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diff --git a/41557-8.txt b/41557-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 274cb94..0000000 --- a/41557-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6436 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Burial Mounds of the Northern Sections of -the United States, by Cyrus Thomas - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Burial Mounds of the Northern Sections of the United States - -Author: Cyrus Thomas - -Release Date: December 4, 2012 [EBook #41557] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BURIAL MOUNDS, NORTHERN SECTIONS OF US *** - - - - -Produced by Aleka McAdams, PM for Bureau of American -Ethnology, First-Hand-History and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by the -Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica) at -http://gallica.bnf.fr) - - - - - - - - - -Transcriber's Note: - -This paper is a part of the Fifth Annual Report of the Bureau of -Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1883-1884, -Government Printing Office, Washington, 1887, pages 3-120. The index -has been extracted from the volume index. - -Minor printing errors have been corrected in this version and are listed -below. - - p72: Inserted the first word of the sentence beginning "A section of - this bed...." - p73: "thichness" changed to "thickness" - p78: "victoms" changed to "victims" - p88: "throughot" changed to "throughout" - p114: "quelqu'vn" changed to "quelqu'un" - Footnote [29]: "Smithonian" changed to "Smithsonian" - Footnote [45]: "Vol," changed to "Vol." - -The oe ligature has been represented in this version by [oe], e.g. -M[oe]urs. In the supplemental note (page 112), a character appearing to -be an o with a u above it is used. This has been transcribed as [uo]. - - - - -SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION--BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY. - - BURIAL MOUNDS - OF THE - NORTHERN SECTIONS OF THE UNITED STATES. - - BY - - PROF. CYRUS THOMAS. - - - - -CONTENTS. - - - Page. - - Introductory 9 - - Burial mounds of the Wisconsin district 14 - - Burial mounds of the Illinois or Upper Mississippi district 24 - - The Ohio district 45 - - The Appalachian district 61 - - The Cherokees probably mound-builders 87 - - Concluding remarks 108 - - Supplemental note 110 - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS. - - - Page. - - PLATE I. Group of earthworks, Allamakee County, Iowa. 26 - - II. Enlarged figure and section of earthwork A, Pl. I. 30 - - III. Group of mounds and vertical section of bluff, - East Dubuque, Illinois. 36 - - IV. A mound. (From DeBry). 40 - - V. Plat of ancient works, Kanawha County, - West Virginia. 54 - - VI. Enlarged plan of part of the works shown in Plate V. 58 - - - FIG. 1. Section of mound near Racine, Wisconsin. - (After Lapham). 14 - - 2. Section of burial mound. Vernon County, Wisconsin. 15 - - 3. Earthen pot from Wisconsin burial mound. 16 - - 4. Section of burial mound. Crawford County, Wisconsin. 17 - - 5. Section of burial mound. Crawford County, Wisconsin. 18 - - 6. Section of burial mound. Vernon County, Wisconsin. 20 - - 7. Section of burial mound. Davenport, Iowa. 24 - - 8. Section of mound showing stone vault. Iowa. 31 - - 9. Plat of Indian burying ground. Wapello County, Iowa. 33 - - 10. Section of mound 4. East Dubuque, Illinois. 36 - - 11. Section of mound 16 (Plate III), showing vault. 37 - - 12. Plan of vault, mound 16 (Plate III). 37 - - 13. Pipe from Illinois mound. (From Smithsonian Report, - 1884). 38 - - 14. Pipe from Illinois mound. (From Smithsonian Report, - 1884). 38 - - 15. Pipe from Illinois mound. (From Smithsonian Report, - 1884). 38 - - 16. Group of mounds. Brown County, Illinois. 40 - - 17. Form of the larger mounds of the preceding group. 41 - - 18. Groups of mounds. Clarke County, Missouri. 43 - - 19. Ohio burial mound. (After Squier and Davis). 46 - - 20. Wooden vault of Ohio mound. (After Squier and Davis). 46 - - 21. Copper gorget from mound. Kanawha County, - West Virginia. 52 - - 22. Pipe from mound. Kanawha County, West Virginia. 53 - - 23. Pipe from Ohio mound. 53 - - 24. Mound with so-called "altar." Kanawha County, - West Virginia. 57 - - 25. T. F. Nelson mound. Caldwell County. North Carolina. 62 - - 26. T. F. Nelson triangle. Caldwell County, - North Carolina. 63 - - 27. Engraved shell gorget. Caldwell County, North Carolina. 64 - - 28. Cylindrical copper bead. Caldwell County, - North Carolina. 65 - - 29. Bracelet of copper and shell beads. Caldwell County, - North Carolina. 65 - - 30. Iron implement. Caldwell County, North Carolina. 