Arkansas
Parkin Archaeological State Park
Remains of a Moat
The Parkin site was surrounded
by a moat, the remains of which
can still be seen.
The Parkin Mound
The "temple mound" at Parkin
was the centerpiece of the
community's religious life.
A seventeen acre National Historic
Landmark, the Parkin site is one of
Arkansas' most noteworthy Native
American ceremonial and village
complexes.
Occupied by people of the
Mississippian culture from around
A.D. 1000 to A.D. 1550, the village
and its principal mound were
surrounded by a moat and log
palisade. The remains of the moat
can still be seen.
The site also draws significance from its possible identification as the town of
Casqui, which was described by the chroniclers of the Hernando de Soto expedition.
If this identification is correct, then this was the site where the Spanish explorer
erected a large wooden cross after converting the chief of the village and many of his
followers to Christianity. Archaeologists have discovered the remains of an unusual
wooden post atop the village's primary mound, prompting speculation that the
feature may have been de Soto's cross.
Parkin is located adjacent to the city of Parkin, about twelve miles north of Interstate
40 in northeastern Arkansas between Little Rock and Memphis. Te site is open
Tuesday - Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday's from 12 noon until 5 p.m.
There is a fee for touring the site and visiting the museum.
