Ohio History Journal

OHIO Archaeological and Historical PUBLICATIONS.     A NEW SERPENT MOUND IN OHIO.     GEORGE FREDERICK WRIGHT. [We herewith reproduce, with permission, from the September- October (1908) bi-monthly number of "The Records of the Past," pub- lished at Washington, D. C., an article by the Editor of that publication,

George Frederick Wright, the distinguished traveler, scholar and author, professor of harmony of sciences and religion, Oberlin College, Ohio, and now President of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society. The discovery of this new serpent mound, or rather the publication of the knowledge of its existence, is a matter which should be of great importance and intense interest not only to the Ohio stu- dents of archaeology but to the scholars in that department throughout this country and indeed the world. It is hoped that such portions of this mound as still exist may be preserved intact and that the land upon which it is located may be secured by the state society and that the portions of the serpent mutilated or nearly ob- literated may be restored. We are indebted

to Dr. C. L. Metz, Madisonville, Ohio, not only for the first informa- tion concerning this mound, but also for much material concerning its original form and for the survey and drawing made by him in 1892, which drawing is herewith reproduced. - Editor.] The Serpent Mound in Adams County, Ohio, of which a full account was given in Records of the Past for April, 1906, Vol. XVIII-1.              1

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has long been considered one of the most remarkable and sig-

nificant prehistoric relics of America if not of the world.

As was there detailed, its head was situated near the pic-

turesque point of a rock promontory 100 feet above the valley

of a small stream and the body stretched backwards in serpentine

convolutions more than 1300 feet ending in a coiled tail. The

height of the mound was from 3 to 4 feet and the width of the

body 20 feet diminishing to 4 or 5 feet near the tail. The head

represented an open mouth evidently intending to encompass

something which seems to be an egg. Careful investigattion of

the mound revealed no burials or relics of any kind, showing

that it was purely an ideal construction of some emblematic or

religious purpose.

In his monumental volume on Tree and Serpent Worship,

published in 1868, Prof. James Fergusson, one of the most emi-

nent of the English authorities, refers to the serpent mound in

Ohio, as having extreme significance if it indeed be a serpent,

which he mildly doubts. The following are his remarks: "If we

may trust the antiquaries of the United States there are great

serpent mounds formed of earth, 1000 feet long and more, which

would seem to prove that before the present race of Red Indians

inhabited Ohio and Iowa, a race of Serpent Worshippers occu-

pied their places, and they have been the ancestors of the Toltecs.

When, however, we remember with what curious credulity Stuke-

ley manufactured a Dracontium out of Avebury, and Bathurst

Deane saw a serpent 7 miles long in groups of Menhirs at Car-

nac, we must pause before we feel sure that these American

mounds do really represent serpents at all. This point cannot

be settled without much more accurate surveys and more cau-

tious observers than have yet turned their attention to the subject.

"If it should turn out that these are really representations

of the great serpent, and that this worship is indigenous in the

New World, we are thrown back on the doctrine that human

nature is alike everywhere and that man in like circumstances

and with like degree of civilization does always the same things

and elaborates the same beliefs. It may be so, but I confess it

appears to me that at present the evidence preponderates the

other way. It should be mentioned, however, that in America

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A New Serpent Mound in Ohio.                3   the snake that is worshipped is always the indigenous rattlesnake. Whether as separate images or as adorning the walls of the tem- ples of Yucatan, this characteristic seems invariable, and in so far would favor the local origin of the faith."1 A few years before (in 1862) Prof. Daniel Wilson, in his learned work on Prehistoric Man, remarked that the Serpent Mound of Adams County, Ohio; "is indeed altogether unique

among the ancient earthworks of the New World, and without parallel in the Old though it has not unnaturally furnished the starting point for a host of speculations relative to the serpent- symbols of Egypt, Assyria and Greece."2 But doubts concerning the reality of this serpent symbol (if any remained at the time) were entirely removed by Pro- fessor Putnam's careful investigations in 1885, when he explored 1J. Fergusson. Tree and Serpent Worship. p. 1. 2 D. Wilson. Prehistoric Man. Vol. I, p. 404.

