Marshall Site (Chillicothe, Illinois) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Marshall Site
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 Marshall State Fish & Wildlife Area
Location in Illinois
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| Location | Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area, Lacon Township, Marshall County, Illinois |
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| Nearest city | Chillicothe, Illinois |
| MPS | Native American Rock Art Sites of Illinois MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 14000508 |
| Added to NRHP | August 25, 2014 |
The Marshall Site is an important archaeological place in Marshall County, Illinois. It is located inside the Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area. This special site is across the Illinois River from Chillicothe.
What makes the Marshall Site unique is a large rock with five ancient carvings on it. These carvings are called petroglyphs. Experts believe Native American people created these carvings. They were likely made between the years 1673 and 1835. The carvings show three human-like figures, an "L"-shaped design, and possibly a bird-like shape. Because of its historical value, the Marshall Site was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 25, 2014.
Where is This Special Place?
The ancient carvings are on a large granite rock. This rock sits on a wooded hillside. It looks out over the eastern side of the Illinois River. This part of the river is in the middle of the Illinois River Valley. The state of Illinois manages this area as the Marshall State Fish and Wildlife Area.
The valley itself was shaped by the Wisconsin glaciation, which was a huge ice age. This ice age left behind many rocks and boulders in the area. The central Illinois River valley does not have as many large rocks as other parts of Illinois. This might be why the carvings were made on a smaller boulder. Three local people found the site in 2011. They told archaeologists at the Dickson Mounds Museum about their exciting discovery.
What Do the Carvings Look Like?
The large rock has five petroglyphs carved into its top surface. There are three figures that look like humans, one "L"-shaped figure, and one that might be a bird. All of these carvings were made using thin lines. This means they were carved with fine tools.
The three human-like figures are placed one above the other. The biggest one is about 12.25 centimeters (almost 5 inches) long. Each figure has about 20 to 25 lines. They show arms, legs, and a head coming from a "V"-shaped chest. These figures do not have hands, feet, or faces.
The "L"-shaped figure is made from two sets of lines. People think it might show a weapon, like a celt or an axe. The possible bird figure has straight lines crossing curved lines. The straight lines might be the body, and the curved lines could be wings. However, the carving is not detailed enough to be completely sure.
Experts like Wagner and others have said that the Marshall Site is important. This is because the way the carvings were made suggests they were created by Native American people during a specific time in history (1673–1835).
Who Made These Ancient Carvings?
In 2013, Wagner and other researchers suggested that Native Americans made these petroglyphs. They believe this happened during the Historic period, which was from 1673 to 1835. The human-like pictures are similar to other Native American art found in this region. This makes it unlikely that Europeans created the carvings.
Also, the petroglyphs were carved using fine tools. While finely carved items from as early as the Woodland period have been found in Illinois, no other ancient rock art using this method has been discovered in the state. The site was also close to several Native American villages during the Historic period. Both the Potawatomi and Kickapoo tribes lived in the river valley at that time.
