Kolomoki Mounds In Depth
ExploreSouthernHistory.com - Kolomoki Mounds State Park, Georgia
ExploreSouthernHistory.com - Kolomoki Mounds State Park, Georgia
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by Dale Cox
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.
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.
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| Copyright 2011 by Dale Cox All rights reserved. |