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1.
We arrived at the Spiro Mounds site in early afternoon. The
weather was warm but slightly overcast and threatening rain.
After parking our PT Cruiser, we gathered our cameras and
headed for the Interpretive Center. The sun was beginning
to peek out of the clouds so we hurried inside, gave the attendant
our donation, and ran out the back door towards the mounds.
2.
Our first view of the mounds. Craig Mound is the tallest one,
about 34 feet high, and to the left. Over 1,000 men, women,
and children, along with artifacts, were buried in Craig Mound
from the year AD 800 and AD 1450. In 1933, the Pocola Mining
Company began digging into the mounds. In two years, they
not only sold large amounts of valuable artifacts to private
collectors, museums, and universities all over the world,
but they also destroyed hundreds of burials and thousands
of sacred and unique artifacts.
3.
The Spiro people lived in small settlements, one to ten miles
from a ceremonial center. Each settlement was made up of six
or seven small homes like the one below. The working class
were farmers, hunters, warriors, traders, builders, and craftsmen.
4.
The ruling kings and priests lived at the ceremonial center,
apart from the working class. The most important leaders were
buried within the mounds along with many artifacts. Dirt taken from a nearby pit was carried to the mound in a
fabric bag.
5.
The State of Oklahoma passed a law in 1935 which closed down
the commercial digs. The remaining 600+ burials were excavated
by trained archaeologists from the University of Oklahoma
during the period 1936 to 1941. The remains are the cultural
property of the descendants of the Spiro people (http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/tejas/fundamentals/who.html).
This photo is of a stone earspool found at Craig Mound.
6.
Much of what we know about the Spiro people is revealed in
their shell etchings. We know that they worshipped the sun
and earth. The serpent was considered by them to be a lesser
god. Falcons and raccoons were also venerated. The Shell Gorget
was worn by political-religious leaders. The engravings on
the one below tell us a little about the warrior class.
7.
Thousands of arrow points were found in the mound burial
sites including the Sallisaw point, Morris point, and
the rare “Tribute
Point.”
8.
Spiro Mounds Archaeological Park includes a visitor's center
with an introductory slide program and interpretive displays.
You can also take a self-guided tour over one and one half
miles of gravel trails throughout the complex. Artifacts include
pottery like the ones below.
9.
Engraved copper plates found at the Spiro site.
10.
A human effigy pipe made of red clay.
11.
Preserved specimens of baskets and cloth were found in abundance
at the Spiro site. Baskets, like the one below, were woven
of river cane and dyed with walnut hull dye. River cane was
also used to make blowguns, flutes, and fuel for fires. The
seed of the cane was used for food.
12.
The Spiro people were part of a major trade route extending
from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. Canoes like the
one below were used to haul goods by water.
I
hope you enjoyed your CRUISE of the Spiro Mounds Archaeological
Center. For
more information about the moundbuilders, check out the following
websites:
All
Photos © copyright 2005 by Bill and Cindy Downes
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