Indian Mound

[cmthunder]

If there is an Indian mound does that mean they lived there and would this be a good place to look in stream for artifacts. Obviously NOT digging in the mound.

 

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[Old Pueblo]

I would say so. The mound may be a burial site, so you definitely dont want to dig into it.

 

[Peyton Manning]

there are mounds here in indiana. they are thought to have been mostly used as ceremonial sites

 

[bradyboy]

mounds are often discarded shellfish shells
if the mound is designated as a mound, I don't see that there is any way you can detect in the area
I have one up the street from me - Safety Harbor Fl
Safety Harbor Mounds and Philippi Park - Safety Harbor, Florida
Brady

 

[Tnmountains]

Yes hunt the creeks and any areas you can around it. If it is by water it may just be a shell miden mound. If you have permission check it out. I have a mound at my sisters I have been contemplating for some time. I find artifacts in the creeks and along the cattle and horse trails.
Private property no evidence of burials.

 

[arrow86]

Any chance of seeing pics ? I don't have any around me I'm just curios what it looks like.

 

[DigIron2]

If it is in fact a burial mound they lived close by but probably not right there. I believe they buried their dead on their sacred grounds, like hunting grounds for example. Could just be a old rock pile from a old road, crop fields etc. To determine the probability of it being a burial mound you have to first look at its location and what's around it. In other words is it on a hill side or top? Or is there any other reason that the mound might be there. Indication of a old road close by? Farm fields? Old foundation?

 

[cmthunder]

It’s right next to waterway that’s dried up a lot over the years in woods on a farm I will take pictures next time out

 

[rock]

They werent all burial mounds but even a mound they built up to keep the water from going over their camp area wont have many artifacts on it. Id look in the creek and the areas around it. How tall is the mound and how big around is it? You have to remember just cause the creek is small today back when they lived on that mound the water might of flowed quite well.

 

[DigIron2]

It’s right next to waterway that’s dried up a lot over the years in woods on a farm I will take pictures next time out

I would say probably not if it is in a bottom close to water.

 

[arrow86]

I just noticed your from Maryland , now I am really curious to see it. What part of MD are you from? I'm over on the eastern shore

 

[cmthunder]

Harford county

 

[redbeardrelics]

I was born and raised in Harford County, and I don't recall ever hearing of any pre-historic mounds locate there. If it is near a waterway, currently dried up, or not, it is probably a location where you can find artifacts. I would concentrate on the farm fields if you have permission, and if there is any soil showing. Any relatively flat areas within a half mile of so of Winters, Bynum's, or James Run's are likely places. Along Swan Creek, or Bush River would be places to look as well. In the northern part of the county along Deer or Broad Creek, or any of their smaller order tributaries would be likely sots, but relatively flat ground is scarcer, and sites not as easy to find there in my limited experience. Good luck, and post some photos of your finds.

 

[Tnmountains]

I was born and raised in Harford County, and I don't recall ever hearing of any pre-historic mounds locate there. If it is near a waterway, currently dried up, or not, it is probably a location where you can find artifacts. I would concentrate on the farm fields if you have permission, and if there is any soil showing. Any relatively flat areas within a half mile of so of Winters, Bynum's, or James Run's are likely places. Along Swan Creek, or Bush River would be places to look as well. In the northern part of the county along Deer or Broad Creek, or any of their smaller order tributaries would be likely sots, but relatively flat ground is scarcer, and sites not as easy to find there in my limited experience. Good luck, and post some photos of your finds.

That was kind of you to share that information and be so specific. Nice post sir.

 

[cmthunder]

Agreed thanks for the feedback I live in HarfordCounty however the farm I metal detect is in Cecil. From the feedback I think it’s a shell mound. I will investigate further.
Thanks again to all.

 

[jmaschal]

I am from Harford County as well redbeardrelics covered all of the nearby spots. I have frequent all of of them. I have come across two suspect “mounds” in Harford County where I have found artifacts in the vicinity but can’t confirm or deny that they are legitimate mounds. They are for sure not documented but very suspect in my opinion. I had the opportunity to share them with another member BSIT and he shares my curiosity. Who knows guess I will never know for sure. A lot of of shell midden mounds have been documented around Swan Creek on base at the proving ground and along the Chesapeake.

 

[discoidal roller]

Seems like the right day to post this up for my fellow Marylanders...Feast of the Dead: Aboriginal Ossuaries in Maryland | Dennis C. Curry - Academia.edu

you should be able to open that without a subscription.

 

[arrow86]

Seems like the right day to post this up for my fellow Marylanders...Feast of the Dead: Aboriginal Ossuaries in Maryland | Dennis C. Curry - Academia.edu

you should be able to open that without a subscription.

Thanks , looks interesting I'll read thru it tonight

 

[discoidal roller]

Thanks , looks interesting I'll read thru it tonight

heres a tidbit...

"For their ordinary burials, they dig a deepe hole in the earth with sharpe stakes, and the corpse being lapped in skins and mats with their iewels, they lay them upon stickes in the ground, and so cover them with earth. The buriall ended, the women being painted all their faces with blacke cole and oyle, doe sit twenty-foure houres in the houses mourning and lamenting by turnes, with such yelling and howling, as may expresse their great passions." - Captain John Smith - Observation on the Virginia Algonkians, 1607-1609

"As documented among the Huron, the burial rite began by placing the body of the deceased in a temporary burial area. Here, the body was either placed on a raised scaffold or buried in the ground. Periodically (accounts vary from 8 to 12 years), a village or group of villages would convene for a final interment ceremony. At this time, the remains from the temporary cemeteries would be collected, stripped of any remaining flesh, and prepared for reburial in a communal pit during the Feast of the Dead. Preparation for this ceremony included feasting, dancing, and games. Actual interment in the ossuary included lining the pit with skins and robes, depositing gifts such as kettles, beads, and necklaces, and finally emptying the collected bags of bones into the grave."

 

[deepsix47]

It depends on the type of mound it is. That can often be difficult to tell until a few test holes or trenches are dug. In general, stay away from the mounds. The do gooders are making examples of those caught digging them and you could end up losing everything.
Deepsix47