First farmers of West Virginia and cultivated corn, pumpkins and bean.

 

The sources discuss the Mound Builders, who are identified as an ancient people who lived in West Virginia. Here's a summary of what the sources say about them:

Origins and Culture:

• The Mound Builders are described as a "clam-eating" people, belonging to the Paleo and Archaic Indian cultures.
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• They were the first farmers of West Virginia and cultivated corn, pumpkins and beans.
• They gathered nuts and berries to supplement their diet.
• They had a well-rounded diet and distinct social class distinctions.

Mound Construction and Burial Practices:

• The Mound Builders constructed burial mounds, some of which are still visible today.
• The mounds were built in small villages near special burial places.
• When a person died, the tribe would build a tomb of logs inside the mound where they had lived.
• The deceased person's body was clothed in their finest garments and placed inside the tomb with possessions they would need in the afterlife, such as pottery and spear points made of flint.
• The entire structure was covered with earth, forming a conical mound.
• These mounds were used for multiple burials, and some mounds contain remains from many such burials.
• The Grave Creek Mound in Moundsville is a notable example of a mound built by these people.
• Mounds are found along the Ohio River and the Kanawha and Ohio rivers.

Social Structure:

• The Mound Builders had a well-defined social structure.
• Priests or chiefs were given special burial rights, while commoners were buried simply in a graveyard.
• The source notes that this was a society that had priests and social classes.

Lifestyle and Housing:

• They were among the first people in the Eastern United States to use fired pottery vessels.
• They built homes using saplings and bark.
• They learned to make shingles for their roofs and to protect their homes from storms and constant rains.
• They were the first to use pottery in the household.

Relationship to Later Groups:

• The sources suggest that the Mound Builders were distinct from later groups of Native Americans, such as the Shawnee and Iroquois.
• The sources indicate that the Mound Builders are thought to be the ancestors of the American Indian.
• These groups are the descendants of the earliest people that migrated from Bering Strait, coming down the Ohio and Kanawha rivers.
• The Mound Builders are also described as having Mongoloid features.

Additional Information:

• The bloodlines of people living in West Virginia since the first Yellow Mongol are still present.
• The mounds were made by people who arrived about 8000 years ago and occupied this territory for about 5000 years.
• The mounds are being actively studied by archaeologists.

In summary, the Mound Builders were a sophisticated culture who inhabited West Virginia for thousands of years and are recognized for their unique burial practices, agricultural skills, and societal structure.