Kolomoki Mounds State Park

The earliest settlers of Early County, Georgia, were quick to notice the massive
mounds rising from a plain along Kolomoki Creek. The sheer size of the largest
mound, nearly 60 feet high, made them points of curiosity and they were described
prominently in 19th century histories of both Georgia and Alabama.

Some early settlers speculated that the mounds might cover buried treasure, but
excavation revealed no gold or silver, only pottery, copper, shell and bones. Over time
it became apparent that the Kolomoki Mounds were the well-preserved ruins of a
massive Native American society, one which had flourished so long before that even
the last of the Creeks had no memory of its passing.

Kolomoki, in fact, may have been at the time of its occupation the center of the most
advanced and largest civilization north of the Aztecs in Mexico. There are many
similarities between the Kolomoki and the Aztec. Both constructed massive public
structures. The great temple mound at Kolomoki, for example, is distinctly pyramidal
in design. Both had highly advanced religious ceremony. Both exhibited an amazing
comprehension of astronomy. Both built their societies around powerful warrior
chiefs. And both practiced human sacrifice.

Excavations at Kolomoki and related sites have revealed that mounds were the
ceremonial center for a society that flourished throughout Southwest Georgia,
Southeast Alabama and Northwest Florida from around A.D. 350 to A.D. 600. This
culture was of the Woodland period and predated the better known Mississippian
culture (of which Etowah, Ocmulgee, Moundville, Lake Jackson, Fort Walton and
Kahokia are noted examples).

Although archaeological research at the site has been more limited than one might
expect, much has been learned about the design and culture of the site. The largest
of the mounds, Mound A or the great Kolomoki Temple Mound, dominates the site.
Rising to a modern height of 56 feet, it stands on the eastern edge of the village
complex and probably supported a temple or religious center and the home of the
city's paramount chief. The construction of this mound was a remarkable
achievement, involving the movement of millions of basket loads of earth and a fair
knowledge of geometry, architecture and astronomy.

Two large burial mounds, Mounds D and E, were placed along a straight line due
west of the large Temple Mound. When viewed from this line, on the longest day of
the year the sun rises almost perfectly aligned with the center of the Temple Mound,
a clear sign that the mounds served as a giant astronomical calender in addition to
their daily functions as platforms and tombs.

There were originally at least 8 mounds at the Kolomoki site and at least seven have
been preserved within the state park. One of these, Mound E, has been excavated by
archaeologists and a museum built partially over the excavation site so visitors can
see the results of that scientific work and gain a better understanding of the
elaborate ceremony that led to the creation of the mound.

The park also preserves the main plaza of the village, a mysterious ditch or ravine
constructed in almost snake-like design by the builders of the mounds and a historic
plantation-era cemetery placed atop one of the smaller mounds by early residents of
the area.

In addition, Kolomoki Mounds State Park offers camping, fishing, hiking, picnicking,
a pool, outdoor activities and many other amenities. The park is located six miles
north of Blakely, Georgia, off U.S. Highway 27 and is open seven days a week from 7
a.m. to 10 p.m. The museum is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is closed on
Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.