65 - - 31. Iron implement. Caldwell County, North Carolina. 66 - - 32. W. D. Jones mound. Caldwell County, North Carolina. 67 - - 33. Plan of the R. T. Lenoir burial pit, Caldwell County, - North Carolina. 69 - - 34. Fire-bed. Wilkes County, North Carolina. 72 - - 35. Section of mound. Henderson County, North Carolina. 74 - - 36. Section of mound. Henderson County, North Carolina. 75 - - 37. Plan of burials in mound. Sullivan County, Tennessee. 76 - - 38. Pipe from mound. Sullivan County, Tennessee. 76 - - 39. Large mound of Etowah group. Bartow County, Georgia. 96 - - 40. Vertical section of small mound, same group. 97 - - 41. Plan of burials in same mound. 98 - - 42. Copper plate from Etowah mound. Georgia. 100 - - 43. Copper plate from Etowah mound. Georgia. 101 - - 44. Copper badge from Etowah mound. Georgia. 102 - - 45. Copper badge from Etowah mound. Georgia. 103 - - 46. Engraved shell from Etowah mound. Georgia. 103 - - 47. Engraved shell from Etowah mound. Georgia. 104 - - 48. Copper plate from Illinois mound. 105 - - 49. Copper plate from Indian grave. Illinois. 106 - - - - -BURIAL MOUNDS OF THE NORTHERN SECTIONS OF THE UNITED STATES. - -BY CYRUS THOMAS, PH.D. - - - - -INTRODUCTORY. - - -All the works of the mound-builders of our country are exceedingly -interesting to the antiquarian and are valuable as illustrating the -habits, customs, and condition of the people by whom they were formed, -but the sepulchral tumuli surpass all others in importance in this -respect. Although usually simple in form and conveying thereby no -indications of the characteristics of the people by whom they were -erected, yet when explored they reveal to us, by their internal -structure and contents, more in regard to the habits, beliefs, and art -of their authors than can be learned from all their other works -combined. From them we are enabled to learn some traits of ethnical -character. The gifts to, or property of, their dead deposited in these -sepulchers illustrate their arts and customs and cast some rays of light -into their homes and daily life, and the regard for their dead indicated -by the remaining evidences of their modes of burial and sepulchral rites -affords some glimpses of their religious beliefs and superstitions. The -larger and more imposing works, as the pyramidal mounds, the enclosures, -canals, etc., furnish indications of their character, condition, -strength, and culture-status as a people or tribe, but the burial mounds -and their contents, besides the evidences they furnish in regard to the -religious belief and art of the builders, tell us something of -individual traits, something of their social life, their tastes, their -personal regard for each other, and even something of the diseases to -which they were subject. What is still more important, the modes of -burial and vestiges of art found with the dead furnish us undoubted -evidences of tribal distinctions among the authors of these works, and, -together with the differences in external form, enable us to determine -in a general way the respective areas occupied by the different tribes -or peoples during the mound-building age. - -Judging by all the data so far obtained relating to the form, internal -structure, and contents of these works, much of which has not yet been -published, we are perhaps warranted in concluding that the following -districts or areas were occupied by different peoples or tribes. As a -matter of course we can only designate these areas in general terms. - -(1) The _Wisconsin district_, or area of the emblematic or effigy -mounds. This embraces the southern half of Wisconsin, a small portion of -the northern part of Illinois, and the extreme northeast corner of -Iowa. The effigy or animal mounds form the distinguishing feature of the -works of this district, but aside from these there are other features -sufficient to separate the works of this section from those further -south. - -(2) The _Illinois_ or _Upper Mississippi district_, embracing eastern -Iowa, northeastern Missouri, and northern and central Illinois, as far -south as the mouth of the Illinois River. - -In this region the works are mostly simple conical tumuli of small or -moderate size, found on the uplands, ridges, and bluffs as well as on -the bottoms, and were evidently intended chiefly as depositories of the -dead. They are further characterized by internal rude stone and wooden -vaults or layers; by the scarcity of pottery vessels, the frequent -occurrence of pipes, the presence of copper axes, and often a hard, -mortar-like layer over the primary or original burial. The skeletons -found are usually