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it from head to tail and restored it to its original condition and

presented it to the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical

Society The thousands of visitors who now make annual pil-

grimages to the spot cannot fail to have all doubts removed and

to go away with a profound impression of its significance and

importance in the interpretation of human progress and thought.

Professor Fergusson could not now write the paragraph which

we have quoted.

Nor could Professor Wilson any longer refer to this mound

as "altogether unique among the ancient earthworks of the New

World and without a parallel in the Old," for a most remarkable

discovery of another serpent mound, equal in dimensions, has

recently been made in Ohio, which adds immensely to the signifi-

cance of the previous discovery. In the mouth of two witnesses

the facts are fully established.

This newly discovered serpent mound is in Warren County,

Ohio, and hence may be called the Warren County Serpent

Mound, as the other is called the Adams County Serpent Mound.

The mound is situated in the valley of the Little Miami river op-

posite Stubbs Station, about half way between Morrow and

South Lebanon adjoining the farm of the Baker family, who

have been residents in the locality for over a hundred years. The

valley of the Little Miami between Morrow and South Lebanon

is pre-glacial and fully one mile in width, but like all similar

valleys in southern Ohio, has been filled up to a great depth with

gravel washed in by the floods of the melting ice at the close of

the glacial period. The present stream has eroded a channel

through this glacial gravel to a depth of about 50 feet, leaving a

gravel terrace of about that height through a considerable dis-

tance. The deposits, however, are not all of equal height but gen-

erally stretch out at a somewhat lower level in beautiful fields

adapted for cultivation.

The serpent is upon one of the highest portions of this ele-

vated terrace with its head facing the river which is here flowing

past it on the northeast. But, owing to the encroachments of the

river on the gravel terrace, the head itself has been washed

away and we have therefore only the neck and body of the ser-

pent remaining for direct examination. Following this, however,

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A New Serpent Mound in Ohio.               5

 

from the edge of the bluff it can be distinctly traced in a mound

about 3 feet high and from 10 to 15 feet wide in a southwest

direction bearing gradually away from the edge of the bluff for

a distance of about 500 feet when a convolution is made toward

the southeast for a distance of about 100 feet which returns upon

itself and then again bends in the same direction for about the

same distance and returns nearly to the original line, from which

it proceeds with minor curves less distinctly visible to an indefin-

ite distance along the slope of the hill. Now that the bushes are

cleared away and when the grass is cut (as it was during a recent

visit which the writer made in the company of E. O. Randall,

Secretary of the Ohio Society, and Dr. Hough, of Lebanon),

the outlines are perfectly distinct and no one seeing them can

fail to recognize an artificial product like that in Adams County,

representing a serpent in active motion.

Perhaps, however, it is not exactly correct to speak of this

as a recent discovery for it has been known and visited by local

authorities for a long time and was carefully examined several

years ago by Dr. M. C. Metz, who has so long been cooperating

with Professor Putnam in the exploration of prehistoric burial

places at Madisonville in the lower part of the Little Miami val-

ley. It is said also that Dr. Scoville of Lebanon wrote a brief

account of it for a Cincinnati daily paper, but we have been

unable to find a copy of this communication. Twenty years ago,

also, Professor F. W. Putnam visited it, but owing to the growth

of brush and vegetation was unable to determine positively that

it was not part of an enclosure. A few years later, however, Dr.

Metz made a careful survey of it, but has never published the

results. Through his kindness we are permitted to give the

essential facts and from his notes to draw the accompanying illus-

tration. We quote the following notes made by Dr. Metz at that

time:

A NEW SERPENT MOUND.

"Beginning on the south bank of the Big Run Creek, at a

point about 35 feet above its bed, is the embankment forming

what still remains of the head, the greater part of the head,

however, has been destroyed by the encroachment of the stream.

