Middle Fort Ditch Construction
Archaeologists cite three reasons why “Fort” Ancient is not a fortification. First, there is no evidence that a large number of people lived inside the earthworks, definitely not the thousands needed to defend such a large area. Second, there are 67 openings in the earthen walls with no known way to close them. Finally, the ditch is on the inside of the walls not the outside where it would be an effective defense.
The purpose of the interior ditch is unknown. The ditch probably provided soil for the construction of the earth walls and may be only a borrow pit. It may have served as a water collection area. Early records indicate that a spring once fed water into the ditch. It has also been suggested that water had an important symbolic relationship with American Indian religion.
Courtesy hmdb.org
