Foster's Mound facts for kids
Mound A with antebellum home located atop
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 Location in Mississippi
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| Location | Natchez, Mississippi, Adams County, Mississippi,  USA |
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| Region | Adams County, Mississippi |
| Coordinates | 31°35′54.31″N 91°19′49.98″W / 31.5984194°N 91.3305500°W |
| History | |
| Periods | Foster Phase |
| Cultures | Plaquemine culture |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 1971-72 |
| Archaeologists | Jeffrey P. Brain |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural details | Number of monuments: |
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Foster's Mound
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| Nearest city | Natchez, Mississippi |
| Area | 25 acres (10 ha) |
| Built | 1840 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 82003091 |
| Added to NRHP | September 2, 1982 |
| Responsible body: private | |
Foster's Mound is an important archaeological site in Adams County, Mississippi. It is located northeast of Natchez. This site was built by the Plaquemine culture, an ancient group of people.
Foster's Mound is very special because it helps us understand a time period called the Foster Phase. This phase lasted from about 1350 to 1500 CE. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It is also part of the Mississippi Mound Trail, which highlights important ancient mounds.
Contents
What is Foster's Mound?
The Foster's site has two large platform mounds. These are flat-topped mounds built by ancient cultures. The site is found on the northern bank of St. Catherine Creek. This creek flows into the Mississippi River.
Mound A
The biggest mound is called Mound A. It is about 3 meters (10 feet) tall. Its base measures about 30 meters (98 feet) by 30 meters (98 feet). Since the 1790s, a large plantation house has sat on top of Mound A. The mound was made bigger to fit the house's porch.
Mound B
Mound B is about 220 meters (720 feet) south of Mound A. A large open area, called a plaza, separates the two mounds. Mound B is about 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall. It has been worn away by the creek over time. Because of this, it is hard to see that it was once a rectangular platform mound.
Why is Foster's Mound Important?
This site was a major meeting point in ancient times. It was located on the original path of the Natchez Trace. This was an old trail connecting different areas. Foster's Mound was linked to the Emerald Mound site and the Grand Village of the Natchez. Its closeness to the Mississippi River also made it a key location.
Archaeological Discoveries
Archaeologists studied the site in 1971 and 1972. Jeffrey P. Brain led these excavations. He worked for the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard University. They found ancient Mississippian culture pottery buried under the mounds. This pottery helped experts learn more about the proto-Natchezan group. These discoveries were key to defining the Foster Phase of the Plaquemine culture. This phase helps us understand the history of the area from 1350 to 1500 CE.
