Scene 20 - Huge Mound and the Manner of Opening Them
Scene 20: Huge Mound and the Manner of Opening Them is the latest scene to undergo conservation in the special exhibition gallery. It depicts the excavation of an earthen mound in progress.
This is arguably the most important scene in The Panorama of the Monumental Grandeur of the Mississippi Valley. As noted earlier, Dickeson was ahead of many of his fellow amateur archaeologists in his recognition of the importance of stratigraphy, the layers of material that make up an archaeological site. Scene 20 is a vibrant illustration of this interest in stratigraphy, and serves as an unique window into the development of American archaeology. John. J. Egan painted the scene from Dickeson’s field sketches, several of which can be seen in the exhibition.
The scene is in fairly good condition, so it will only be on view for about a week. Come take a look while it’s up!
