Ep 75 Spiro Mounds

This week, Jess take us to one of Oklahoma’s oldest Native American sites. Spiro Mounds is a significant prehistoric Native American site, evolved from a small village to a key center during the Mississippian Culture era. The site consisted of twelve mounds, ceremonial spaces, and a support city for Caddoan-speaking leaders. Notable for its wealth and artifacts, especially from the burial mound Craig Mound, Spiro Mounds attracted interest but faced looting in the 1930s. Efforts in the 1930s and later by the University of Oklahoma and Works Progress Administration involved excavations that revealed rich burials, artifacts, and the site's historical importance. But we are here for the kooky and spooky this week! The Spiro Mounds site, aligned with the equinox, showcased remarkable artifacts, including effigy pipes and treasures unearthed in the Great Mortuary Mound. While celebrated for its archaeological richness, the site also carried eerie legends of phantom wagons, mysterious occurrences, and a rumored curse akin to King Tut's tomb. Despite challenges like looting and destruction, ongoing efforts by various institutions aim to preserve and repatriate artifacts. So follow along, or go visit, if you dare… Sources: Haunted Oklahoma by Jeff Provine Myths and Mysteries of Oklahoma by Robert L. Dorman Weird Oklahoma by Wesley Treat Tulsa’s Haunted Memories by Teri French Oklahoma Historical Society https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=SP012 https://www.okhistory.org/sites/spiromounds  Travel Oklahoma OnlyInYourState  The Oklahoman  Cowboys & Indians Magazine