On the 150th anniversary of the publication of its first scientific work, the Smithsonian Institution has reissued this classic volume on the mound builders of ancient America—a book many consider to be the beginning of American archaeological scholarship.
When the first white Americans crossed the Appalachians, they encountered enormous mounds and earthworks: squares, circles, ramps, giant serpents, and more. The local Native Americans had no knowledge of them, or interest in them, and a great mystery began to evolve. Who were these moundbuilders? The debate spread across the country and even to the White House, where President Benjamin Harrison joined in. Some said the moundbuilders were a lost tribe of Israel; others said they were Tartars, “Hindoos,” or Egyptians—anybody but North American Indians. (Apparently no one thought of space aliens in the 19th century). The debate continued, largely without evidence, until Ancient Monuments appeared in 1848.
Squier and Davis lived in Chillicothe, Ohio, the center of the greatest concentration of these remarkable earthworks. The men systematically surveyed, measured, excavated, and tested hundreds of mounds. The result is a remarkable collection of knowledge about the mounds and what was in them, along with 48 pages of maps and 207 wood engravings illustrating artifacts and details. All of these have been enhanced in this new edition.
Southern Methodist University archaeologist David Meltzer had added a thorough introduction that lays out the history of this remarkable work and the context in which Squier and Davis worked. Meltzer also gives a dramatic history of the personalities involved: Squier the flamboyant journalist; Davis the vain and meticulous physician; and Joseph Henry, founding secretary of the new Smithsonian Institution, intent on making a mark for himself and the fledgling organization. By the time the book appeared, they all were engaged in an ugly disagreement, and Squier and Davis never spoke again.
Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley has only been available in rare-book stores for decades. At last, we have an affordable new edition of a great American classic. —Mark Michel
