Platform
Origin
Middle French plate-forme diagram, map, literally, flat form
Definitions
- 1: plan, design
- 2: a declaration of the principles on which a group of persons stands; especially : a declaration of principles and policies adopted by a political party or a candidate
- 3a (1) : a usually raised horizontal flat surface; especially : a raised flooring (2) : a device or structure incorporating or providing a platform; especially : such a structure on legs used for offshore drilling (as for oil)
- b : a place or opportunity for public discussion
- 4a : a usually thick layer (as of cork) between the inner sole and outer sole of a shoe
- b : a shoe having such a sole
- 5: a : a vehicle (as a satellite or aircraft) used for a particular purpose or to carry a usually specified kind of equipment
- b : operating system; also : the computer architecture and equipment using a particular operating system
Description
A platform mound is any earthwork or mound intended to support a structure or activity.
The indigenous peoples of North America built substructure mounds for well over a thousand years starting in the Archaic period and continuing through the Woodland period. Many different archaeological cultures (Poverty Point culture, Troyville culture, Coles Creek culture, Plaquemine culture and Mississippian culture) of North Americas Eastern Woodlands are specifically well known for using platform mounds as a central aspect of their overarching religious practices and beliefs. These platform mounds are usually four-sided truncated pyramids, steeply sided, with steps built of wooden logs ascending one side of the earthworks. When European first arrived in North America, the peoples of the Mississippian culture were still using and building platform mounds. Documented uses for Mississippian platform mounds include semi-public chief's house platforms, public temple platforms, mortuary platforms, charnel house platforms, earth lodge/town house platforms, residence platforms, square ground and rotunda platforms, and dance platforms.
Mound C at Etowah Mounds has been found to have more than 100 intrusive burials into the final layer of the mound, with many grave goods such as repoussé plates of beaten copper, monolithic stone axes, ceremonial pottery and carved whelk shell gorgets. Also interred in this mound was a paired set of white marble Mississippian stone statues.[1]
