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Pocahontas Mound A
Photograph by Keith Baca, Courtesy of the Mississippi Department
of Archives and History |
Why Save the Mounds?
Every mound has its own chapter to tell in the unfolding story
of the human past. With construction spanning many centuries,
the earthworks, when carefully investigated by archeologists,
reveal how people lived throughout the millennia. But opportunities
to discover more about these mounds and their builders disappear
daily as erosion, farming, urban development, and looting continue
to degrade these sites. Untold numbers of the old monuments have
already been lost, and secrets of our nation's past have vanished
with them. Those mounds that remain stand as a testament to the
vitality, diversity, and creativity of their makers, who developed
the complex societies of long ago. It is up to us to protect the
mounds that are left, so that we and future generations may continue
to experience the wonder of these dramatic memorials of ancient
times.
The Delta Initiative
Public Law 103-433, passed by Congress and signed into law by
President Clinton in October 1994, directs the Secretary of the
Interior to undertake a comprehensive program of studies on heritage
in the "Lower Mississippi Delta." The diverse region
is defined in the legislation as the Mississippi River lowlands
and adjacent hill country in seven states - Illinois, Missouri,
Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The
primary goals of this legislation are to recommend methods for
preserving and interpreting the heritage of the region and to
enhance economic development through cultural tourism. In response
to this mandate and in cooperation with federal and state agencies,
the Indian Mounds of Mississippi brochure was created and
published in 1999 to help promote some of the area's rich, yet
often overlooked and little-appreciated heritage sites. This travel
itinerary is a reproduction of that brochure.
Emerald Mound, within the Natchez
Trace Parkway
Courtesy of Natchez Trace Parkway, National Park Service
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Natchez Trace Parkway
The Natchez Trace Parkway, a unit of the National Park Service,
commemorates a historic route used by American Indians, pioneer
settlers, traders, and soldiers during the late 18th and early
19th centuries. Extending 450 miles from Natchez, Mississippi,
to Nashville, Tennessee, the Parkway incorporates numerous visitor
stops of historic, natural, and archeological interest, including
five of the mound sites highlighted herein-- Bear
Creek, Pharr, Bynum,
Boyd, and Emerald.
The Tupelo Visitor Center interprets the archeology and history
of the Trace.
To Get Involved
- Join the Mississippi Archaeological Association, open to
all who are interested in understanding and preserving the state's
ancient heritage. Members receive two issues yearly of the journal
Mississippi Archaeology in addition to newsletters highlighting
current discoveries and activities open to the public. For membership
information, contact:
Mississippi Archaeological Association
P.O. Box 571
Jackson, MS 39205-0571
601-359-6863
- Support the Archeological Conservancy, the organization that
identifies, acquires, and preserves important endangered archeological
sites in states across the nation, including Mississippi. Site
acquisition funds for the Conservancy are raised through membership
dues and additional contributions. Members receive the lavishly
illustrated quarterly magazine American Archeology and
newsletters describing current aquisition projects. For membership
information, contact:
The Archeological Conservancy
5301 Central Avenue N.E., Suite 1218
Albuquerque, NM 87108-1517
505-266-1540
e-mail:archcons@nm.net
www.americanarcheology.com
Please Remember. . .
All sites listed in this travel itinerary are protected by law.
Please be aware that unauthorized digging, removal of artifacts
or human remains, or other disturbance of the mounds and surrounding
grounds are strictly prohibited on state and federal lands by
the following statues, as applicable: the Antiquities Law of Mississippi,
the federal Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA), and
the federal Native American Graves and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).
NAGPRA addresses American Indian concerns about the desecration
of their human remains and the ownership of cultural items. The
Act emphasizes the importance of treating human remains and cultural
items with dignity and respect. Violators of NAGPRA and these
other statues are subject to prosecution. For more information
about federal laws, regulations and standards related to cultural
resources see: http://www.nps.gov/history/linklaws.htm.
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