extended, though frequently in a sitting or squatting -posture. - -Walls and enclosures are of rare occurrence in this region. - -(3) The _Ohio district_, including the State of Ohio, the western part -of West Virginia, and the eastern portion of Indiana. Although the works -of this region present some features which are common to those of the -Gulf section, there are several peculiar characteristics which warrant -us in designating it as a distinct district. Among other of these -peculiar features we notice the great circles and squares of the -enclosures, the long parallel lines of earthen walls, the so-called -"altar mounds," or mounds containing structures chiefly of clay to which -the name "altar" has been applied; the numerous carved stone pipes; the -character of the pottery and the methods of burial. - -(4) The _New York district_, confined chiefly to the northern and -western parts of the State of New York, but including also the lake -region of the central portion. - -As the antiquities of this district have been shown by Squier to be -chiefly due to the Indian tribes occupying that section at the time of -its discovery by the Europeans, it is unnecessary to note the -distinguishing characteristics. The works are chiefly enclosing walls, -remains of palisades, and burial mounds. - -(5) The _Appalachian district_, including western North Carolina, -eastern Tennessee, southwestern Virginia, and part of southeastern -Kentucky. - -The characteristics which appear to warrant us in concluding that the -works of this region pertain to a different people from those in the -other districts, at the same time seem to show some relation to those of -the Ohio district. Such are the numerous stone pipes, the altar-like -structures found in some of the mounds, and the presence of mica plates -with the skeletons. But the peculiar features are the mode of burial, -the absence of pottery, and the numerous polished celts and engraved -shells found in the mounds. - -Although it is probable that there are at least three districts in the -southern portion of the United States, they appear to pass from one into -the other by such slight changes in the character of the works as to -render it exceedingly difficult to fix the boundaries between them. I -therefore mention the following, provisionally, as being those indicated -by the data so far obtained. - -(6) The _Middle Mississippi area_ or _Tennessee district_, including -southeast Missouri, northern Arkansas, middle and western Tennessee, -southern and western Kentucky, and southern Illinois. The works of the -Wabash valley possibly belong also to this district, but the data -obtained in regard to them are not sufficient to decide this point -satisfactorily. This district, like the others of the south, is -distinguished from the northern section by its larger mounds, many of -which are pyramidal and truncated and often terraced, and which were, -beyond question, used as domiciliary mounds. Here we also meet with -repeated examples of enclosures though essentially different from those -of Ohio; also ditches and canals. From the Lower Mississippi and Gulf -districts, with which, as we have said, it is closely allied, it is -distinguished chiefly by the presence of the box-shaped stone cists or -coffins, by the small circular house-sites or hut-rings, and by the -character of the pottery. This is pre-eminently the pottery region, the -typical forms being the long-necked, gourd-shaped vase and the -image-vessels. In this district the carved stone pipes are much less -common than in the Illinois, Ohio, and Appalachian districts. - -(7) The _Lower Mississippi district_, including the southern half of -Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. There are no marked -characteristics by which to distinguish it from the Middle district; in -fact as we move southward along the Mississippi from the mouth of the -Illinois river, the works and their contents indicate a succession of -tribes differing but slightly in habits, customs, and modes of life, the -river generally forming one natural boundary between them, but the other -boundaries being arbitrary. For example, the Cahokia region appears to -have been the home of a tribe from which at one time a colony pushed -northward and settled for a while in Brown and Pike Counties, Illinois. -The extreme southeastern counties of Missouri were probably the seat of -another populous tribe which extended its borders into the western part -of southern Illinois and slightly into northeast Arkansas, and closely -resembled in customs and art the ancient people who occupied that part -of the