Audio
“Still Sacred,” Emerald Mound, Milepost 10, Panel C
Transcript
The grass-covered base of Emerald Mound is in front of you. It stretches a total of 770 feet to your left and right and is 435 feet deep. Many of the trees surrounding the mound have grown taller than the mound itself.
In this pair of exhibits, the first panel, titled “Still Sacred,” shows a brightly colored photo of a Natchez descendent using dance to honor his enduring traditions.
[Text] Emerald Mound’s size is impressive. Scholar James Barnett Jr. called it the region’s “crowning mound-building achievement” of the Mississippian era (1,150 to 300 years ago). Only a complex society mobilized for a massive multi-generational project could have built such a large ceremonial center.
But Emerald Mound is not a relic of the past. In the footsteps of their ancestors, the Natchez people—along with others like the Choctaw and Chickasaw—still gather at this sacred site. In a spirit of fellowship, they welcome others who respectfully journey here.
The photo on this panel shows an American Indian man dancing. He wears a shirt decorated with yellow ribbon and bright yellow and red feathers on his shoulders and upper arms. The dancer’s movements animate the feathers. He wears a bright red scarf around his neck and a headdress held in place by a string tied under his chin.
The dancer’s head is slightly elevated, eyes partially closed, brow furrowed. On his raised right arm he wears a turquoise and silver bracelet. He holds a feathered stick in his right hand.
There is another exhibit to your right.
Description
The grass-covered base of Emerald Mound is in front of you. It stretches a total of 770 feet to your left and right and is 435 feet deep. Many of the trees surrounding the mound have grown taller than the mound itself.
In this pair of exhibits, the first panel, titled “Still Sacred,” shows a brightly colored photo of a Natchez descendant using dance to honor his enduring traditions.
Duration
1 minute, 47 seconds
Credit
NPS
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