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The Indian Prairie Burial and Ceremonial Site at Kletzsch Park

Mark D. OlsenMark D. OlsenMark D. OlsenMark D. Olsen

IntroductionIntroductionIntroductionIntroduction This essayThis essayThis essayThis essay releases research findings related to releases research findings related to releases research findings related to releases research findings related to effigy mounds.effigy mounds.effigy mounds.effigy mounds. My effigy mound researchMy effigy mound researchMy effigy mound researchMy effigy mound research introduces an analyticalintroduces an analyticalintroduces an analyticalintroduces an analytical methodology that methodology that methodology that methodology that systemizes examination of asystemizes examination of asystemizes examination of asystemizes examination of ancient earthworks ncient earthworks ncient earthworks ncient earthworks with a particular focus on southern Wisconsin’s with a particular focus on southern Wisconsin’s with a particular focus on southern Wisconsin’s with a particular focus on southern Wisconsin’s effigy mounds. This work derives from an effigy mounds. This work derives from an effigy mounds. This work derives from an effigy mounds. This work derives from an intentional effort to decode effigy mounds.intentional effort to decode effigy mounds.intentional effort to decode effigy mounds.intentional effort to decode effigy mounds.

During the Late Woodland era, religious During the Late Woodland era, religious During the Late Woodland era, religious During the Late Woodland era, religious celebrants in southern Wisconsin created celebrants in southern Wisconsin created celebrants in southern Wisconsin created celebrants in southern Wisconsin created severalseveralseveralseveral ththththousand burialousand burialousand burialousand burial mounds shaped like mounds shaped like mounds shaped like mounds shaped like animals. animals. animals. animals. The scholarly opinions that suggest this The scholarly opinions that suggest this The scholarly opinions that suggest this The scholarly opinions that suggest this monumental building program was something monumental building program was something monumental building program was something monumental building program was something considerablconsiderablconsiderablconsiderably less than orderly offended y less than orderly offended y less than orderly offended y less than orderly offended logiclogiclogiclogic and and and and stands in contrast to ethnographic and mortuary stands in contrast to ethnographic and mortuary stands in contrast to ethnographic and mortuary stands in contrast to ethnographic and mortuary theory. theory. theory. theory. That there were thousands of these That there were thousands of these That there were thousands of these That there were thousands of these symsymsymsymbols with known characteristics led me to bols with known characteristics led me to bols with known characteristics led me to bols with known characteristics led me to believe that these traits could be usedbelieve that these traits could be usedbelieve that these traits could be usedbelieve that these traits could be used as symbols as symbols as symbols as symbols to essentially “breto essentially “breto essentially “breto essentially “break the code”. This systematic ak the code”. This systematic ak the code”. This systematic ak the code”. This systematic approach would help approach would help approach would help approach would help determine the determine the determine the determine the type of type of type of type of information information information information that that that that is retained by these earthworks.is retained by these earthworks.is retained by these earthworks.is retained by these earthworks.

A far more comprehensiA far more comprehensiA far more comprehensiA far more comprehensive work titled ve work titled ve work titled ve work titled “Ancestral Memories and Effigy Mounds: An “Ancestral Memories and Effigy Mounds: An “Ancestral Memories and Effigy Mounds: An “Ancestral Memories and Effigy Mounds: An Ancient Religion Decoded and Described” is Ancient Religion Decoded and Described” is Ancient Religion Decoded and Described” is Ancient Religion Decoded and Described” is anticipated to be available in May 2019. This anticipated to be available in May 2019. This anticipated to be available in May 2019. This anticipated to be available in May 2019. This essay on the essay on the essay on the essay on the Indian Prairie site Indian Prairie site Indian Prairie site Indian Prairie site introducesintroducesintroducesintroduces the the the the topic topic topic topic to a wider audience and illuminateto a wider audience and illuminateto a wider audience and illuminateto a wider audience and illuminatessss an an an an underappreciated underappreciated underappreciated underappreciated southern Wisconsin culture.southern Wisconsin culture.southern Wisconsin culture.southern Wisconsin culture.

