived at Angel Mounds?
For thousands of years, different groups of Native Americans lived in the eastern United States. They often settled near rivers for travel and trade. Around 900 AD, a new way of life called the Mississippian culture began. This culture spread across a huge area, from Oklahoma to North Carolina.
The Mississippian people built and lived at Angel Mounds. This was from about 1100 AD to 1450 AD. This time is known as the Angel phase. The Angel family, who later owned the land, gave the site its name.
Archaeologists study pottery found at Angel Mounds. This pottery helps them understand the different time periods. It shows how the Angel phase fits between earlier and later Native American cultures.
How the Town Grew and Changed
Angel Mounds was the main trading center for a group of communities. These communities were all within 12 miles (19 km) of the Ohio River. The Angel Mounds town was the political, cultural, and economic heart of this area. People traded goods with other groups along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.
Workers built the main Angel Mounds town after 1000 AD. They also set up smaller villages and farms nearby. The Mississippian people were known for building large earthen mounds. These mounds came in different shapes, like flat-topped platforms. They built thirteen mounds near the Ohio River at Angel Mounds. Some mounds were used for ceremonies or special purposes.
The community covered about 100 acres (40 hectares). Besides the mounds, they built homes and a strong wooden fence. This fence, called a palisade, was 12 feet (3.7 m) tall. It had special towers called bastions for defense. Angel Mounds was the biggest town of its kind in what is now Indiana. Experts believe about 1,000 people lived there at its peak.
The Mississippian people left Angel Mounds long before Europeans arrived. We are not sure why they left. It might have been because of a long drought. This could have made it hard to grow enough corn. They might also have used up too many natural resources. Many people may have moved downriver to a new area.
How Angel Mounds Was Rediscovered
After the Mississippians left, other Native American groups moved into the Ohio River valley. Later, European explorers and settlers arrived. Mathias Angel was one of these settlers. He started buying farmland that included the mounds in 1852. The site is named after his family.
In 1931, a famous archaeologist named Warren K. Moorehead visited the site. He was with Eli Lilly, who was interested in Indiana's ancient history. They saw that the mounds were a great place for long-term study.
In 1938, the Indiana Historical Society bought 480 acres (190 hectares) of the land. They wanted to protect the site from being destroyed by new construction. Eli Lilly helped pay for this important purchase.
Digging Up the Past
From 1939 to 1942, a big project began at Angel Mounds. Over 250 workers helped dig up the site. They found more than 2.3 million ancient items! This work stopped during World War II. But it started again in 1945 with Indiana University students.
In 1946, the Indiana Historical Society gave the site to the State of Indiana. Glenn A. Black, the archaeologist who led the digs, stayed on as caretaker. Later, new technology like a proton magnetometer was used. This helped find parts of the old palisade walls that were hidden underground.
Angel Mounds Today
Angel Mounds became a National Historic Landmark in 1964. This means it is a very important historical place. The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites now manage the site. Indiana University continues to do archaeological research there.
Angel Mounds is known as one of the best-preserved ancient sites in the U.S. It helps us understand the Mississippian culture. The site has a visitor center, recreated buildings, and a nature preserve. Digs still happen there, helping us learn even more.
What the Site Looked Like
The Angel Mounds town was the main center for many smaller villages. It was built overlooking the Ohio River. The town was on high land, safe from floods. A narrow waterway, or channel, ran around the town. This channel made it easy for canoes to travel. It also provided fresh water for fishing and drinking.
The Mississippian people chose this spot because the land was perfect for farming. Each spring, floods would bring fresh nutrients to the soil. This helped them grow lots of crops like corn, beans, and squash. Having extra food allowed some people to become skilled artists and potters.
Amazing Mounds
The Angel Mounds site has six large flat-topped mounds. These are called Mounds A through F. There are also five smaller mounds. A large open area, or plaza, was likely used for gatherings. A strong wooden fence, or palisade, surrounded most of the town.
Mounds A, E, and F are the biggest mounds. They are shaped like pyramids with flat tops. Mounds A and F were built around 1050 to 1100 AD. They were used until the town was abandoned around 1400 AD.
Mound A (Central Mound)
Mound A is the biggest and tallest mound at Angel Mounds. It is 44 feet (13 m) high. It is also one of the largest ancient structures in the eastern U.S. This huge mound is 644 feet (196 m) long and 335 feet (102 m) wide.
