A linear mound concentration in the Central Des Moines River valley

Abstract

This report summarizes the discovery of ca. 200 linear mounds along 40 km of the Des Moines River in central Iowa. Many of these mounds were mapped and recorded piecemeal over a century, but their full extents were not known until recent high-resolution lidar mapping. General insights about the age and significance of the mounds can be inferred from nearby archaeological sites and surface finds, as well as comparisons with regional mounds. Limited archaeological evidence suggests the linear mound concentration may be associated with a long stable Woodland occupation of the region, culminating in the Late Woodland Great Oasis manifestation.

KEYWORDS:

• earthworks
• mounds
• Woodland
• Great Oasis

Acknowledgements

Joseph Tiffany and Michael Perry were kind enough to discuss ideas, provide insights, and suggest references. Tiffany’s help with the analysis of ceramics was appreciated. Caroline Parris generously scoured the OSA repository attempting to find artifacts associated with these sites. Tiffany, Perry, John Doershuk, William Green, and Lara Noldner reviewed earlier drafts of this report. The Iowa Office of the State Archaeologist at the University of Iowa provided funding and support for this project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

William Whittaker

Bill Whittaker is research director of the Office of the State Archaeologist at the University of Iowa. He was co-author and editor of Frontier Forts of Iowa (University of Iowa Press, 2009) and The Archaeological Guide to Iowa (University of Iowa Press, 2015). He just completed a 10-year term as editor of the Journal of the Iowa Archeological Society.