The Indian Prairie

When Increase A. Lapham, Wisconsin’s first and finest scientist, surveyed the Indian Prairie in May of 1850, we were the youngest state in the fledgling nation at exactly two years old. In 1848 the newly-formed Smithsonian Institution published the first volume in its “Contributions to Knowledge” series, “Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley”. This publication focused on indigenous earthworks in the Mississippi River Drainage. Several Wisconsin monuments were included.

Seven years later the Smithsonian Institution published Increase Lapham’s seminal work, The Antiquities of Wisconsin as surveyed and described (1855). Among the ancestral earthworks mapped by Lapham is the Indian Prairie site which is located in and near today’s Kletzsch Park. The site sits above the west bank of the Milwaukee River in the city of Glendale, Wisconsin.

Southern Wisconsin’s indigenous burial mounds belong to an underappreciated and misunderstood culture. Academics and authors of popular effigy mound texts have miscast this monumental building program and consider it something less than organized and cohesive. These conclusions were based largely on faulty precedents and too little fact-based research. This is especially so as regards to directional attributes of effigy mounds.

Based on several years of study, I will unequivocally state that there is an inherent and logical order encoded in Indian burial and ceremonial mounds. This includes conical mounds and linear mounds, both of which were also found on the Indian Prairie site.

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One longstanding opinion tends to only designate people as “civilized” if they organize in hierarchical structures similar to western institutions. This type of Victorian-era thinking has been hurtful and is factually wrong. Stateless societies, like the mound builders of ancient Wisconsin, organize and build complex societies based on shared rituals, which help enforce social norms (Stanish 2017). Ceremonial sites like the Indian Prairie are evidence of this form of social organization. Ritual and religion is not always the same thing; a nuanced understanding is required.

Places like the Indian Prairie were known to family and friends who lived throughout southern Wisconsin. These are not primitive societies. The mound builders weren’t pagans either. I support through extensive research that the path to “heaven” for the effigy mound celebrants is the same one, the Milky Way, which is described by Plato and that describes the worldview of people in the Near East when the New Testament is written. The Milky Way as the Path of Souls is the core ideology encoded in conical, linear, and effigy mounds.

Foundational stories in Genesis, such as Jacob’s Ladder, also support the notion that North America’s indigenous religion shares core traits with the Babylonian and Sumerian traditions that are known to have contributed to the Old Testament. We have gotten so much, so wrong, for so long that it is hard to correct or explain everything at once but we can do better in the future. The formal religion practiced by the effigy mound celebrants includes belief in an afterlife and deep reverence for ancestors.

The Indian Prairie, like other earthwork sites, encodes and records a cohesive and logical afterlife-based religion. Most Indians, almost all of them, are not buried in mounds. Ancient burial mounds are also ceremonial monuments that can be thought of quite literally and accurately as prayers written in earth. The Indian Prairie seems undeniably linked to several effigy mound sites upstream on the Milwaukee River near present-day West Bend, Wisconsin. These sites are all within one day’s canoe ride and share similar cross-shaped mounds that are a somewhat rare subset of effigy mound. This is a sign of cultural complexity and suggests that a religious guild of some sort operates in the locality.

Indian Prairie was a shared sacred site where people gathered to trade, socialize, and celebrate. Effigy mound celebrants likely petitioned ancestors with health and resource-related prayers that were directed towards the Milky Way’s position just after dark in southern Wisconsin’s summer months. An alternate portal to this Path of Souls, the Hand-and Eye constellation, based on our Orion seems used in other-than-summer months. The three belt stars in Orion form the wrist of the hand in the sky that is part of many oral histories.

Effigy mounds and other earthworks encode a lot of information, including dates, that can be deciphered as if symbols or letters of an alphabet. Asking or expecting living descendents of the mound builders to have retained this type of ultra-specific information is both unrealistic and I think vastly unfair. It is little different than demanding that I recall and explain specific information from the Viking era in 800CE. It doesn’t make sense.

