Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/189

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��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

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��But few of the moiuids in Richland County have been properly opened. The examinations have rarely been systematic, and hence much has been lost. Commonly, the plow has been run over the mounds, regardless of the history a careful search would develop, until almost all traces of their existence have been obliterated. This ruthless leveling of the mounds has not been accomplished, however, merely to gratify the iconoclastic propensities of the plowman — their cupidity moved them. They wanted the

��nothing of special interest was found. Numer- ous stone relics were found in and about the inclosure. It wafe, mayhap, a place of defense in the prehistoric days.

In that part of Polk Townsliip, in Crawford County, formerly a part of this county, about one and one-half miles southwest of Gallon, there is an inclosure of about one acre. It is shaped like a horseshoe, which would bring it under the head of symbolical mounds. This inclosure has never been well explored. Relics of

���WEDGE-SHAPED IMPLEMENTS.

��corn the mounds would produce. Running the plowshare through the mounds was not a very successful method of obtaining a knowledge of their contents. Of the mounds examined in this co»nty in a systematic manner, mention may be made as follows :

In the southeast quarter of Section 15, in that part of Auburn Township formerly in this county, there is an inclosure of nearly four acres. There is a well-defined gateway at the eastern side, and near it a walled well. This well was dug out to a depth of nearly fifteen feet, but

��stone have been found in it, indicating that at one time it was a resort of those who erected it.

About one mile southwest of this mound, is another, four or five feet in height, and about eighteen feet in diameter. It is supposed to have been a sepulchral mound, and has not. as far as is known, been opened.

In Spring-field Township, on what is knowu as the Palmer farm, and just east of the Palmer spring, is a small mound, about five feet in height, and ten or twelve feet in diameter. It. also, has never been opened.

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