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6        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications. From the head the embankment extends about direct south 65 feet, thence south 52 degrees W. 300 feet, thence curving in S. W. to S. E. E. 75 feet, thence S. 88 degrees E. 186 feet, thence curving in a southwestern direction the curve being 85 feet in length; thence S. 82 degrees W. 208 feet; thence curv- ing S. 82 degrees E. 123 feet; then S. 82 degrees E. 226 feet; thence curving to west 150 feet, at which point the ground slopes rapidly to the creek bottom lands and the embankment

could not be further traced on account of the ground being over- grown with dense weeds and grass. These measurements were made with a tape line and pocket compass along the crest of the embankment, which was traced out the length of 1,369 feet. In the fall of the year 1892, I visited this earthwork in company with Mr. Harlan I. Smith, now of the American Museum of Natural History, New York, and a cross section of the embank- ment was made. This revealed a layer of large lime and flat

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river stones, 20 feet wide, placed on the level surface, and the

earth embankment was built over it. The embankment was

about 4 feet in height at this point. The greater part of this

earthwork was in the woodland, well preserved large trees

growing on the top and slopes of the embankment."

At the present time about half of the serpent is in a wooded

pasture lot sparsely covered with large trees, but the convolu-

tions spread out into a meadow on the other side of the fence

which has been cultivated from time to time; notwithstanding

the partial defacement by cultivation this portion of the serpent

is still very clear and pronounced. The total length of the ser-

pent, according to Dr. Metz's measurement was fully 1,300 feet

corresponding very closely to that of the Adams County Serpent.

The significance of this remarkable effigy is enhanced by con-

sidering both the general and the special location chosen for it.

The Adams County Serpent is in the near vicinity of the re-

markable cluster of mounds and earthworks in the Scioto valley

around Chillicothe; while this is near the equally remarkable

cluster of mounds and earthworks in the Miami valley. Fort

Ancient is on the Little Miami river a few miles above the War-

ren County Serpent while the celebrated Turner group of mounds

is but a few miles below, and other mounds and earthworks

occur at frequent intervals on the surrounding hill tops. Both

these serpents, therefore, were located with reference to most

important centers of prehistoric populations.

Locally, also, the sites are equally significant. The Adams

County Serpent, is situated where it could be looked down upon

from surrounding heights by a vast concourse of people. This

is still more evident in the case of the Warren County Serpent.

The hills on both sides of the valley of the Little Miami between

Morrow and South Lebanon, rise about 300 feet above the pres-

ent level of the gravel terraces. If the timber were all cleared

away the elevated terrace upon which the serpent is situated

would be visible for miles around, indeed no more conspicuous

situation could be imagined. It is almost like that of the center

of the Coliseum at Rome. Moreover; it is more than probable,

indeed almost certain, that during the occupancy of this region

by the mound builders, the timber was cleared off from this sec-

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tion of the valley, for the cultivation of corn was generally

practised by the mound builders especially in the river valleys

so favorably situated as this is, where the soil was fruitful and

easily worked and near to abundant water. The numerous re-

mains of earthworks in the vicinity and of implements found

over the surface of the valley are indubitable witnesses of a

considerable population which could have been supported only

by the resources of agriculture.

The significance of the existence of this second serpent

mound of such enormous size can hardly be over estimated. Be-

yond all question these effigies are symbolical. They are the

embodiment of ideas which moved this prehistoric population

to gigantic combined effort at expression. They serve closely

to ally the mound builders of the Mississippi valley with the

almost universal body of nations and peoples who have feared

and propitiated or adored and worshipped the form of the ser-

pent through all time. They at once start anew the question

whether this reverence for the serpent has spontaneously and

independently arisen among nations from a common impression

made upon the senses by its appearance and behavior or whether

serpent worship is derivative, thus indicating a common origin of

the human race.

Curiously enough the serpent has been about equally feared

and adored, the symbol of the serpent has stood to represent

both evil and good. The brazen serpent of Moses in the wilder-

ness was a symbol of healing. The figure of the serpent was put

to a similar use by followers of AEsculapius the god of medi-

cine whose statue of gold and ivory was surmounted by a head

surrounded with rays which grasped a knotted stick with one

hand while the other was entwined with a serpent. The national

emblem of China found on all their flags and appearing in in-

numerable combinations is a dragon of fearful mien supposed

to be terrible to their enemies, but friendly to them. The Chinese

dragon was supposed to dwell in spring above the clouds to give

rain and in the autumn under the water.