Workers carried 67,785 cubic yards (51,820 cubic meters) of dirt in baskets to build this mound. The top part of the mound is 28 feet (8.5 m) above the ground. Experts believe the town's main leader, or chief, lived on this highest mound. Today, there's a modern stairway to help protect the mound from people walking on it.
Mound F (Temple Mound)
Mound F was a flat-topped mound. It was 235 feet (72 m) by 239 feet (73 m) and 14 feet (4.3 m) high. Digs showed that this mound was built in several stages. Each stage had different buildings on it. Some of these buildings might have been homes.
The very top layer of Mound F likely had a large rectangular building. This building might have been a temple. Mound F was carefully taken apart during excavation. Then, it was rebuilt to show how it originally looked. The rebuilt mound has a temple structure and stairs leading to the top.
Mound E
Mound E is the third largest mound. It measures 160 feet (49 m) by 140 feet (43 m). Its top platform is 45 feet (14 m) by 40 feet (12 m). This mound was never farmed, so it is a great example of a flat-topped mound.
The Protective Palisade
Archaeologists found two sets of wooden walls, or palisades. The outer palisade went around the whole town. The Ohio River protected the south side. An inner palisade divided the town inside. The main entrance to the town was likely on the southwest side.
Outside the main palisade, there was another fence. This fence was like a picket fence. It was built 14 feet (4.3 m) away from the main wall. This was designed to slow down any attackers.
A part of the palisade was rebuilt in 1972. The rebuilt walls are 12 feet (3.7 m) high. They are made of wooden posts set deep in the ground. The walls are covered with a mix of sticks and mud plaster. Defensive towers, called bastions, were also rebuilt. These towers were about 120 feet (37 m) apart. They helped defenders protect the walls with arrows or spears.
Other Buildings and Structures
When homes became old, the Mississippian people would burn them down. Then, they would build new homes right over the ashes. Walls were likely covered with cane and plastered with mud and straw. Roofs might have been made of grass thatch. They used different building methods for summer and winter homes.
Archaeologists also found two round buildings. These might have been sweat lodges, like saunas. Or, they could have been meeting places. The Mississippians also built a public plaza. This open area was between Mound A and Mound F.
Amazing Artifacts
Workers found about 2.4 million artifacts during the digs from 1939 to 1942. One of the most important finds was a carved stone statue of a seated man. It was found in Mound F in 1940. This statue is 8.5 inches (22 cm) tall and weighs 11.5 pounds (5.2 kg). Similar rare statues have been found at other Mississippian sites.
Tools and weapons found at Angel Mounds were made from different types of rock. Metal objects were very rare. Based on what was found, the Mississippians used bone fishhooks and nets to catch fish. They used spears to hunt small animals. They also used antlers, bones, shells, and animal teeth for various purposes.
Nearly 2 million pieces of pottery were found. Some had unique painted designs. In 2006, researchers found what might have been a pottery workshop. This showed how skilled the Mississippian people were at making pottery. They found pottery tools and clay pieces ready for finishing.
All the artifacts and records from Angel Mounds are kept at the IU Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Bloomington, Indiana.
Connections to Other Sites
Angel Mounds is part of a group of Mississippian towns in the lower Ohio River valley. These include Kincaid in Illinois and Wickliffe and Tolu in Kentucky. They are called the "Kincaid Focus" because they are very similar. They have similar pottery and town layouts. The connections between Kincaid and Angel Mounds are especially strong. Some experts think the people who built and lived in these towns were part of the same society.
The time period when these types of artifacts and sites are found is called the "Angel phase". It lasted for 300 to 400 years. It is divided into three smaller periods:
| Periods | Dates |
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| Jonathan Creek | 1000–1100/1200 |
| Angelly | 1200–1300 |
| Tinsley Hill | 1300–1450 |
Special painted pottery has been found at all four sites. This pottery is made with crushed shells mixed into the clay.
Burials
During the archaeological digs from 1939 to 1942, more than 300 burials were found. Most were in the eastern part of the village. Other burials were found near Mound F, Mound I, or close to the palisade walls. Sometimes, the remains of baby children were found under the floors of homes.
See Also
