Image: Chromesun-spiro pic01

Description: The Great Mortuary or Craig Mound( also called "The Spiro Mound") is the second-largest mound on the Spiro site and the only burial mound. It is located about 1,500 feet southeast of the plaza. A cavity created within the mound, about 10 feet high and 15 feet wide, allowed for almost perfect preservation of fragile artifacts made of wood, conch shell, and copper. The conditions in this hollow space were so favorable that objects made of perishable materials such as basketry, woven fabric, lace, fur, and feathers were preserved inside it. Such objects have traditionally been created by women in historic tribes. Also found inside were several examples of Mississippian stone statuary made from Missouri flint clay and Mill Creek chert bifaces, all thought to have originally come from the Cahokia site in Illinois.
Title: Spiro Craigs Mound 1 HRoe
Credit: User:Heironymous Rowe
Author: Herb Roe Original uploader was Heironymous Rowe at en.wikipedia
Permission: CC-BY-SA-3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0; Released under the GNU Free Documentation License.
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License: CC BY-SA 3.0
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