DePrato Mounds, Archaeological mound complex in Concordia Parish, Louisiana, United States.
DePrato Mounds is an archaeological site with five dome-shaped earthen mounds located in Concordia Parish near where Black Bayou and Bayou Cocodrie meet. The structures occupy about four acres and were constructed by Native American peoples in the region.
Archaeological research indicates that Native Americans constructed these mounds around 600 CE during the Troyville period. Radiocarbon testing and analysis of decorated pottery provide evidence of when and by whom the site was built.
The discovery of human remains within three mounds demonstrates the complex burial practices and ceremonial activities of early Mississippi Valley inhabitants.
The site is accessible by car and located a short distance west of Ferriday along US 84. A marker on the roadside helps identify the exact location of the mounds.
Repeated flooding over centuries has deposited about three feet of sediment around the base of the mounds. This makes them appear noticeably shorter than they were when originally built at five to six feet tall.
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