Indian Mounds of Wisconsin

By: Robert A. Birmingham, Amy L. Rosebrough

Narrated by: Jesse Werner

More mounds were built by ancient Native Americans in Wisconsin than in any other region of North America—between 15,000 and 20,000, at least 4,000 of which remain today. Most impressive are the effigy mounds, huge earthworks sculpted in the shapes of thunderbirds, water panthers, and other forms, not found anywhere else in the world in such concentrations. This second edition of Indian Mounds of Wisconsin is updated throughout, incorporating exciting new research and satellite imagery. Written for general listeners, it offers a comprehensive overview of these intriguing earthworks.

Citing evidence from past excavations, ethnography, the traditions of present-day Native Americans in the Midwest, ground-penetrating radar and LIDAR imaging, and recent findings of other archaeologists, Robert A. Birmingham and Amy L. Rosebrough argue that effigy mound groups are cosmological maps that model belief systems and relations with the spirit world. The authors advocate for their preservation and emphasize that Native peoples consider the mounds sacred places.

The book is published by University of Wisconsin Press. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks.

©2000, 2017 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System (P)2026 Redwood Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Details 2,000 years of history, from pre-mound-builder groups to the modern era. ... Important and necessary." (Booklist)

"The challenge of explaining Wisconsin's Indian mounds has been met. ...remarkable book." (Historical Geography)