Mound C

During the archeological excavations conducted at Ocmulgee National Monument in the early 1930s, the significant colors and stages of the bisected Funeral Mound were revealed. Since neither black and white film nor the color film of the period could capture the distinctions and/or colors, Dr. Arthur R. Kelly, the senior archeologist on the project, commissioned Mrs. Carolyn Smith Meriwether to capture the distinct colors in this oil painting.

Currently the museum collection of Ocmulgee National Monument is comprised of 2,585,411 items. The bulk of this collection is archeological material and its associated archival documents. The collection contains artifacts collected primarily through large-scale excavations conducted between 1933 and 1941. The Smithsonian Institution administered the first excavations with Dr. Arthur R. Kelly and James A. Ford, who lead the combined labor force of the Smithsonian research team and the Civil Works Administration (CWA). The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) assumed archeological responsibilities from the CWA in 1934, but fieldwork continued under Dr. Kelly's guidance. Archeological research continued under the National Park Service from 1936 to1942 with continued involvement from FERA, CWA, and the Civilian Conservation Corp, uncovering both prehistoric and historic materials.