Carloads, war with Mound-builders

For Several weeks the newspapers have been reporting with more or less detail and claim to certainty the “find” of an ancient battleground in the Choctaw Nation, in Indian territory, where “some 4,000 years ago, over 100,000 men were slain. ” The account says further:

“The bones were dug up literally by the carload when the railroad was built through, and large quantities of stone axes, arrow heads, javelins, and pieces of pottery were found. The skulls were found to be broken as by blunt weapons or pierced by spears or arrows. The arrow heads are found inside of skulls or sticking into the other bones of the body. In parts of the burial ground the bodies are placed in circles, with feet together and body radiating from the center. A food bowl is usually found at the elbow of each warrior, evidently placed there in accordance with some religious belief. In other parts of the burial ground the bodies  are found in a sitting posture. In still other places the bodies are buried promiscuously in trenches. Professor Walters and the scientists who accompany him believe that the battle extended over a period of two to three years. They hold the theory that it was between ancient mound builders and the Maya-Toltecs, the latter being a strong central American people that disputed the possession of the Mississippi Vally with the mound-builders. This is undoubtedly one of the most important archeological finds in the United States.

Carloads, war with Mound-builders

Barbour County index., March 02, 1898, Image 4

Research done by Chris L Lesley/GAWMuseum