In Grecian myths one of the great tasks of Hercules was to

vanquish the Lernean Hydra while it was represented that when

in his cradle he strangled two serpents which Hera had sent

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A New Serpent Mound in Ohio.              9

 

to destroy him. The serpent also was an emblem of Ceres and

Mercury as well as AEsculapius. Apollo also is made to slay the

Python. The serpent was introduced as an object of worship

in Rome several centuries before the Christian era. In Egypt

it is represented in carvings of the Predynastic age, and later

Kneph was symbolized by a serpent on two legs or with a lion's

head. Typhon of Egypt was a serpent of 100 heads. One of

the trials of the goddess Parvati was that she was compelled

to wrestle with the serpent. In the Chaldean myths Bel was

represented by a dragon, and in the Indian myths Krishnu's

greatest triumph was over a serpent. In Zoroastrian religion the

serpent is the synonym for the spirit of evil. Among the Mohican

Indians the rattlesnake was reverenced and called their grand-

father. Thus among all nations the serpent seems to have

filled the role both of a beneficent and a malevolent deity. The

strongest phrase of condenmation which Christ could use of

the Pharisees was to call them serpents and a brood of vipers.

Concerning a group of figures found in Mexico among

which serpents are represented, Baron Humboldt says: "The

group represents the celebrated serpent-woman Chinacohuatl,

called also Quilaztli, or Tonacacihua, 'Woman of our flesh;'

she is the companion of Tonacatenetli. The Mexicans consid-

ered her as the mother of the human race, and after the god

of the celestial paradise, Ometenetli, she held first rank among

the divinities of Anahual. We see her always represented with

a great serpent. Other paintings exhibit to us a feather-headed

snake cut in pieces by the great spirit Tezcatlipoca, or by the

sun personified, the god Tonatiuh. These allegories remind us

of the ancient traditions of Asia. In the woman and serpent of

the Aztecs we think we perceive the Eve of the Shemitic na-

tions, in the snake cut in pieces the famous serpent Raliya, or

Kalinaga, conquered by Vishnu when he took the form of

Krishna. The Tonatiuh of the Mexicans appears also to be

identical with the Krishna of the Hindus, recorded in the Bhag-

avata-Purana, and with the Mithras of the Persians. The most

ancient traditions of nations go back to a state of things when

the earth, covered by bogs, was inhabited by snakes and other

animals of gigantic bulk. The beneficent luminary, by drying

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up the soil delivered the earth from these equatic monsters. Be-

hind the serpent, who appears to be speaking to the goddess

Chinacohuatl, are two naked figures; they are of different color,

and seem to be in the attitude of contending with each other.

We might be led to suppose that the two vases which we see at

the bottom of the picture, one of which is overturned, is the

cause of this contention. The serpent-woman was considered

at Mexico as the mother of two twin children. These naked

figures are, perhaps, the children of Chinacohuatl. They remind

us of the Cain and Abel of Hebrew tradition."

Among the American Indians the serpent was used to insure

good fortune in some of the games with dice sticks, and occasion-

ally the serpent would be painted or tattooed on the naked form

of an athletic warrior. It is proper to recall also the proverb,

wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove, and the fact that in

the temptation in Eden it is represented that the attractive prop-

osition of the serpent was that he would make our parents wise.

But on the other hand the serpent is very generally identified

with the evil forces of the world and is in many places in the

Bible identified with the devil who is called that old serpent. In

Africa and in ancient Mexico the worship of the serpent was

associated with almost unlimited sacrifice of human life.

