Featured: Hare and Tabor T Shirts for discerning antiquarians

Hare and Tabor T Shirts for discerning antiquarians

The Ancient Celts, Barry Cunliffe

The Ancient Celts, Barry Cunliffe

Who's Online

There are currently, 317 guests and 2 members online.

You are a guest. To join in, please register for free by clicking here

Sponsors

<< Other Photo Pages >> Carson Mounds - Artificial Mound in United States in The South

Submitted by stonetracker on Friday, 03 February 2023  Page Views: 449

Pre-ColumbianSite Name: Carson Mounds
Country: United States Region: The South Type: Artificial Mound
Nearest Town: Stovall MS
Latitude: 34.294934N  Longitude: 90.681712W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
4 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
4 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
5

Internal Links:
External Links:

I have visited· I would like to visit

stonetracker visited on 1st Feb 2024 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 One of the most impressive Early Mississippian sites anywhere in the US, let alone MS. Outside of the Lake George (Holly Bluff) site, it is likely the largest Native American mound site in the state, covering over a mile of terrain that once hosted over 80 mounds, an earthen enclosure, and a large village site. 5 of the largest mounds are the only cultural features that remain visible today. Unfortunately most of them are on private property and can only be viewed legally from the road unless owner permission is obtained (or they are approached with caution and respect). Some are posted No Trespassing. Only Mound B has an official parking pulloff. The rest can be accessed, but generally require parking in a private area with some short distance walking.

Carson Mounds
Carson Mounds submitted by AKFisher : Photo courtesy Dr Greg Little, author of the Carson Mounds today. Photo courtesy Dr Greg Little, author of the Illustrated Encyclopedia of Native American Indian Mounds & Earthworks (2016). (Vote or comment on this photo)
Artificial Mound in The South

Stretching nearly the length of a mile, Carson Mounds is one of Mississippi's most impressive archaeological sites. When it was first mapped in 1894, the site had seven large and 80 small mounds as well as an earthen embankment. Though the site is exceptional in size, the mounds and other site features are organized according to a common orientation, suggesting that Native American people built the earthworks in accordance with a planned site layout. Today, five of the original seven large mounds remain. The remaining mounds as well as the earthen embankment have all been destroyed by modern agricultural practices, though portions of the embankment were still visible as late as 1951.

Professional archaeological excavations since 2007 have found that Mounds A, B, C, and D exhibit different construction techniques and that they had domestic, ritual, and mortuary functions. Much recent excavation has focused on the area surrounding Mound A that was once enclosed by the earthen embankment. In this part of the site, archaeologists have discovered houses, palisade walls, and large storage pits. They have also discovered evidence of elaborate mortuary ritual in the form of charnal houses and communal burial pits.

Pottery and other artifacts from Carson suggest that Native Americans lived at the site at least as early as the Middle Woodland Period (ca. AD 1-400). However, the mounds and other earthworks were constructed beginning in the Early Mississippi Period (or slightly earlier), sometime around AD 1000. About the time mound building commenced, the people of Carson were interacting with Mississippian people from Cahokia, near present day East St. Louis, Illinois. Evidence of this contact includes stone tools that are identical in material and manufacturing techniques to those from Cahokia, as well as pottery and architectural styles that are similar to those of Cahokia but unknown elsewhere in the Yazoo Basin. Some archaeologists speculate that this contact with Cahokia may have sparked significant cultural change in the region, including the shift to maize-based agriculture as well as increasing social and political inequality. In any case, the program of mound building that began during this time continued at Carson for several hundred years, perhaps until around the time of European contact in the mid 16th century.

Location of coordinates is Mound B.

For more info, see http://trails.mdah.ms.gov/mmt/carson/index.html#
You may be viewing yesterday's version of this page. To see the most up to date information please register for a free account.


