Orators Mound facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Orators Mound
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View of the mound from a nearby trail
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | Near Yellow Spring, east of the village of Yellow Springs, Ohio |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 74001507 |
| Added to NRHP | July 15, 1974 |
The Orators Mound is an ancient Native American mound located in western Ohio. It's a very important archaeological site, even though experts aren't sure exactly which ancient group built it.
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Where is Orators Mound?
In 1908, over forty different earthworks were found in Greene County, Ohio. One of these is the Orators Mound. It sits on top of cliffs near a large natural spring called the "Yellow Spring." This spring is close to the village of Yellow Springs, Ohio.
Because of its special location near the spring, the mound was well-known for a very long time. In the 1840s, during a big election campaign, famous speakers like Daniel Webster and Henry Clay used the mound as a platform. They spoke to a huge crowd there on a summer afternoon.
Before it was dug into in 1953, the mound was made of stone. It was about 15 meters (49 feet) wide and 1.6 meters (5 feet) tall. Its size might have grown over time. Local people sometimes added earth to it to stop it from wearing away. Today, the mound is part of the Glen Helen Nature Preserve. This preserve is a special place called a National Natural Landmark.
Digging into the Past: Excavations
The first known time someone dug into the Orators Mound was in 1953 and 1954. A man named Frank Van Wort led this work. We don't know much about his findings. This is because he never wrote any reports about what he discovered. It seems he tried to dig through the middle of the mound but missed slightly to the north.
A more organized dig happened in 1971. Students from Antioch College worked on it with archaeologist Wolfgang Marschall. During their work, they found where Van Wort had dug before. They carefully dug up about one-third of the entire mound. Their work showed that there was a burial chamber right in the middle of the mound.
Who Built the Mound?
Archaeologists have different ideas about which ancient group built the Orators Mound. Frank Van Wort found five skeletons inside the mound. These were two men and three babies. He thought they belonged to the Adena culture. He also found projectile points (like arrowheads) that looked like Adena tools.
However, Marschall's team found more detailed information. They studied the skeletons, the grave goods (items buried with people), and how everything was layered in the mound. Their work suggested that the mound was built by later people from the Hopewell culture.
Seven skeletons from Marschall's dig were taken to the Dayton Museum of Natural History. Many artifacts and records from the excavation are also kept there.
Protecting the Mound
The Orators Mound is safe because it's inside the Glen Helen Nature Preserve. This preserve is a special nature reserve and a National Natural Landmark. The mound got even more protection in 1974. That's when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of six archaeological sites in Greene County on this list.
The mound's safety was a bit uncertain in 2008. This happened when Antioch College closed for a while due to money problems. This meant less money and help for keeping up the mound. But in 2010, several grants were given. Some of this money was used to improve the trail that leads to the mound. This helps make sure people can still visit and learn about this important place.
