It is not possible to form an estimate of the age of earthworks from their appearance,[26] and it is only by counting the annual rings of trees that happen to have been growing upon them, that any safe theories respecting their antiquity can be adopted.
Looking at the geographical position of Fort Ancient, with reference to the other hill works of defence that are supposed to have been made by the Mound Builders, there are good reasons for assuming that this was their last stronghold, built with the intention of creating a permanent barrier against the attacks of their enemies. In time of war it was a secure encampment, large enough to contain the men, women and children of a numerous tribe. In time of peace it was well situated for the usual requirements of Indians. It was in the midst of a country abounding with game, and was immediately connected with a good navigable river which enabled their canoes to maintain direct communications with the Ohio and Mississippi.
Although, as far as I was able to judge, there was nothing in the principles of construction of the hill defensive works which appeared to be beyond the capacities of a purely Indian race, I invariably found that the men who were settled as farmers near the principal entrenchments held the opinion that they must have been raised by a people possessing a superior condition of civilisation to the tribes who occupied the land at the close of the eighteenth century, and who were personally known by many of the early settlers.
It is, perhaps, desirable that these local opinions should not be altogether disregarded, especially when it is remembered that they are supported to some extent by Indian traditions and by the fact that no embankments of a similar formation exist in any other part of North America. It is therefore necessary that the statements of the Indians, respecting the previous occupation of parts of Ohio and Kentucky by men of a white race, should be given a passing consideration.
The Shawnees, who were found to be in possession of this region, informed the European colonists that the ancient forts had been made by white people, who after long wars against the Indians had been exterminated. Their traditions upon this subject were said to have been clear and decided.
On the other hand the statements of the Delawares, who were settled in the Northern parts of the State point to other conclusions. They said that the men who had raised the forts and entrenchments were called the Tallegewi, and that great wars took place between them and the Iroquois. After many years the Tallegewi were defeated and left the country. The Delawares made no allusion with respect to any differences of race or colour between the Tallegewi and the other Indian tribes.
It is much to be regretted that the evidence upon this interesting subject is so vague and obscure. If men of foreign origin had been settled in Ohio before the fourteenth century it would be reasonable to expect that traces of them would have been left there or some remaining indications of their religion. In the reports and letters of the French missionaries, many of whom spoke and understood the language of the tribes amongst whom they lived, there is no mention made of any rumours or traditions of white people having dwelt in this part of America. There were however at a later period, about the middle of the eighteenth century, certain statements made by officers and men who had been made prisoners by the Indians, which, at that time, received much attention. A cavalry officer, named Stuart, said that in the country west of Mississippi he had seen a tribe of Indians who were remarkably white in colour and had reddish hair. He was informed by them that their forefathers came from a foreign land and had settled in Florida, but that when the Spaniards invaded that country they moved to their present dwelling places. A fellow-captive, who was a Welshman, declared that he understood the language of the tribe, as it differed very little from what was spoken in Wales.
Other reports of a similar character were made by men who had lived with tribes occupying lands near the southern parts of the Mississippi valley. It has also been noticed that Indians having fair hair and blue eyes, were living with the Mandans in their settlements near the Missouri. With respect to the statements about Welsh speaking Indians, it is possible that the captives may have been influenced by the belief in the truth of the tradition that ships, under the direction of Prince Madoc, left the Welsh coasts in the twelfth century and landed their crews and emigrants on the eastern shores of the Florida peninsula.[27]
It is not, however, necessary to account for the existence of large but irregular embankments, such as those at Fort Ancient, by the supposition that the actions of a numerous tribe of Indians were under the influence or direction of men belonging to another race. But it is otherwise with reference to the geometrical inclosures on the plains, for these must have been unquestionally planned by men who possessed a competent knowledge of the methods of tracing mathematical designs.
Take for example the plans of the works at Newark and Circleville. It may be thought that simple figures, such as the squares, would be within the comprehension of uneducated Indians. It would nevertheless be found difficult to lay down upon open fields a square, with all the sides equal and its angles true right angles, containing so large an area as twenty acres.[28]