Mangum Mound - Excavation of this site tells us much about the people of the late prehistoric period. The Plaquemine culture included the ancestors of the modern tribes of Mississippi and Louisiana. It was a society with elaborate agriculturally oriented religious ceremonies. From the burials on this mound we have learned there was a high infant mortality and upon the death of a chief, a brutal ritual was enacted in which his retainers were slain and buried with him.
Enduring Symbols - The history of Mangum Mound illustrates how symbols common to many sacred sites continue to inspire artists today. During the Mississippian period, when native people transformed this natural hillside into a sacred mound, artisans throughout the region adorned ceremonial objects with both realistic and abstract images. Snakes, eyes and birds became symbols of spiritual beliefs.
