Grave Creek Mound
Encyclopedia
At 62 feet high and 240 feet (73.2 m) in diameter, the Grave Creek Mound is one of the largest conical type burial mounds in the United States
. The builders of the site moved more than 60,000 tons of dirt to create it. It is located in Moundsville
, West Virginia
near the banks of the Ohio River. The first recorded excavation of the mound took place in 1838, and was conducted by local amateurs. To gain entrance to the mound, two shafts, one vertical and one horizontal were created. This led to the most significant discovery of two burial vaults. This mound along with many others, e.g. the Criel Mound
, was the product of the Adena culture
. It is actually the largest mound amongst the mounds built by the Adena.
The Grave Creek Mound was believed probably first discovered by Joseph Tomlinson between 1770, when he and his brother built a log cabin at Grave Creek Flats, and 1772 when he built a cabin 300 feet (91.4 m) from the mound for his family. There was also a recording on a tree located on the site, a carving in the tree was dated 1734. This was a full 33 years before Lewis & Clark
wrote about the mound in their journals during their expedition after the Louisiana Purchase
.
Tomlinson discovered the mound while hunting and later he and Briggs gutted the mound destroying much of the archaeological evidence. They found extensive amounts of jewelry.
It was saved from demolition in 1908 by the Wheeling Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution
who were able to raise enough funds to acquire an option on the property, and in 1909 the state of West Virginia purchased the site. It was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 1964.
people and theories about the mound's construction. The museum is open year round and admission is free. There is also a gift shop inside the Museum containing trinkets and other souvenirs. Nearly 450,000 artifacts excavated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were turned over to the museum for archival. The artifacts were mostly uncovered at the Marment Lock site and include stone projectile knives, sandstone cooking bowls, and stone jewelry from a Fort Ancient village.1
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The builders of the site moved more than 60,000 tons of dirt to create it. It is located in Moundsville
Moundsville, West Virginia
Moundsville is a city in Marshall County, West Virginia, along the Ohio River. It is part of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 9,998 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County. The city was named for the Grave Creek Mound. Moundsville was settled in...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
near the banks of the Ohio River. The first recorded excavation of the mound took place in 1838, and was conducted by local amateurs. To gain entrance to the mound, two shafts, one vertical and one horizontal were created. This led to the most significant discovery of two burial vaults. This mound along with many others, e.g. the Criel Mound
Criel Mound
The Criel Mound is a Native American burial mound located in South Charleston, West Virginia, USA. The mound was built by the Adena culture, probably around 250-150 BC, and lay equidistant between two “sacred circles”, earthwork enclosures each in diameter. It was originally high and in...
, was the product of the Adena culture
Adena culture
The Adena culture was a Pre-Columbian Native American culture that existed from 1000 to 200 BC, in a time known as the early Woodland Period. The Adena culture refers to what were probably a number of related Native American societies sharing a burial complex and ceremonial system...
. It is actually the largest mound amongst the mounds built by the Adena.
Description
Grave Creek Mound is the largest conical type of any of the mound builder structures. Construction of the mound took place in successive stages from about 250-150 B.C., as indicated by the multiple burials at different levels within the structures. In 1838, road engineers measured its height at 69 feet (21 m) and its at the base as 295 feet (89.9 m). Originally a moat of about 40 feet (12.2 m) in width and five feet in depth with one causeway encircled it. Inside the mound, Adena Hopewell remains and ornaments were discovered, along with a small sandstone tablet. The authenticity of this tablet and the meaning of its inscription have become quite controversial.History
Grave Creek mound was created during the Woodland time period (late Adena Period around 1000 B.C. to about 1 A.D.) The people that lived in West Virginia during this time have been coined the term Mound Builders. This particular mound was built in successive stages over a period of a hundred years. Maybe due to the massive amount of work it took to create these mounds.The Grave Creek Mound was believed probably first discovered by Joseph Tomlinson between 1770, when he and his brother built a log cabin at Grave Creek Flats, and 1772 when he built a cabin 300 feet (91.4 m) from the mound for his family. There was also a recording on a tree located on the site, a carving in the tree was dated 1734. This was a full 33 years before Lewis & Clark
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, or ″Corps of Discovery Expedition" was the first transcontinental expedition to the Pacific Coast by the United States. Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson and led by two Virginia-born veterans of Indian wars in the Ohio Valley, Meriwether Lewis and William...
wrote about the mound in their journals during their expedition after the Louisiana Purchase
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United States of America of of France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803. The U.S...
.
Tomlinson discovered the mound while hunting and later he and Briggs gutted the mound destroying much of the archaeological evidence. They found extensive amounts of jewelry.
It was saved from demolition in 1908 by the Wheeling Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution
Daughters of the American Revolution
The Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage-based membership organization for women who are descended from a person involved in United States' independence....
who were able to raise enough funds to acquire an option on the property, and in 1909 the state of West Virginia purchased the site. It was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1964.
Delf Norona Museum
The Delf Norona Museum displays many artifacts found at the site, and is operated by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History. Opened in 1978, the museum's exhibits focus on the culture of the AdenaAdena culture
The Adena culture was a Pre-Columbian Native American culture that existed from 1000 to 200 BC, in a time known as the early Woodland Period. The Adena culture refers to what were probably a number of related Native American societies sharing a burial complex and ceremonial system...
people and theories about the mound's construction. The museum is open year round and admission is free. There is also a gift shop inside the Museum containing trinkets and other souvenirs. Nearly 450,000 artifacts excavated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were turned over to the museum for archival. The artifacts were mostly uncovered at the Marment Lock site and include stone projectile knives, sandstone cooking bowls, and stone jewelry from a Fort Ancient village.1
See also
- Criel MoundCriel MoundThe Criel Mound is a Native American burial mound located in South Charleston, West Virginia, USA. The mound was built by the Adena culture, probably around 250-150 BC, and lay equidistant between two “sacred circles”, earthwork enclosures each in diameter. It was originally high and in...
- Grave Creek StoneGrave Creek StoneThe Grave Creek Stone is an object of archaeological debate. It was discovered in 1838 in Moundsville, West Virginia. The small sandstone disk is inscribed on one side with some twenty-five characters; it has been described as both an artifact and a hoax. The only known image of the actual stone...
- List of National Historic Landmarks
- List of Registered Historic Places in West Virginia
- List of burial mounds in the United States
- Prehistory of West Virginia
External links
- Grave Creek Mound Archaeology Complex
- "In search of the Mound-Builders" by Terry A. Barnhart, Ohio History, the Scholarly Journal of the Ohio Historical Society, Vol 107
- http://www.econ.ohio-state.edu/jhm/arch/grvcrk.html