Cumberland valley in middle Tennessee. This subsection is -principally distinguished by the presence of the small circular -house-sites, which are slightly basin-shaped, with a low ring of earth -around them. As we move farther southward into Arkansas the house-sites -change into low circular mounds, usually from 1 to 3 feet in height, and -in nearly every instance containing a layer of clay (often burned) and -ashes. - -These small mounds, which are clearly shown to have been house-sites, -were also burial places. It appears to have been a very common custom in -this section to bury the dead in the floor, burn the dwelling over them, -and cover the whole with dirt, the last operation often taking place -while the embers were yet smouldering. Burial in graves was also -practiced to a considerable extent. As we approach the Arkansas River, -moving southward and from thence into Louisiana, the pottery shows a -decided improvement in character and ornamentation. - -(8) The _Gulf district_, including the Gulf States east of the -Mississippi. The works of this section appear to be closely allied to -those of the Lower Mississippi district, as here we also find the large -flat-topped pyramidal mounds, enclosing walls, and surrounding ditches -and canals. - -The chief differences are to be found in the forms and ornamentation of -the pottery and modes of burial. - -As we approach the Mississippi River the distinguishing features -gradually disappear, although there appears to be a distinct subdistrict -in the northern part of Mississippi, and as we enter the Florida -peninsula a change is observed which appears to indicate a different -people, but the data so far obtained are not sufficient to enable us to -outline the subdistricts. - -This districting is to be regarded as a working hypothesis rather than -as a settled conclusion which will stand the test of future -investigations. It is more than likely that other subdivisions will be -found necessary, and that the boundaries of some of the districts given -will have to be more or less modified; still, I believe the arrangement -will be found substantially correct. - -As a very general and almost universal rule, mounds of the class under -consideration are more or less conical in form, and are common to all -sections where earthworks are known to exist, in fact they form almost -the only ancient remains of some localities. Often they are isolated, -with no other monuments near them, but more frequently they occur in -groups or are associated with other works. Squier and Davis say "they -are generally of considerable size, varying from 6 to 80 feet in height, -but having an average of from 15 to 25 feet."[1] - -This is probably true in regard to the mounds explored by these -archaeologists in Ohio, but is erroneous if applied generally; as very -many, evidently used and intended as burying places only, are but two or -three feet high, and so far as the more recent examinations made in -other sections--especially the explorations carried on under the Bureau -of Ethnology--have shown, tumuli of this character are usually from 3 to -10 feet high, though some, it is true, are of much larger dimensions; -but these are the exceptions and not the rule.[2] - -As the authors just alluded to are so frequently referred to by writers, -and their statements in reference to the works explored by them are -taken as of general application, I will venture to correct another -statement made by them in regard to mounds of this character. They -assert that "these mounds invariably cover a single skeleton (in very -rare instances more than one, as in the case of the Grave Creek mound), -which, at the time of its interment, was enveloped in bark or coarse -matting or enclosed in a rude sarcophagus of timber, the traces, in some -instances the very casts, of which remain. Occasionally the chamber of -the dead is built of stone rudely laid up, without cement of any -kind."