In January 2020, news broke of a potential discovery made by LSU geologist Brooks Ellwood. He claimed to have uncovered evidence that questioned widely held beliefs about the age of the mounds on campus. This August, his conclusions were confirmed.
It had long been held that the origin of the mounds could be dated to approximately 6,100 years ago—nothing to scoff at. Stonehenge and the Pyramids would be young in comparison. However, Ellwood posited that the mounds could be dated to as early as 11,000 years ago, making the mounds the oldest in tact man-made structure in the Americas.
For decades, even with knowledge of their ancient status, the mounds have been neglected by the university to an embarrassing extent. Sitting unprotected and without adequate signage, they were subjected to extensive foot traffic in the form of tailgaters, student sunbathers and the much-beloved alumni tradition of cardboard box sledding.
As innocent as the intentions of the individuals involved in the above actions may have been, the university’s persistent lack of action displayed disrespect for local indigenous history and a wasteful mishandling of an incomparable educational resource.
Though, at the time, Ellwood’s hypothesis still required official publication and accompanying peer review, the announcement seemed to energize efforts for ensuring the site’s preservation. In the two years since, numerous pro-mound initiatives have emerged with the hopes of achieving both physical protection and increased awareness for the site.
Student Government, the Native American Student Organization and the LSU Ethics Institute have all been leaders on the pedagogical front—putting on lecture series, hosting panels and arguing that the mounds should have priority on the administrative docket.
Moreover, as many have probably noticed, a chain-link fence has been propped around the site, keeping foot traffic off and from in between the mounds. While it is clearly temporary, it fortunately seems to be more permanent than the old fences that would just come up around game days. Let’s hope this holds out until something truly permanent can be built in its place.
A substantial amount of valuable information can also now be found on the university’s website. It nicely details the history of the mounds, their cultural significance and plans for more substantial protection down the road—all of this infused with a refreshing sense of self-awareness regarding past negligence.
However, perhaps the most promising sign of this pro-mound shift has been the genuine increase in sensitivity to the site that I’ve noticed among my classmates.
A student body that, in 2019, seemed largely apathetic to the condition of what many knew as little more than a strange pair of hills now seems, at least in my experience, significantly more aware of the mounds’ significance and their need for protection.
Of course, it’s impossible to generalize about a student body the size of LSU’s. There are almost certainly significant cohorts of students who have no idea what the mounds are or why the large chain-link fence blocking their route to the quad is an inconvenience worth putting up with. Nevertheless, I remain convinced that legitimate progress has been made.
Strong student sympathy for the site’s preservation seems crucial for ensuring that the administration remains committed to the issue. Any increase in support is a welcome and important step forward.
The peer-reviewed results of Ellwood’s research were finally released a few weeks ago.
He was right. In an article published in Yale University’s “American Journal of Science,” Ellwood and a team of colleagues successfully date the beginning of the oldest of the two mounds’ construction to around 11,000 years ago. It’s officially the oldest standing man-made structure in the Western Hemisphere.
It’s difficult to emphasize that last point enough. The oldest known man-made structure in the entirety of the Americas sits on our campus. We work and study in the shadow of an essential piece of the ever-complex puzzle of human history.
Prominent media outlets seem to have acknowledged the significance of this discovery. Naturally, the vanguard of local news has taken notice, with WWL, WGNO and The Advocate all running stories on the finding. National media has taken notice, too, with Yahoo News and MSN both picking up the story.
These recent developments seem, in many ways, like the triumphant culmination of a critical chapter in the history of how the university thinks and acts regarding the mounds. At least, I’m hopeful that they are.
The national spotlight is on us as a campus community. Let’s do the right thing. We seem to be headed in the right direction.
Evan Leonhard is a 21-year-old English senior from New Orleans.
