A mound is a heaped pile of earth, gravel, sand, rocks, or debris. Most commonly, mounds are earthen formations such as hills and mountains, particularly if they appear artificial. A mound may be any rounded area of topographically higher elevation on any surface. Artificial mounds have been created for a variety of reasons throughout history, including habitation (see Tell and Terp), ceremonial (platform mound), burial (tumulus), and commemorative purposes (e.g. Kościuszko Mound).
In the archaeology of the United States and Canada, a mound is a deliberately constructed elevated earthen structure or earthwork, intended for a range of potential uses. In European and Asian archaeology, the word "tumulus" may be used as a synonym for an artificial hill, particularly if the hill is related to particular burial customs.
While the term "mound" may be applied to historic constructions, most mounds in the United States are pre-Columbian earthworks, built by Native American peoples.[citation needed] Native Americans built a variety of mounds, including flat-topped pyramids or cones known as platform mounds, rounded cones, and ridge or loaf-shaped mounds. Some mounds took on unusual shapes, such as the outline of cosmologically significant animals. These are known as effigy mounds.[1] Some mounds, such as a few in Wisconsin, have rock formations, or petroforms within them, on them, or near them.
While these mounds are perhaps not as famous as burial mounds, like their European analogs, Native American mounds also have a variety of other uses. While some prehistoric cultures, like the Adena culture, used mounds preferentially for burial,[2] others used mounds for other ritual and sacred acts, as well as for secular functions. The platform mounds of the Mississippian culture, for example, may have supported temples, the houses of chiefs, council houses, and may have also acted as a platform for public speaking. Other mounds would have been part of defensive walls to protect a certain area. The Hopewell culture used mounds as markers of complex astronomical alignments related to ceremonies.
Mounds and related earthworks are the only significant monumental construction in pre-Columbian Eastern and Central North America.
Mounds are given different names depending on which culture they strive from. They can be located all across the world in spots such as Asia, Europe and the Americas. "Mound builders" have more commonly been associated with the mounds in the Americas. They all have different meanings and sometimes are constructed as animals and can be clearly seen from aerial views.
Mound known as Structure 101 located at the Yarumela archeological site in Honduras.
Mound, as a technical term in archaeology, is not generally in favor in the rest of the world.[citation needed] More specific local terminology is preferred, and each of these terms has its own article (see below).
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For other uses see Mound disambiguation This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Mound news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message A mound is a heaped pile of earth gravel sand rocks or debris Most commonly mounds are earthen formations such as hills and mountains particularly if they appear artificial A mound may be any rounded area of topographically higher elevation on any surface Artificial mounds have been created for a variety of reasons throughout history including habitation see Tell and Terp ceremonial platform mound burial tumulus and commemorative purposes e g Kosciuszko Mound Grave Creek Mound in Moundsville West Virginia Kosciuszko Mound Krakow Poland Contents 1 Archaeology 1 1 North American archaeology 1 2 India 1 2 1 Kankali Tila 1 3 Archaeology elsewhere 2 Mound types 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksArchaeology EditNorth American archaeology Edit Main article Mound Builders In the archaeology of the United States and Canada a mound is a deliberately constructed elevated earthen structure or earthwork intended for a range of potential uses In European and Asian archaeology the word tumulus may be used as a synonym for an artificial hill particularly if the hill is related to particular burial customs While the term mound may be applied to historic constructions most mounds in the United States are pre Columbian earthworks built by Native American peoples citation needed Native Americans built a variety of mounds including flat topped pyramids or cones known as platform mounds rounded cones and ridge or loaf shaped mounds Some mounds took on unusual shapes such as the outline of cosmologically significant animals These are known as effigy mounds 1 Some mounds such as a few in Wisconsin have rock formations or petroforms within them on them or near them While these mounds are perhaps not as famous as burial mounds like their European analogs Native American mounds also have a variety of other uses While some prehistoric cultures like the Adena culture used mounds preferentially for burial 2 others used mounds for other ritual and sacred acts as well as for secular functions The platform mounds of the Mississippian culture for example may have supported temples the houses of chiefs council houses and may have also acted as a platform for public speaking Other mounds would have been part of defensive walls to protect a certain area The Hopewell culture used mounds as markers of complex astronomical alignments related to ceremonies Mounds and related earthworks are the only significant monumental construction in pre Columbian Eastern and Central North America Mounds are given different names depending on which culture they strive from They can be located all across the world in spots such as Asia Europe and the Americas Mound builders have more commonly been associated with the mounds in the Americas They all have different meanings and sometimes are constructed as animals and can be clearly seen from aerial views India Edit Kankali Tila Edit Main article Kankali Tila General view of the excavations in January 1889 at Kankali Tila Mathura Kankali Tila is a famous mound located at Mathura in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh A Jain stupa was excavated here in 1890 91 by Dr Fuhrer 3 Archaeology elsewhere Edit Mound known as Structure 101 located at the Yarumela archeological site in Honduras Mound as a technical term in archaeology is not generally in favor in the rest of the world citation needed More specific local terminology is preferred and each of these terms has its own article see below Mound types EditCairn Chambered cairn Effigy mound Kofun Japanese mounds Platform mound Subglacial mound Tell also includes multi lingual synonyms for mounds in the Near East Terp European dwelling mounds located in wetlands like flood plains and salt marshes Tumulus barrow Bank barrow Bell barrow Bowl barrow Chambered long barrow Kurgan Long barrow Oval barrowSee also EditList of burial mounds in the United States Fort Ancient Kofun period Kurgan hypothesis Mississippian Period Neolithic Europe Olmec La Venta San Jose Mogote Petroform Pyramid Prehistoric Britain Stupa Woodland Period Crystal River Archaeological State Park ZigguratAnimalsMound building termitesReferences Edit National Park Service August 30 2015 Effigy Moundbuilders National Park Service Retrieved August 30 2015 Smith C R March 9 2000 An Introduction to North America s Native People Adena Cabrillo College Retrieved August 30 2015 Smith Vincent Arthur 1901 The Jain stupa and other antiquities of Mathura Retrieved 14 November 2015 External links Edit The dictionary definition of mound at Wiktionary Mound Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 18 11th ed 1911 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mound amp oldid 1122374114, 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