None of this means that the Indian Nations present in Wisconsin today, particularly those most-closely associated with known deep-history links to Wisconsin, the Menominee and the Ho-Chunk Nations, have forgotten their past. Quite to the contrary, this research reveals that common themes retained by Indian Nations today, such as honoring the cardinal directions, showing deep reverence for ancestors, and considering the Milky Way as the Path of Souls supports the idea of a continuous culture that extends deep into history. Some Algonquian speaking peoples know the Milky Way as the Path of Birds; this similar theme is found in northern Eurasia as well as among indigenous people in South-Central Siberia. The deep history potential of this concept is astounding.

The precise timing mechanisms that are encoded in earthworks such as at the Indian Prairie seem to me to be lost cultural knowledge. That core parts of this encoded system survive in many current-day forms is precisely what we should expect based on some anthropologic theories.

Ideology at the Indian Prairie

Few people even know that Milwaukee County’s Kletzsch Park was once a significant ceremonial and religious setting for American Indians. The sacred gathering site stretched for nearly one-half of one mile on the Milwaukee

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River’s west side. There were conical burial mounds, circular ring-shaped earthworks thirty feet in diameter, two linear mounds, two cross-shaped burial mounds, a large flat-topped “observation mound”, and four of the rarest ancestral monuments in the world. These four intaglio mounds were excavated into the earth rather than being built on top of the earth.

Figure 1. Indian Prairie near dam looking south. Figure 1. Indian Prairie near dam looking south. Figure 1. Indian Prairie near dam looking south. Figure 1. Indian Prairie near dam looking south.

Map data: GooMap data: GooMap data: GooMap data: Google Earth; adapted by gle Earth; adapted by gle Earth; adapted by gle Earth; adapted by authorauthorauthorauthor

Figure 1 shows the current dam at Kletzsch Park, the proposed construction zone with mature trees slated for removal, the approximate site of the last known Indian burial at Indian Prairie, and the open field where portions of the ultra-rare intaglio water-spirit monuments might have been buried but not destroyed by early agricultural activity.

While the intaglio prairie is not under immediate threat of development, these intaglio features are so rare they deserve consideration as part of a long term planning process. Without going into great detail, magnetic gradiometer techniques have been perfected (Dr. Jarrod Burks) in recent years to help relocate buried pit-like features such as might still exist at the Indian Prairie. It seems plausible that the agricultural-era fill deposited in the intaglio earthworks might, in consultation with Indian Nations, be considered for removal in a way that would not require either taking away or adding anything new to the theoretically buried original monuments. This area might be noted by park planners. It should remain unaltered until proper non-intrusive investigations can be carried out.

The two largest above-ground features at the Indian Prairie can also be placed with high confidence in the field with the intaglio features. One of these was the central “observation” mound that Lapham identifies in his 1855 text. This flat-topped earthwork was the viewing platform from where it seems the galactic center and Milky Way is sighted over the intaglio water-spirit mounds. This is an important location. The large flat-topped observation mound also had quite precise alignments with the aforementioned ring-like earthworks. In recent years it has become accepted that most ancient societies which undertake monumental building programs often mark the solstices. This is common. As with the intaglio water-spirit mounds, the thirty-foot-in-diameter ring-like earthworks had pits in their middles. It is possible that these too might be relocated along with the intaglio water-spirits, though less likely because of the railroad embankment.

The two cross-shaped burial mounds at the far southern end of the Indian Prairie (figure 6) have “partners” upstream near the Milwaukee River in the West Bend area. Cross-shaped mounds are a relatively rare form of effigy mound. There were two very prominent cross-shaped mounds at L.L Sweet’s “Ancient Works” site (Lapham 1855: Plate X) on a bend in the Milwaukee River near Newburg, Wisconsin. Lizard Mound County Park (The Hagner Mound Group) sits three to four miles north of Sweet’s site. It also has two large cross-shaped mounds; they have been previously misidentified as bird mounds.

