Shrum Mound
The Shrum Mound located in Campbell Park is one of the only remaining conical mounds built by the Adena culture in Columbus area. The location selected for these mounds would often be selectively chosen near major waterways such as the mound here near the Scioto River. The larger mounds would most likely be used to entomb multiple graves that were added over a period of time with additional earth added for each burial, eventually resulting in large earthworks. The size of the Shrum Mound indicates it was in a highly populated area perhaps 2,000 years ago.
The Adena mounds were built with stone and thousands of baskets of graded soil.
Soil gradation is a classification of a coarse-grained soil that ranks the soil based on the different particle sizes contained in the soil. Soil is graded as either well graded or poorly graded. A well graded soil is a soil that contains particles of a wide range of sizes and has a good representation of all sizes. While a poorly graded soil is a soil that does not have a good representation of all sizes of particles.
External characteristics of different graded soil types: Well graded soils are preferred for construction because it can be easily compacted into dense mass with minimum voids. The solid mass is denser because of the interlocking of the particles which enable it to support heavier loads. Poorly graded soils are more susceptible to soil liquefaction than well graded soils which can occur when partially saturated soil substantially loses strength and stiffness in response to an applied stress such as shaking during an earthquake or other sudden change in stress condition.
Please follow all the park rules. The park is open to the public during daylight hours to explore and learn through reading and observation; however, please do not damage the natural grounds in any way (see park sign and rules at this location).
To log this Earthcache you will need to complete the following requirements. Please answer the following questions based on the information in the historical marker, reading the Earthcache description above, and your own corresponding observations.
- What is the major geological feature the mound is built on?
- Given the information above about the external characteristics of different grades of soil and your observations walking around the mound what type of graded soil was likely used in the process of building the mound and why ?
- Estimate the height and diameter of the mound?
Optional:
Take your picture in front of Shrum Mound and upload the picture along with your log.
Sources: https://www.ohiohistory.org/visit/museum-and-site-locator/shrum-mound
https://ohio.org/wps/portal/gov/tourism/things-to-do/destinations/shrum-mound
https://www.vamonde.com/posts/shrum-mound/2337
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adena_culture
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_gradation