A religious structure once stood atop the Temple Mound and housed bones of previous chiefs (called Suns). A sacred perpetual fire was kept in the Temple’s inner sanctum, symbolic of the sun, from which the royal family had descended.
The 128-acre Grand Village site features a museum, a reconstructed Natchez Indian House, and three ceremonial mounds. Two of the mounds, the Great Sun’s Mound and the Temple Mound have been excavated and rebuilt to their original sizes and shapes. A third mound, called the Abandoned Mound, has been only partially excavated. After three major archaeological excavations at the Grand village by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, no more digging investigations are planned for the site. The unexcavated areas of the site will be preserved intact, representing a sort of “time capsule” from the Natchez Indians’ past.
On the nature trail, native trees, flowers, and shrubs are identified. The Visitor Center offers interpretive exhibits and a gift shop featuring Native American crafts. A “Touch Table” invites children to handle tools and other objects the Indians employed.
Hours are Monday – Saturday 9:00 am until 5:00 pm, Sunday 1:30 pm until 5:00 pm.
- 400 Jefferson Davis Boulevard
- Natchez, MS 39120
- Phone: (601) 446-6502
- Visit Website
