Bynum Mound and Village Site

Bynum Mound and Village Site consists of six burial mounds positioned on a low ridge overlooking Houlka Creek in the Tombigbee River drainage region. The mounds contain burial areas and settlement evidence from an ancient Native American community.

The site dates to the Middle Woodland period when a community lived here and buried their dead in mounds. The National Park Service excavated five mounds in the 1940s, documenting burial practices and artifacts from that era.

The site reveals evidence of far-reaching trade networks, with copper ornaments and greenstone tools showing connections to distant Native American groups. These objects demonstrate how communities across the region maintained contact and exchanged goods.

The site is located at milepost 232.4 along the Natchez Trace Parkway, making it easy to find and visit. Informational plaques provide explanations of the archaeological findings to help you understand the mounds.

One mound contained a log-lined crematory pit with twenty-nine polished greenstone items arranged in an L-shaped pattern beside human remains. This careful arrangement suggests deliberate ritual practice rather than random placement.