Carson Mounds
Carson Mounds submitted by stonetracker : Mound E. Appears to my eyes that this was originally two mounds that became one as fill was added, but I see nothing in the literature about this. The mound rises about 10 ft above street level. There is a historic cemetery on the far end of the mound. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Carson Mounds
Carson Mounds submitted by stonetracker : Mound C at Carson. Although the mound itself is owned by the Archaeological Conservancy, the property surrounding it is owned by a private irrigation supply company, so closer access is an issue without permission. The mound is about 12-14 ft high and longer than most mounds at Carson. There was a house on top back in the 1970s, now gone. The mound has a distinctive rectangular platform shap... (Vote or comment on this photo)

Carson Mounds
Carson Mounds submitted by stonetracker : Mound C is the lowest mound in the group, maybe 6-7 ft high above street level, and oval shaped. There was once a house on it. See videos in the Comments section for a better view. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Carson Mounds
Carson Mounds submitted by stonetracker : Wide angle view of Mound B, a conical shape approximately 30 ft high. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Carson Mounds
Carson Mounds submitted by stonetracker : Map on reverse of sign. Only shows a small part of site. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Carson Mounds
Carson Mounds submitted by stonetracker : The most accessible mound is B, literally right next to the road. A parking pulloff and interpretive sign are nearby.

Carson Mounds
Carson Mounds submitted by stonetracker : Rectangular platform-shaped Mound A on posted private property. What I originally thought was a cemetery on top of it is actually a foundation or set of footings and a chimney for a house, now gone. Some stairs lead up to the top of the mound.

Carson Mounds
Carson Mounds submitted by stonetracker : Shaded relief version of the contour map

Carson Mounds
Carson Mounds submitted by stonetracker : Modern contour map of the extant mounds. Compare with the far greater number of mounds and the Mound A enclosure on the 1894 map.

Carson Mounds
Carson Mounds submitted by stonetracker : The site was first mapped by William Holmes as part of a major mound survey conducted by the Bureau of American Ethnography during the final quarter of the 19th century (Cyrus Thomas 1894). A detailed and remarkably accurate site map (seen here) along with mound descriptions and brief discussions of mound excavations is included in Cyrus Thomas’s 1894 report of the mound survey. The six extant m...

Carson Mounds
Carson Mounds submitted by AKFisher : A few mounds at the massive Carson Site in Mississippi. CE (AD) 1200. Photo courtesy Dr Greg Little, author of the Illustrated Encyclopedia of Native American Indian Mounds & Earthworks (2016).  (1 comment)

Carson Mounds
Carson Mounds submitted by AKFisher : Late 1800s (colorized) Smithsonian photo of mounds at the Carson Site in Mississippi. There were about 60 mounds and earthworks there and today about 6 of the larger mounds remain intact and visible. The site is on private property but can be seen from the road.

Carson Mounds
Carson Mounds submitted by AKFisher : Late 1800s (colorized) Smithsonian photo of mounds at the Carson Site in Mississippi. There were about 60 mounds and earthworks there and today about 6 of the larger mounds remain intact and visible. The site is on private property but can be seen from the road. (1 comment)

Do not use the above information on other web sites or publications without permission of the contributor.
Click here to see more info for this site

Nearby sites

Click here to view sites on an interactive map of the area

Key: Red: member's photo, Blue: 3rd party photo, Yellow: other image, Green: no photo - please go there and take one, Grey: site destroyed

Download sites to:
KML (Google Earth)
GPX (GPS waypoints)
CSV (Garmin/Navman)
CSV (Excel)

To unlock full downloads you need to sign up as a Contributory Member. Otherwise downloads are limited to 50 sites.


Turn off the page maps and other distractions

Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 19.7km E 88° Alcorn Cemetery Mound* Artificial Mound
 19.9km ENE 62° Salomon Mounds* Artificial Mound
 20.9km ESE 115° Dunn Mounds* Artificial Mound
 25.2km NE 54° Barbee Mound* Artificial Mound
 33.8km NE 34° West Mounds* Artificial Mound
 45.5km NE 35° Beaverdam Mounds* Artificial Mound
 46.5km NE 35° Evansville Mounds* Artificial Mound
 57.4km NNE 30° Johnson Cemetery Mound* Artificial Mound
 58.2km WSW 240° Menard-Hodges Site* Artificial Mound
 60.6km NNE 28° Hollywood Mounds* Artificial Mound
 64.3km NNE 25° Commerce Mounds* Artificial Mound
 64.5km SSW 205° Christmas Mound* Artificial Mound
 69.8km E 85° Batesville Mounds* Artificial Mound
 79.1km S 190° Carter Mounds* Artificial Mound
 87.9km NNE 32° Cheatham Mound* Artificial Mound
 88.5km NNE 29° Edgefield Mounds* Artificial Mound
 96.5km SSW 198° Metcalfe Mounds Artificial Mound
 96.6km SSW 201° Winterville* Artificial Mound
 99.1km NNE 30° Chucalissa Prehistoric Indian Village* Museum
 99.3km SSW 191° Leland Mounds* Artificial Mound
 100.1km SSW 192° Stoneville Mounds Artificial Mound
 107.5km NNE 31° Chickasaw Heritage Park* Artificial Mound
 109.8km N 6° Parkin* Ancient Village or Settlement
 113.2km N 10° Berry Cemetery Mound* Artificial Mound
 118.1km N 11° Richard's Bridge Ancient Village or Settlement
View more nearby sites and additional images

