The circular, square, and octagonal earthworks of Ohio / by Cyrus Thomas.

  • Thomas, Cyrus, 1825-1910.
Date:
1889
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The circular, square, and octagonal earthworks of Ohio / by Cyrus Thomas. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    1,054 feet. The widest divergence between the line of the survey and the circumference of tire true circle is 4 feet. The aggregate length of the chords surveyed is 3,304 feet, while the circumference of the approximate circle is 3,311 feet; adding to the sum of the chords the additional length of the arcs they subtend (0.1508 of a foot to each 100-foot chord), and we have a total of 3,309 feet. It is therefore evident that the inclosure approaches in form very nearly an absolute circle. The inference to be drawn from the fact that this and a few other in¬ closures noticed in this paper are so nearly true geometrical figures will be briefly discussed hereafter. “ OCTAGON,” NEWARK, OHIO. This inclosure, which is connected with the u Observatory Circle,?? is shown in PL IY. The southern portions, a to b, and b to c, remain almost uninjured, being still more or less covered by the original forest growth. The other lines of wall have been considerably worn by the plow, though they are still quite distinct, the height not being less at any point than 2J feet as shown by the figures of the field-notes. Nev¬ ertheless the wearing makes it difficult, often impossible, to determine with absolute certainty the middle line, though there is never any good reason why the survey should vary from the middle line of this or any other of these Ohio inclosures, distinctly traceable, more than 3 feet at most. The field-notes of the survey are as follows: Commencing at station No. 3G (so numbered in the survey of the Observatory Circle) at the point where the northern parallel joins the Octagon 5 thence to station 37, the point where the southern parallel joins the Octagon, thence to b and rou^d to the place of beginning. Survey of the Octagon. Station. 36 to 37 37 to b. b to c . c to d. d to e . e to/. / g . g to h. h to 37 Bearing. Distance. Width of wall. Height of wall. # 0 t Feet. Feet. Feet. S. 36 32 E. 82 S. 49 41 E..... 580 40 to 43 5. 7 to 4. 5 1ST. 64 18 E. 624. 5 37 to 48 4.3 to 4. 2 N. 39 50 E .. 625 47 to 39 5. 9 to 5. 8 N. 25 28 W.. 622 41 to 50 3.4 to 3. 5 N. 51 32 W.... 621 40 to 37 2.5 to 2.6 S. 65 40 W... 613 47 to 43 3. 8 to 4 S. 39 15 W... 621. 5 45 to 47 4. 3 to 4 S. 25 40 E. 581. 5 43 to 41 3, 8 to 3. 7 The two numbers to each course in the width and height columns are two measurements of each wall near the ends in the direction of the survey. The stations indicated by letters are at the intersections of the lines of the walls : Station a is at the intersection of the lines h-3G and 37-5. 118G7-2