Large Hopewell Sioux Skeleton Found Within a Missouri Stone Vault

History of Boone County, Missouri 1882

   Along Roche Creek, starting from Perche Church and following the creek down about two miles, are numerous mounds, the work, undoubtedly, of the famed mound builders. These mounds are from three to six feet in height, and, on an average, are from 100 to 200 yards apart. They number about twenty well-defined specimens. Dr. Davis, of Sturgeon, and Wm. Powell opened one of these mounds on the farm of the latter. In the center they found a perfect vault, the roof of which was covered with stones. In this vault lay a large skeleton. It measured seven inches across the forehead and the size of the of the other bones were in proportion. More on Missouri's giants

Giant Skeleton with Infant Uncovered in Iowa by Road Crew

Giant Skeleton with Infant Uncovered in Iowa by Road Crew

The Evening Times (Washington, D.C.) August 17, 1897
WORKMEN UNEARTH SKELETONS
An Indian Giant and Infant Turned Up at Burlington
    Burlington, Iowa, Aug. 17 - A remarkable find was made by workman excavating for the road around North Main street bluff yesterday.  They turned up the complete skeleton of an Indian and an infant. The former was a giant at least seven feet tall.  With the skeleton were found a silver armlet, a spear head, pipe, knives, beads, a bridle bit and a quantity of silver and copper ornaments.

8 Giant Sioux Indians Buried in the Form of a Cross in Missouri Mound

8 Giant Sioux Indians Buried in the Form of a Cross in  a Missouri  Indian Mound

The Tarleton Cross in Ohio was constructed by the Hopewell Sioux.  The Sioux occupied the Ohio Valley fior almost 2,000 years before being expelled in 535 A.D.  Mound and burial types would reemerge to the west, in what would be known as the historic  Sioux homelands

The cross was symbolic of the Sun deity for the ancient Sioux Hopewell mound builders. 

The Southeast Missourian, Dec, 27, 1934
8 Giant Skeletons in Missouri Mound; Light on Past May Be Shed
   Springfield, Dec, 27 - Discovery of eight giant human skeletons arranged in four layers so tha each pair formed a cross, in a shallow Indian mound near here apparently sheds new light on the religious customs of prehistoric tribes who once inhabited the Ozarks,
     Rev. S.P.Newberry, Springeild archaeologists believed it highly probable that the crosses formed by the skeletons were of religious significance.
     "The Indian cross," he explained, "has always indicated a place of worship,  In this particular case it seems particular a reasonable supposition that the eight skeletons were those of the high priests of some cult and their attendants.
   It was the custom of some tribes to sacrifice a priest's attendants when the priest died, and to bury them with him. In the crook of an arm of one of the skeletons was found an ancient stone sacrificial bowl, with markings which were exactly like four strange idols recently discovered by Mr. Newberry in the Coleman cavern north of Springfield.