In explanation of this singular combination of supposed at-

tributes Mr. Fergusson has well remarked that, "When it comes

to be more closely examined, the worship of the Serpent is not

so strange as it might at first appear. As was well remarked by

an ancient author³ 'The serpent alone of all animals without legs

or arms, or any of the usual appliances for locomotion, still

moves with singular celerity,' and he might have added - grace,

for no one who has watched a serpent slowly progressing over

the ground, with its head erect, and his body following apparently

without exertion, can fail to be struck with the peculiar beauty

of the motion. There is no jerk, no reflex motion, as in all other

animals, even fishes, but a continuous progression in the most

beautiful curves. Their general form, too, is full of elegance,

and their colors varied and sometimes very beautiful, and their

eyes bright and piercing. Then, too, a serpent can exist for an

3Sanchoniathon quoting Taatus ap Eusebium, Praep. Evangel. 40.

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A New Serpent Mound in Ohio.                   11

 

indefinite time without food or apparent hunger. He period-

ically casts his skin, and, as the ancients fabled, by that process

renewed his youth. Add to this his longevity, which, though not

so great as was often supposed, is still sufficient to make the

superstitious forget how long an individual may have been rev-

erenced in order that they may ascribe to him immortality.

"Although, therefore, fear might seem to suffice to account

for the prevalence of the worship, on looking closely at it we are

struck either in the Wilderness of Sinai, the Groves of Epidau-

rus, or in the Sarmatian huts, the Serpent is always the Agatho-

daemon, the bringer of health and good fortune. He is the

teacher of wisdom, the oracle of future events. His worship may

have originated in fear, but long before we become practically

acquainted with it, it had passed to the opposite extreme among

its votaries. Any evil that ever was spoken of the serpent, came

from those who were outside the pale, and were trying to depre-

ciate what they considered as an accursed superstition."⁴

The majestic imagery of Milton represents Satan as talking

thus with his nearest mate:

"With head uplift above the wave, and eyes

That sparkling blaz'd; his other parts besides

Prone on the flood, extended long and large,

Lay floating many a rood; in bulk as huge

As whom the fables name of monstrous size,

Titanian, or Earth-born that warr'd on Jove

Briareos or Typhon, whom the den

By ancient Tarsus held."

This is paralleled by the following passage from Ovid:

"Of new monsters earth created more

Unwillingly but yet she brought to light

Thee, Python, too, the wondering world to fright

And the new nations with so dire a sight:

So monstrous was his bulk, so large a space

Did his vast body and long train embrace.

Him Phoebus basking on a bank espied,

And all his skill against the monster tried;

Though every shaft took place, he spent the store

Of his full quiver, and 'twas long before

The expiring serpent wallowed in his gore."

Fergusson. Tree and Serpent Worship, p. 2.

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What therefore shall we conclude is the cause of this uni-

versal veneration of the serpent? By many it is supposed that

the human mind is so uniform in its constitution that like causes

will always produce like effects, and that the characteristics of

the serpent naturally would produce upon all men similar effects

and impel them to similar acts of reverence and worship. Upon

this theory serpent worship is a spontaneous growth of the vari-

ous nations who actually practice it.

But it seems more probable that this universality is due to

derivative origin, and this was the theory maintained by Mr.

Fergusson but one which he appeared ready to abandon if the

serpent mound in Adams County should indeed be proved to be

genuine, as appears in our first quotation from his work. His

theory was that the reverence for the serpent originated among

what he called the Turanian races which seemed to have in-

cluded all the Aryan and Semitic races among which serpent

worship was much less prevalent than among the other races.

But it would seem that the occurrence of serpent worship among

the North American Indians would support rather than oppose

his theory for they are closely allied in language and social

customs to the races that Fergusson called Turanian while there

is abundant evidence that the American Indians reached this

continent from Asia by the way of Behring Straits and the Aleu-

tian Islands, so that it is most natural that they should bring

with them and perpetuate the most primitive forms of religion.

Like the Swastika Cross5 whose occurrence in the mounds of

Ohio points to a connection in the dim past with some of the

ancient civilizations of the Old World.

So the prominence given to the serpent by mound builders

in these enormous symbolic structures points to a common origin

with the primitive races of the Old World in prehistoric time.

The discovery of this serpent mound in Warren County adds in

geometrical ratio to the force of the testimony borne by the

Adams County mound.

5See RECORDS OF THE PAST, The Swastika, Vol. VI (Aug.-Sept.

1907), pp. 236-244.

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