Ancient Burial Mounds of the Iroquois Indians of New York

Ancient Burial Mounds of the Iroquois Indians of New York

The Proto-Iroquois Indians were the northern contingent of the Adena Hopewell empire that stretched from New York to Florida. The "Hopewell" were a confederation of Iroquois in the Great Lakes, Sioux in the Ohio Valley and Cherokee in the Southeast. Burials in a sitting position are found most commonly in the Great Lakes region. 


     According to Mr. Lewis H. Morgan, different customs have prevailed among the Iroquois in relation to the mode of burial. At one period they buried the dead in a sitting posture, with the face to the east. Skeletons are still found in this position, in various parts of the State of New York, with a gun-barrel resting against the shoulder, thus fixing the period of their sepulture subsequently to the first intercourse of this people with the whites. Another and more extraordinary mode of burial prevailed among them. The body of the deceased was exposed upon a bark scaffolding, erected upon poles or secured upon the limbs of trees, where it was left 'to waste to a skeleton. After this had been affected by the process of decomposition in the open air, the bones were removed either to the former home of the deceased or to a small bark house by its side prepared for their reception. In this manner, the skeletons of the whole family were preserved from generation to generation by the affection of the living. After the lapse of a number of years, or in a season of ' public insecurity, or on the eve of abandoning a settlement, it was customary to collect these skeletons from the whole community around, and to consign them to a common resting-place. To this custom, which was not confined to the Iroquois, are, doubtless, to be ascribed the barrows and bone mounds which have been found in such numbers in various parts of the country. On opening these mounds the skeletons are usually found arranged in horizontal layers constituting a conical pyramid, those in each layer radiating from a common center. 

This type of "Spoked Burial" is most predominant in the Great Lakes region, but is also found in southern Ohio, associated with the Adena Hopewell.  

     In other cases, they are found placed promiscuously. There were Senecas residing at Tonawanda and Cattaraugus, in 1851, who remember having seen, about sixty years before, at the latter place, these bark scaffoldings on which bodies were exposed. The custom still prevails among the Sioux upon the Upper Mississippi, and among some of the tribes in the far west. The notions entertained by the Iroquois as to the state of the soul when disembodied were vague and diversified; but they all agree that, on the journey, it required the same things as were of use while it dwelt in the body. They, therefore, deposited beside the deceased his bow and arrows, tobacco and pipe, and necessary food for the journey. They also painted his face and dressed his body in its best apparel. A fire was built upon the grave at night to enable the spirit to prepare its food.’

Nephilim Queen's Tomb Uncovered in Athens County, Ohio

Nephilim Queen's Tomb Uncovered in Athens County, Ohio

Large human Nephilim skeletons were found in many of the burial mounds in Athens County, Ohio. There are still 7 burial mounds that can be seen from the road, with more hidden in the woods.  Athens County is a dark and foreboding place to visit.  For 32 of the largest burial mounds in Ohio https://adenahopewellmoundbuildersohiovalley.blogspot.com/2016/04/32-of-largest-adena-hopewell-mounds.html?fbclid=IwAR3YQHHGZntG0yG8tiEZQ7XJWdaBE1l8DzJasY1ADMWpaSk405LnaRXHfSA

Centennial Atlas of Athens County, Ohio, 1905

    A small mound located on the very top of the hill bordering the eastern part of the Wolf’s Plains and a little northwest of the house now occupied by Mr. J. Taylor, superintendent of the Johnson Coal Mining company’s mine here, was opened by two or three of the citizens in the spring of 1905. They were in search of copper and stone articles and more especially inscriptions. At the bottom of the mound and lying on a huge flat stone was a skeleton apparently of a woman. The lower limbs were crossed. The bones had been much decayed by the action of water. The explorers stated that the bones were remarkably large. The jaw bone would fit over that of the average man of today and leave plenty of 

Giant Amorite's Burial Dolman Discovered Within an Illinois Burial Mound

Giant Amorite's Burial Dolman  Found Within Illinois Indian Burial Mound

The Indian mounds of Sterling County, Illinois, are described by W. C. Holbrook as follows:

I recently made an examination of a few of the many Illinois Indian mounds found on Rock River, about two miles above Sterling, Ill. The first one opened was an oval mound about 20 feet long, 12 feet wide, and 7 feet high. In the interior of this, I found a dolmen or quadrilateral wall about 10 feet long, 4 feet high, and 4½ feet wide. It had been built of lime-rock from a quarry near by, and was covered with large flat stones. No mortar or cement had been used. The whole structure rested on the surface of the natural soil, the interior of which had been scooped out to enlarge the chamber. Inside of the dolmen I found the partly decayed remains of eight human skeletons, two very large teeth of an unknown animal, two fossils, one of which is not found in this place, and a plummet. One of the long bones had been splintered; the fragments had united, but there remained large morbid growths of bone (exostosis) in several places. One of the skulls presented a circular opening about the size of a silver dime. This perforation had been made during life, for the edges had commenced cicatrizing. 
I later examined three circular mounds, but in them, I found no dolmens. The first mound contained three adult human skeletons, a few fragments of the skeleton of a child, the lower maxillary of which indicated it to be about six years old. I also found claws of some carnivorous animal. The surface of the soil had been scooped out and the bodies laid in the excavation and covered with about a foot of earth; fires had then been made upon the grave and the mound afterwards completed. The bones had not been charred. No charcoal was found among the bones, but occurred in abundance in a stratum about one foot above them. Two other mounds, examined at the same time, contain no remains.

Of two other Indian mounds, opened later, the first was circular, about 4 feet high, and 15 feet in diameter at the base, and was situated on an elevated point of land close to the bank of the river. From the top of this mound one might view the country for many miles in almost any direction. On its summit was an oval altar 6 feet long and 4½ wide. It was composed of flat pieces of limestone, which had been burned red, some portions having been almost converted into lime. On and about this altar I found abundance of charcoal. At the sides of the altar were fragments of human bones, some of which had been charred. It was covered by a natural growth of vegetable mold and sod, the thickness of which was about 10 inches. Large trees had once grown in this vegetable mold, but their stumps were so decayed I could not tell with certainty; to what species they belonged. Another large mound was opened which contained nothing