Emerald Mound near the Natchez Trace Parkway

Emerald Mound is located about a mile off of the Natchez Trace Parkway and is open from sunrise to sunset every day. Turn north onto Highway 533, and when the road splits three ways, take the center road, Emerald Mound Road. A sign on the Parkway indicates when to turn, but there are no directional signs at the three-way split.

Emerald Mound is the second largest Indian mound in existence that was built during the period known as the Mississippian Era, a time when nomadic hunters and gatherers transitioned into a farming lifestyle, settling along the banks of the Mississippi, Tennessee, and other southeastern rivers. This occurred between 1000 and 1700 AD. Emerald Mound is thought to have been built around 1200 AD and used throughout the early 1700s.

Before you get all excited about an Indian mound, realize that these are nothing more than man-made hills. You won’t find artifacts or bones or anything else interesting, just an artificial hill. While it is commonly thought that all Indian mounds are burial mounds, most are simply platforms on which temples or upper class houses were built. Emerald Mound is thought to have been a ceremonial mound. Its elevation allowed the rulers to look out over the city. Just as today, when it comes to real estate, higher elevations are often more desirable. The U. S. Capitol building is located on a hill, and million-dollar mansions are often constructed on hills that offer a commanding view of the surrounding area.

The Emerald Mound complex was comprised of one large, base mound with eight smaller mounds built on top of it, though only two survive today. The base mound is as large as six football fields and is 35 feet tall. It most likely served as a plaza. A rather steep, paved path leads to the top. For those who do not want to walk, you can pull up in your car, look out the window, and drive on, which is what most people did who came by while I was there. A trip to the top, with time to get some photos, takes about 20 minutes.