The Problem of the Ohio Mounds

"The Problem of the Ohio Mounds" by Cyrus Thomas is a historical investigation into the mystery surrounding the ancient mounds of Ohio. The book suggests that the mounds were constructed by Native American tribes, particularly the ancestors of the Cherokees. Thomas challenges other explanations attributing the mounds to lost races or cultures based on historical and archaeological proof. The book begins by questioning who built the mounds and then argues that the mounds were not built by an extinct civilization, but by native tribes still present when Europeans arrived. By focusing on the links between the mounds and various tribes, using burial customs, artifacts, and cultural practices, the author attempts to support the theory that the mound builders were indigenous peoples.