The Builders of the Mounds

BirdMan Mound - Devil's Lake (Baraboo, Wisconsin)

The Bird Man Mound at Devil's Lake in Wisconsin is an interesting mound for a few reasons. First and foremost because it is not like the other thunderbird mounds found in that region. The reason is that this one is is a man taking the form of a bird (or vice versa) and not just a bird. Simply put, I believe this is less the effigy of a bird, than of a person (or shaman) and his powers in the sky spirit.

Second, there is evidence of the same type of mound being built for a person with earth spirit powers, and that is the Man Mound, found just a stone's throw away on top of a hill in Sauk County, Wisconsin.

Third, click here to see the "birdman" effigy in use at Safe Harbor - - Pennsylvania.

~~ I believe that this very well may be a clue to some migration patterns of other cultures that we did not expect to find on the Susquehanna. This is because the Winnebagos (later called Ho-Chunks) ancestors are of the Fort Ancient Culture are said to be responsible for making effigy mounds such as the Serpent Mound in Ohio as well as the the Bird man and Earth man mounds and other in Wisconsin. Strangely this culture has never before been associated with any of the effigy petroglyphs in PA that I am aware of, (Click here to view the birdman petroglyphs now!)  and I have to tell you that I will find it hard to believe there is another explanation for the same image being used in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

At any rate - here is the video of my visit to the Bird Man Mound at Devil's lake in Baraboo WIsconsin:

Here is a list of all videos accessible from this section and concerning the Effigy Mound Culture in Wisconsin and Ohio.

1.) Water Panther (Spirit) effigy Mound Madison, WI

2.) Thunderbird Effigy Mound- University of Wisconsin.

3.) Devil's Lake and the Legend

4.) Linear and Bear Effigy Mound, Devil's Lake

5.) Man-Mound Effigy Mound in Sauk County Wisconsin

6.) Bird-Man Mound, Baraboo Wisconsin

7.) Alligator Mound, Licking County, Ohio

8.) Serpent Mound, Licking County, Ohio