[3] - -I have investigated but few of the ancient works of Ohio personally, or -through the assistants of the Bureau, hence I can only speak in regard -to them from what has been published and from communications received, -but judging from these, Messrs. Squier and Davis, while no doubt -correctly describing the mounds explored by them, have been too hasty in -drawing general conclusions. - -That burial mounds in the northern sections very frequently cover but a -single skeleton is true, but that this, even in this section, is -universally true or that it is the general rule is a mistake, as will -appear from what is shown hereafter. Nor will it apply as a rule to -those of the southern sections. - -To illustrate the character and construction of these mounds, and modes -of burial in them, I will introduce here brief descriptions of the -leading types found in the different northern districts heretofore -mentioned, confining myself chiefly to the explorations made by the -Bureau assistants. - - - - -BURIAL MOUNDS OF THE WISCONSIN DISTRICT. - - -Following the order of the geographical districts heretofore given, we -commence with the Wisconsin section, or region of the effigy mounds. - -As a general rule the burial mounds in this area are comparatively -small, seldom exceeding 10 feet in height and generally ranging from 3 -to 6 feet. In all cases these belong to that class of works usually -denominated "simple conical tumuli." - -Of the methods of construction and modes of burial there appear to be -some two or three types, though not so different as necessarily to -indicate different tribes or peoples. One of these is well represented -in the following extract from Dr. I. A. Lapham's work describing some -mounds opened by Dr. Hoy, near Racine: - - We excavated fourteen of the mounds, some with the greatest - possible care. They are all sepulchral, of a uniform - construction as represented in Fig. 1 [our Fig. 1.] Most of - them contained more than one skeleton; in one instance we found - no less than seven. We could detect no appearance of - stratification, each mound having been built at one time and - not by successive additions. During the investigations we - obtained sufficient evidence to warrant me in the following - conclusions. The bodies were regularly buried in a sitting or - partly kneeling posture facing the east, with the legs placed - under them. They were covered with a bark or log roofing over - which the mound was built.[4] - -[Illustration: FIG. 1.--Section of mound near Racine, Wisconsin.] - -In these a basin-shaped excavation some 2 or 3 feet deep was first made -in the soil in which the bodies were deposited, as shown in Fig. 1. - -Mr. Middleton, one of the Bureau assistants, in 1883, opened quite a -number of small burial mounds in Crawford and Vernon counties, belonging -to the same type as those just described; some with the excavation in -the original soil in which the skeletons were deposited, though in -others there were no such excavations, the skeletons being deposited on -the original surface or at various depths in the mounds. I give here -descriptions of a few of them from his notes: - -[Illustration: FIG. 2.--Section of burial mound, Vernon County, -Wisconsin.] - -The one numbered 16, of the Courtois group, is about 20 feet in -diameter, and at present scarcely more than 1 foot high, the ground -having been in cultivation for several years and the mound considerably -lowered by the plow. A vertical section is given in Fig. 2, _a a_, -indicating the natural surface of the ground, _b_ the part of the mound -removed, and _c_ the original circular excavation in the natural soil to -the depth of 2 feet. - -Four skeletons were found in this excavation, two side by side near the -center, with heads south, faces up, one near the north margin with head -west, and the other on the south side with head east, all stretched at -full length. - -In another mound of the same group with a similar excavation nothing -save a single skull was found. In another of exactly the same kind some -of the skeletons were folded, while others were extended at full length. - -In all these cases, and in a majority of the small burial mounds opened -in this western part of the State, there was no stratification; still -there were found some exceptions to this rule. - -Vestiges of art were comparatively rare in them, yet here and there were -found an arrow-point, a chipped flint scraper or celt--in some instances -remarkably fine specimens--a few large copper gorgets, evidently -hammered from native copper, copper beads, etc. Very few vessels of -pottery were obtained from them, but one was discovered, shown in Fig. -3, which I believe is of the finest quality of this ware so far obtained -from the mounds of the United States. There were intrusive burials in a -few of these mounds, but these have been wholly omitted from -consideration in the descriptions given. - -In a few instances the mounds seem to have been built solely for the -purpose of covering a confused mass of human bones gathered together -after the flesh had disappeared or had been removed. Similar mounds are -described by Mr. Thomas Armstrong as found near Ripon, Fond du Lac -County. Speaking of these, Mr. Armstrong says: - - As to how these bones came to be placed in these mounds, we can - of course only conjecture; but from their want of arrangement, - from the lack of ornaments and implements, and from their - having been placed on the original surface, we are inclined to - believe that the dry bones were gathered together--those in the - large mounds first and those in the smaller ones - afterwards--and placed in loose piles on the ground and the - earth heaped over them until the mounds were formed.