Pharr Mounds

Pharr Mounds is an archaeological site in northern Mississippi containing eight dome-shaped burial mounds of varying sizes spread across 36 hectares (90 acres). The largest mound reaches about 61 meters (200 feet) in diameter and rises visibly above the surrounding landscape.

The mounds were built between 1 and 200 CE during the Miller culture period as burial grounds for mobile Native American groups. This era marks a significant phase of mound-building traditions in the region.

The site reveals trade connections between distant regions through copper, greenstone, and mica objects discovered during excavations. These items show that local communities maintained links with peoples living far away.

The site sits at mile marker 286.7 of the Natchez Trace Parkway, roughly 37 kilometers (23 miles) northeast of Tupelo. The grounds are open to visitors and feature educational information about the burial practices of ancient communities.

Four of the eight mounds contain fire pits and clay platforms at their base, where both cremated and non-cremated human remains were discovered. These variations in burial methods reveal the diversity of mortuary practices among these early peoples.