An interesting H-shaped earthwork that is Northern Cross-related was mapped by Lapham at the Horicon site (1855: Plate XXXVII). Figure 2 shows the accurately scaled outline of this complicated mound as it might be envisioned sitting in the middle of the Milky Way. As it sat on the ground near the lower end of the Horicon Marsh, the cross’s descending shaft aligned in the south-southwestern direction that coincides with the rice harvest. The stars that extend along the cross beam belong to what peoples all over the world have found to be a bridge that crosses a fiery, milky, or raging river. This too is common.

If we look at the two cross mounds at the Indian Prairie site as shown in figure 6, we find that the smaller cross points in exactly the same direction as the complex Horicon cross. The southernmost cross

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mound aligns just east of south along survey line no. 30 in my measurement system. This orientation is going to coincide with an earlier-in-the-year Milky Way position. Survey line no. 30 translates to a date when the galactic-center portal appears very near to the summer solstice date, June 21. This fits well with the other apparent solstice alignment at the Indian Prairie where the three ring-like earthworks sit on a summer solstice sunset line as viewed from Lapham’s observatory mound. The Indian Prairie marks the summer solstice by referencing both the sun and the Milky Way.

Figure 2. Unique cross mound from the Horicon site. Figure 2. Unique cross mound from the Horicon site. Figure 2. Unique cross mound from the Horicon site. Figure 2. Unique cross mound from the Horicon site.

Map data: inMap data: inMap data: inMap data: in----thethethethe----sky.org; adapted by authorsky.org; adapted by authorsky.org; adapted by authorsky.org; adapted by author

Please take a look at the clustering of orientations in the 30 to 38 range in the Indian Prairie map. In my study, I measured more than 750 earthworks based on a 64 segment system that I designed for a reason. I then searched for patterns, central tendencies, and only then explanations. Note the two linear mounds that align to no. 33 and no. 36; these are commonly observed orientations that in theory record calendar dates for near the beginning and the end of July. These too are reasonable timeframes in which to expect people to gather at a place like the Indian Prairie.

The four intaglio earthworks exhibit directional characteristics that focus on the south-southwestern horizon. This is a tell-tale sign that these features are associated with an early August to early

September timeframe. When Increase Lapham maps the site in 1850 he tells us:

Four of the excavations lie in a southwest Four of the excavations lie in a southwest Four of the excavations lie in a southwest Four of the excavations lie in a southwest directidirectidirectidirection from the two larger central on from the two larger central on from the two larger central on from the two larger central mounds. In approaching the former from mounds. In approaching the former from mounds. In approaching the former from mounds. In approaching the former from the latter, a small trail or path is the latter, a small trail or path is the latter, a small trail or path is the latter, a small trail or path is discovered, which gradually, becomes larger discovered, which gradually, becomes larger discovered, which gradually, becomes larger discovered, which gradually, becomes larger and deeper, until it leads into a sunken and deeper, until it leads into a sunken and deeper, until it leads into a sunken and deeper, until it leads into a sunken areaareaareaarea… [… [… [… [Lapham 1855:18]Lapham 1855:18]Lapham 1855:18]Lapham 1855:18]

I think these deep intaglio-related trails might also show up with magnetic gradiometer testing if someone gives it a try. This can be part of an educational outreach as well as an extremely interesting and important research initiative.

The cross mounds in nearby Lizard Mound County Park help us determine that these types of earthworks relate to the constellation Cygnus, also known as the Northern Cross. Figure 4 shows the summer sky with an accurately mapped cross-shaped earthwork from Lizard Mound County Park outlined against the sky. Figure 3 shows the two cross-shaped mounds as they sit within the Hagner Mound Group at the neutral-territory gathering spot which is today partially preserved in Washington County’s Lizard Mound Park.