[5] - -There can be no doubt that the bones in this case were gathered up from -other temporary burial places or depositories, as was the custom of -several tribes of Indians. - -[Illustration: FIG. 3.--Earthen pot from Wisconsin mound.] - -A number of burial mounds opened by Mr. W. G. Anderson, near Madison, -were found to be of the same general type as those mentioned by Mr. -Middleton. These he describes as being very low and poorly made. Eight -were opened, all having been built in the same way, with only one layer -of black earth, so hard as to make the work of excavation exceedingly -laborious. These were circular, and about 4 feet high. Skeletons were -found as near as 12 or 13 inches to the surface, but badly decayed. -There were no sarcophagi or coffins, and in all cases the heads pointed -towards the west.[6] - -In some instances the mound contained a circular stone wall, within -which a pit had been dug to the depth of 2 or 3 feet in the original -soil, as, for example, the one near Waukesha, described by Dr. -Lapham.[7] - -A mound in Crawford County, opened by Colonel Norris, one of the Bureau -assistants, in 1882, shows a similar vault or pit, but differs from the -preceding in being distinctly stratified and wanting the stone wall. The -construction of this tumulus and the mode of burial in it were as -follows: - -[Illustration: FIG. 4.--Section of burial mound, Crawford County, -Wisconsin.] - -Proceeding from the top downwards, there was first a layer of soil and -sand about 1 foot thick; next, nearly 2 feet in depth of calcined human -bones, without order, mingled with which were charcoal, ashes, and a -reddish-brown mortar-like substance, burned as hard as pavement brick. -This layer is numbered 4 in the annexed cut (Fig. 4), which represents a -vertical section of the mound. Immediately below this was a layer about -1 foot thick (No. 3) of clay or mortar mixed with sand, burned to a -brick-red color. Below this, in the space marked 2 in the cut, were -found the bones of fifteen or twenty individuals, in a confused heap, -without order or arrangement. Mingled with these were fire-brands, -charcoal, and ashes. The bones were charred, some of them to charcoal, -and some were glazed with melted sand. The mass appears to have been -first covered with soft clay-mortar, which ran into and filled the -spaces, and the burning to have been done afterwards by means of brush -or wood heaped on the top, as among the bones were lumps of hard burned -clay. - -The bottom of this layer corresponded with the original surface of the -ground, but the excavation being continued, a circular vault or pit, 6 -feet in diameter, was found extending downwards, with perpendicular -sides, to the depth of nearly 3 feet. The bottom of this pit was covered -to the depth of an inch with fine chocolate-colored dust. Although the -filling of this pit was chiefly sand, there was a cavity at the bottom a -foot high in the center, over which the sand filling was arched as shown -in the figure. - -It is evident that the skeletons in this mound were buried after the -flesh had been removed, as we can on no other supposition explain the -fact that the clay or mortar had filled the interstices between the -bones, and that in some cases it had even penetrated into the skulls. - -Another mound, opened by Colonel Norris in the same neighborhood, -presented some peculiarities worthy of notice, although not sufficient -to mark it as belonging to a distinct type. - -[Illustration: FIG. 5.--Section of burial mound, Crawford County, -Wisconsin.] - -According to his report, the southern portion had previously been -explored by Judge Branson, who found at the base some six or eight -skeletons lying stretched out horizontally, and covered by a dry, -light-colored mortar which must have been spread over them while in a -soft condition, as it had run between the bones and encased them, and in -some cases, as in the mound just described, filled the skulls. As only -the southern portion had been opened he removed the remainder. The dried -mortar-like substance was very hard and difficult to dig through, but -the pick soon struck some rough, flat limestone rocks which proved to be -parts