The LSU Indian Mounds are two Native American

Indigenous peoples of the Americas

The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...

 mounds

Tumulus

A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...

, of the Archaic Period, on the campus of Louisiana State University

Louisiana State University

Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...

 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Louisiana

Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...

. They are part of a larger, statewide system of mounds. They were probably used for "ceremonial and marking point purposes," rather than for burial purposes. The 20 ft tall mounds are thought to be more than 5,000 years old. That date would make them part of the oldest mound system in North America, Mesoamerica or South America and also predate them to the building of the Great Pyramids.

Location and history

The mounds overlook the floodplain

Floodplain

A floodplain, or flood plain, is a flat or nearly flat land adjacent a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge...

 of the Mississippi River

Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...

. The northern mound consists of hard clay dirt; the southern mound is more porous. They were first dated in 1982. Due to their location in a heavily trafficked area of campus, the mounds gradually began to show signs of degradation as well as natural erosion. In order to alleviate the issue, the university installed a sidewalk between the mounds in 1985. In addition, a low brick wall was placed around the mounds in order to prevent vehicles from dangerously crossing the mounds. Unfortunately, erosion continued to take its toll until a restoration project was initiated in 1996. Using river silt, the LSU Facility Services patched damage on both mounds and seeded a hybrid Bermuda grass to prevent future problems. In 2009, LSU professor Brooks Ellwood took core samples that revealed a layer of charcoal, possibly from a pit barbecue

Pit barbecue

A pit barbecue is a method and constructed item for barbecue cooking meat and root vegetables buried below the surface of the earth. Indigenous peoples around the world used earth ovens for tens of thousands of years. In modern times the term and activity is often associated with the Eastern...

 or a cremation

Cremation

Cremation is the process of reducing bodies to basic chemical compounds such as gasses and bone fragments. This is accomplished through high-temperature burning, vaporization and oxidation....

. Since 1999 they are listed on the National Register of Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

.

An archaeological excavation of the northern mound is scheduled for spring of 2011.

Folklore

Different stories about the origin of the mounds have circulated. One widespread idea was that the mounds were made of dirt dug up for the Huey P. Long pool on the LSU campus. While archeologists do not believe they were burial mounds, another myth holds that the mounds are haunted by the ghosts of the dead.

Save the Mounds

On September 30, 2010, LSU announced the "Save the Mounds" campaign to preserve the mounds. Officials from the school stated that the mounds had suffered internal structural damage that would lead to their eventual collapse. While they were formerly used for tailgate parties

Tailgate party

In the United States, a tailgate party is a social event held on and around the open tailgate of a vehicle. Tailgating often involves consuming alcoholic beverages and grilling food. Tailgate parties usually occur in the parking lots at stadiums and arenas, before and occasionally after games and...

, in 2010 they began to be fenced off during LSU's home football games to prevent them from being damaged, but the fencing was quickly torn down by tailgaters.

See also

• Mississippi Valley: Culture, phase, and chronological periods table

External links

• "Indian Mounds--Louisiana", at Indian Burial and Sacred Grounds Watch
• LSU Indian Mounds by LSU Department of Geography and Anthropology