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Owl Creek Mounds - Mississippi
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Owl Creek Mounds - Native American Heritage
Located west of the Natchez Trace Parkway south of Tupelo, the Owl
Creek Mounds site is an important Native American ceremonial site
dating from the Mississippian era. Protected by the National Forest
Service, the archaeological site includes two large mounds,
walkways, interpretive panels and picnic facilities.
It has been speculated through the years that Owl Creek might be
the site of Chicasa, an important Native American town visited by the
Hernando de Soto expedition in 1541. Current archaeological theory,
however, raises doubts about this connection as no artifacts dating
from the DeSoto era have yet been found at the site.
Instead, Carbon 14 dating leads archaeologists to believe that the
Owl Creek Mounds were probably constructed between 800 and 900
years ago, at the height of the Mississippian culture. Originally part
of a larger complex, the two preserved mounds retain their original
shape quite well and readily demonstrate the advanced nature of the
society that built them.
The Mississippian culture spread east from the Mississippi River
basin to cover much of the eastern United States more than 1,000
years ago. Mississippian ceremonial and village sites have been
found as far north as Illinois and Indiana, as far south as the Gulf of
Mexico, as far east as the Atlantic Ocean and as far west as present
day Oklahoma.
The Owl Creek Mounds are especially interesting because they
appear to have been used for only about a 100 year span of time.
This provides scientists the unique opportunity to study a site highly
indicative of a defined period of time. It is unclear at this time what
caused the Native Americans to abandon the site.
Owl Creek Mounds Archaeological Site can be reached by following
the signs from the Natchez Trace Parkway. The site is located about
30 minutes south of Tupelo, Mississippi, and is open daily during
daylight hours. Although there is no museum at the site, the trails
and interpretive signs give a good explanation of the importance of
the mounds and their history.
Creek Mounds site is an important Native American ceremonial site
dating from the Mississippian era. Protected by the National Forest
Service, the archaeological site includes two large mounds,
walkways, interpretive panels and picnic facilities.
It has been speculated through the years that Owl Creek might be
the site of Chicasa, an important Native American town visited by the
Hernando de Soto expedition in 1541. Current archaeological theory,
however, raises doubts about this connection as no artifacts dating
from the DeSoto era have yet been found at the site.
Instead, Carbon 14 dating leads archaeologists to believe that the
Owl Creek Mounds were probably constructed between 800 and 900
years ago, at the height of the Mississippian culture. Originally part
of a larger complex, the two preserved mounds retain their original
shape quite well and readily demonstrate the advanced nature of the
society that built them.
The Mississippian culture spread east from the Mississippi River
basin to cover much of the eastern United States more than 1,000
years ago. Mississippian ceremonial and village sites have been
found as far north as Illinois and Indiana, as far south as the Gulf of
Mexico, as far east as the Atlantic Ocean and as far west as present
day Oklahoma.
The Owl Creek Mounds are especially interesting because they
appear to have been used for only about a 100 year span of time.
This provides scientists the unique opportunity to study a site highly
indicative of a defined period of time. It is unclear at this time what
caused the Native Americans to abandon the site.
Owl Creek Mounds Archaeological Site can be reached by following
the signs from the Natchez Trace Parkway. The site is located about
30 minutes south of Tupelo, Mississippi, and is open daily during
daylight hours. Although there is no museum at the site, the trails
and interpretive signs give a good explanation of the importance of
the mounds and their history.
| Owl Creek Mounds The Owl Creek Mounds site south of Tupelo preserves a major site from the Mississippian Period. |
| View from the Platform Mound This view of the unique crescent-shaped mound at Owl Creek was taken from the top of the platform or "Temple" mound. |
| Ground View of Owl Creek Mounds This ground-level view shows both of the preserved mounds at the Owl Creek Mounds site. |