Lanford Wilson's The Mound Builders (Broadway Theatre Archive)

Rating:
Summary: Very educational, but not boring!
Review: The eastern half of the United States is dotted with thousands of ancient earthworks, most of them flat-topped pyramids, but some zoomorphic in design. These earth mounds were built by the Adena, Hopewell, and Mississippian Cultures that had all nearly vanished by the 1500's. This History Channel production gives the viewer a basic understanding of these mounds and the people who built them, as well as why they were built. It was interesting to hear the "theories" of early Anglo scientists as to the origins of these mounds! Because of racism, it was believed that anyone BUT Native Americans had built the mounds, from the lost tribes of Israel to Egyptians and Mayans to lost Welshmen (? )! This documentary moves at a pretty good pace and isn't dull, and covers a few of the major mound sites in the country, such as the Cahokia site in Illinois and several sites in Alabama and Georgia. If there are mounds in your area, watch this video and then go see the actual earthworks yourself. I guarantee you will be impressed!

Rating:
Summary: Very educational, but not boring!
Review: The eastern half of the United States is dotted with thousands of ancient earthworks, most of them flat-topped pyramids, but some zoomorphic in design. These earth mounds were built by the Adena, Hopewell, and Mississippian Cultures that had all nearly vanished by the 1500's. This History Channel production gives the viewer a basic understanding of these mounds and the people who built them, as well as why they were built. It was interesting to hear the "theories" of early Anglo scientists as to the origins of these mounds! Because of racism, it was believed that anyone BUT Native Americans had built the mounds, from the lost tribes of Israel to Egyptians and Mayans to lost Welshmen (? )! This documentary moves at a pretty good pace and isn't dull, and covers a few of the major mound sites in the country, such as the Cahokia site in Illinois and several sites in Alabama and Georgia. If there are mounds in your area, watch this video and then go see the actual earthworks yourself. I guarantee you will be impressed!