Figure 3Figure 3Figure 3Figure 3. Cross. Cross. Cross. Cross----shaped mounds at Lizard Park. Map shaped mounds at Lizard Park. Map shaped mounds at Lizard Park. Map shaped mounds at Lizard Park. Map data:data:data:data: Anc Anc Anc Ancient Earthworks Society Inc.ient Earthworks Society Inc.ient Earthworks Society Inc.ient Earthworks Society Inc., Prehistoric , Prehistoric , Prehistoric , Prehistoric

GeometricalGeometricalGeometricalGeometrical----Based Art Work on the Ground: Based Art Work on the Ground: Based Art Work on the Ground: Based Art Work on the Ground: Wisconsin’s Effigy Mounds 1991Wisconsin’s Effigy Mounds 1991Wisconsin’s Effigy Mounds 1991Wisconsin’s Effigy Mounds 1991; adapted by author; adapted by author; adapted by author; adapted by author

The southernmost cross mound at Lizard Mound County Park was accurately mapped by highly respected cartographer Jim Scherz and the Ancient Earthworks (AES) team in 1991. The AES noted that this cross mound has a hard-to-explain but obvious slight curve to its tail; this is quite evident in person. It is almost as if the cross is plucked from the sky and placed on the ground.

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Figure 4Figure 4Figure 4Figure 4. Bent. Bent. Bent. Bent----tailed cross mound outlined against tailed cross mound outlined against tailed cross mound outlined against tailed cross mound outlined against

summer sky. Photo and adaptation by author.summer sky. Photo and adaptation by author.summer sky. Photo and adaptation by author.summer sky. Photo and adaptation by author.

The northernmost cross in this twinned-pair has a long staff that points to a 312° azimuth. This was troubling as it is not a Path-of-Souls-allowed orientation.

Figure 5Figure 5Figure 5Figure 5. . . . Northern Cross set pint in 850 CENorthern Cross set pint in 850 CENorthern Cross set pint in 850 CENorthern Cross set pint in 850 CE. . . . Map Map Map Map

data: SkyMap Pro 12data: SkyMap Pro 12data: SkyMap Pro 12data: SkyMap Pro 12; adapted by author; adapted by author; adapted by author; adapted by author

Eventually, I determined that this odd directional characteristic seems to relate to the Northern Cross’s set point where it drops below the northwestern horizon in the 850CE timeframe. This is shown in figure 5. Star rise and set points change slightly but steadily over time because of precession. This needs to be calculated and is helpful in dating mounds.

In summation, I wanted to show and share some of the sophistication and humanity that was recorded at these types of mound sites. The Indian Prairie was an important cultural site that is still important. I recommend that we leave what is still intact in place. Let’s honor these sacred soils.

With hopes that this essay has helped illuminate a bright era in human history, I thank you for your time and attention.

Copyright 2019 Mark D. Olsen Report Writer and Researcher hpautonetics@wi.rr.com

Higher Power Autonetics LLC

P.O. Box 262 North Lake, WI 53064

Postscript –This essay first appeared in print on February 08, 2019 in LocaLeben Magazine.

https://www.localeben.com/2019/02/08/the-indian-prairie-burial-and-ceremonial-site-at-

kletzsch-park/

It was presented as part of an educational outreach that shared previously unpublished research with the hopes of creating a better understanding of the deep cultural history at the Indian Prairie site in Glendale Wisconsin. Importantly, this report shows that important cultural features, the intaglio mounds in particular, may have been inadvertently preserved in a field nearby the proposed impact area by the Kletzsch Park Dam. It is hoped that by bringing attention to some of these unknown site characteristics that local planners will have had considered alternatives and options to plans that impact the Indian Prairie site by construction of a fish passage along the west bank of the Milwaukee River when east bank passages seem not to have been fully vetted.

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Figure 6. The Indian Prairie. Map Data: Figure 6. The Indian Prairie. Map Data: Figure 6. The Indian Prairie. Map Data: Figure 6. The Indian Prairie. Map Data: The Antiquities of Wisconsin, as surveyed and described,The Antiquities of Wisconsin, as surveyed and described,The Antiquities of Wisconsin, as surveyed and described,The Antiquities of Wisconsin, as surveyed and described, 1855 1855 1855 1855: : : :

PlatePlatePlatePlate VIII; annotations VIII; annotations VIII; annotations VIII; annotations and photoand photoand photoand photo from 18 from 18 from 18 from 1855 first edition55 first edition55 first edition55 first edition,,,, by author by author by author by author