Transylvania Mounds facts for kids
 Location in Louisiana
|
|
| Location | Transylvania, Louisiana, East Carroll Parish, Louisiana,  USA |
|---|---|
| Region | East Carroll Parish, Louisiana |
| Coordinates | 32°41′3.95″N 91°12′12.20″W / 32.6844306°N 91.2033889°W |
| History | |
| Founded | 700 CE |
| Abandoned | 1541 |
| Periods | Transylvania Phase (1500-1680 CE) |
| Cultures | Coles Creek culture, Plaquemine culture, Mississippian culture |
| Site notes | |
| Responsible body: private | |
The Transylvania Mounds are an ancient site in East Carroll Parish, Louisiana. This place shows signs of people living there long ago. These groups were part of the Coles Creek culture and the Plaquemine culture/Mississippian culture. They lived there between 700 CE and 1541 CE. The site is very important for understanding the Transylvania Phase. This phase describes a specific time period (1500-1680 CE) for the Plaquemine Mississippian people in the Tensas Basin area.
Contents
What Are the Transylvania Mounds?
The Transylvania Mounds site is a large area with many earth mounds. It also has two open spaces called plazas. Originally, there might have been as many as twelve mounds here. The biggest mound was about 34 feet (10 meters) tall. The two plazas were located on either side of this large mound.
Why Are Some Mounds Missing?
Sadly, some of the mounds are not visible anymore. This is because modern farming methods have flattened them over time. However, several mounds still remain. Their heights are about 18 feet (5.5 meters), 9 feet (2.7 meters), 6.5 feet (2 meters), 3.5 feet (1 meter), and 1.5 feet (0.5 meters).
When Were the Mounds Used?
Archaeologists did some small tests at the site in the 1960s. These tests helped them figure out when people lived there. They found that the site was used from about 700 CE to 1200 CE by the Coles Creek culture. Other pieces of pottery found at the site showed that people from the Plaquemine Mississippian period lived there later. This was between 1200 CE and 1541 CE.
How Do We Know the Dates?
Scientists used a method called radiocarbon dating on samples from the site. This method helps to find the age of ancient materials. The results showed dates between 1048 CE and 1411 CE. Because of these findings, archaeologists decided to name a specific time period after this site. This period is called the Transylvania Phase (1500-1680 CE). It helps them organize the history of the Plaquemine Mississippian people in the Tensas Basin.
Mapping the Mounds Today
In the year 2000, researchers mapped the Transylvania Mounds site again. During this mapping, they were able to clearly find and identify six mounds that are still visible today.
