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Dr. Gregory L. Little | Denisonvan Origins: The Giants, The Mounds, & The Path of Souls
Life Soul versus Free Soul in Mound Builder Beliefs
The mound builder cosmology distinguishes between the "life soul," which represents the physical body and returns to the earth, and the "free soul," which carries the individual's personality. Artifacts such as drinking bowls depict these concepts through specific imagery, like skulls with fire or speech boxes emerging from the mouth. The free soul is believed to undergo a moral judgment before embarking on a celestial journey.