<< Bayou Pierre Mounds

Cary Mounds >>

Please add your thoughts on this site

Mesolithic Britain and Ireland: New Approaches

Mesolithic Britain and Ireland: New Approaches

Sponsors

Auto-Translation (Google)

Translate from English into:

"Carson Mounds" | Login/Create an Account | 6 News and Comments
  
Go back to top of page    Comments are owned by the poster. We aren't responsible for their content.
Re: Carson Mounds by stonetracker on Tuesday, 12 March 2024
(User Info | Send a Message)
There is a wealth of information available online about the Carson site, from archaeological survey reports to dissertations to articles published in popular media outlets. Here is a small sample:

-Wikipedia - Carson Site

-Journal Articles by Jayur Mehta

-Newpaper Article on John Connaway's Perspective on the Carson Site

-Master's Thesis on Mound B

-Mississippi Mound Trail, Northern Region:
Phase I Investigations


[ Reply to This ]

Re: Carson Mounds by stonetracker on Tuesday, 12 March 2024
(User Info | Send a Message)
Last, but not least, a closer look at Mound E:

photos.app.goo.gl/jHWiDhPX6GvFpRTz9

This is the only mound that is not owned by the Archaeological Conservancy, but it can be approached with care in a farm field not far off the road.
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Carson Mounds by stonetracker on Tuesday, 12 March 2024
(User Info | Send a Message)
A closer look at Mound D:

photos.app.goo.gl/vKGJVQpi5sUw13W99

This mound once had a residence on top. The family that owned it amassed a collection of artifacts that they donated to the Mississippi Archaeological Assn back in the 1970s. These artifacts, primarily ceramics, provided important evidence for Early Mississippian contact between the Yazoo Basin and the American Bottoms to the east of St. Louis: Cahokia Cordmarked and Kimmswick Fabric Impressed sherds.

[ Reply to This ]

Re: Carson Mounds by stonetracker on Tuesday, 12 March 2024
(User Info | Send a Message)
A closer look at Mound C:

photos.app.goo.gl/USfota9RU8nzabn7A

Walking across Mound C to view Mound F in back (barely visible):

photos.app.goo.gl/fmz4pJA7jeLpL4fR7
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Carson Mounds by stonetracker on Tuesday, 12 March 2024
(User Info | Send a Message)
A walk-around of Mound B from the parking pulloff.

photos.app.goo.gl/rskHdpSQwviCCxEk8
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Carson Mounds by stonetracker on Tuesday, 12 March 2024
(User Info | Send a Message)
Video commentary on Mound A and general site layout (Part 1):

photos.app.goo.gl/9debomXXEAZA232y5

Part 2 of the video. This is shot across where the enclosure and habitation area was likely located:

photos.app.goo.gl/vBi7nBVKFdE13jw87

[ Reply to This ]

Your Name: Anonymous [ Register Now ]
Subject:


Add your comment or contribution to this page. Spam or offensive posts are deleted immediately, don't even bother

<<< What is five plus one as a number? (Please type the answer to this question in the little box on the left)
You can also embed videos and other things. For Youtube please copy and paste the 'embed code'.
For Google Street View please include Street View in the text.
Create a web link like this: <a href="https://www.megalithic.co.uk">This is a link</a>  

Allowed HTML is:
<p> <b> <i> <a> <img> <em> <br> <strong> <blockquote> <tt> <li> <ol> <ul> <object> <param> <embed> <iframe>

We would like to know more about this location. Please feel free to add a brief description and any relevant information in your own language.
Wir möchten mehr über diese Stätte erfahren. Bitte zögern Sie nicht, eine kurze Beschreibung und relevante Informationen in Deutsch hinzuzufügen.
Nous aimerions en savoir encore un peu sur les lieux. S'il vous plaît n'hesitez pas à ajouter une courte description et tous les renseignements pertinents dans votre propre langue.
Quisieramos informarnos un poco más de las lugares. No dude en añadir una breve descripción y otros datos relevantes en su propio idioma.