The Florence Mound was built in layers, or stages, between ca. AD 0 to 400. At 43 feet, it is the tallest earthwork in the Tennessee River Valley. An earthen wall nearly 12 feet in height encircled the mound. There is no indication houses or other structures were built atop the mound, and its primary function is unclear. Archaeological evidence suggests it was a focal point for feasting rituals and other shorter-term gatherings or activities. The Florence Mound was likely a primary center of the Copena Culture during the Woodland period. A distinguishing feature of the Copena Culture was its emphasis on mortuary customs. Although no burials have been found from the mound to date, archaeologists suggest it is likely the mound contains human interments. While early drawings depict a six-sided mound, the Florence Mound has only four sides today. Destructive farming practices and land use by early white residents of Florence may account for this change. White settlers in Florence recognized that the mound was built by native people. Still, they farmed and developed the adjacent area, as well as the mound itself. A farmhouse once stood atop the mound. Residents kept vegetable gardens on the slopes.

Photo: Sandra Hughes Tidwell

Florence, Alabama · USA