of a rude wall about 3 feet high and 8 feet long, built on the -natural surface of the ground. In the opposite side of the mound, 12 -feet distant from and parallel with it, was another similar wall. -Between them and on the natural surface of the ground, side by side, -were a number of skeletons lying flat and lengthwise and parallel with -the walls. A vertical section of this mound is shown in Fig. 5. The -little circles at the bottom between the walls indicate the heads of the -skeletons; No. 4, the layer of mortar over the bones; 3, a layer of hard -clay mixed with ashes; 2, a layer of clay; and 1, the top covering of -sand and soil about 18 inches thick. Before being disturbed this mound -was 35 feet in diameter and 6 feet high. - -As it is evident that the burials in this case were made at one time, -and as the mortar-like substance had run into the interstices, it is -more than probable that the skeletons were deposited after the flesh had -been removed. - -The following description of a mound with a single original and several -intrusive burials is also taken from Colonel Norris' notes of work in -Crawford County: - -One large mound of this group, 70 feet in diameter and 10 feet high, -still unexplored, was opened. It had been considerably defaced, -especially on the west side. According to tradition it was a noted -burial place with the Indians, which was certainly confirmed by the -result. The surface or top layer was composed of sand and alluvial earth -to the depth of some 3 or 4 feet. Scattered through this in almost every -part of the mound were human skeletons in various stages of decay and in -different positions, but mostly stretched horizontally on the back. -Scattered among the remains were numerous fragments of blankets, -clothing and human hair, 1 copper kettle of modern pattern, 3 copper -bracelets (hammered from native copper), 1 silver locket, 10 silver -bracelets (one having the name "Montreal," and another the letters "A B" -stamped on it), 2 silver earrings, 6 silver brooches, 1 copper -finger-ring, 1 double silver cross, 1 knife-handle, and 1 battered -bullet. In fact the top layer to the depth of 3 or 4 feet seemed to be -packed as full of skeletons and relics as possible. - -Carrying the trench down to the original surface of the ground, he found -at the bottom, near the center, a single skeleton of an adult in the -last stages of decay. With it were the following articles: 2 stone -scrapers, a small stone drill, fragments of river shells, and pieces of -a mammoth tusk. The earth below the upper layer was mixed with clay and -ashes, evidently different from the surrounding soil. - -Several mounds opened by him in Grant County contained charred human -bones, and one or two covered confused masses of bones, being similar in -this respect to some of those heretofore mentioned. - -A mound which he opened in Sheboygan County, containing a single -skeleton, is described as about 50 feet in diameter and 5 feet high. -After passing through 18 inches of surface soil, the central mass, -composed of earth mingled with charcoal, ashes, and loose stones, was -reached. Near the center of this mass, and at the bottom of the mound, a -large human skeleton was discovered, apparently holding between the -hands and knees a large clay vase. Immediately over this skeleton was an -irregular layer of flat bowlders. - -Another mound of this group, about the same size as the preceding, was -found literally filled with skeletons to the depth of 2-1/2 feet, -evidently intrusive burials, as they were accompanied with iron -implements, silver ornaments, etc. Beneath these was a layer of rounded -drift bowlders aggregating several wagon loads. Below these and in a -shallow excavation in the natural surface of the ground were some forty -or more skeletons in a sitting or squatting posture, disposed in circles -around and facing the central space, which was occupied by an unusually -large shell (_Busycon perversum_). - -It is worthy of notice in this connection that there are no effigy -mounds, so far as known, in the immediate section where the two works -just mentioned are situated, but there is near by, one small oval -enclosure about 50 feet in diameter. - -In studying the burial mounds of the district now under consideration, -of which the foregoing may be considered as types, there appears to be -no marked distinction between the intrusive burials of modern Indians -and the original burials for which the mounds were constructed. In both -we observe from one to many skeletons in a place; in both we find them -stretched out horizontally and also folded; in both we sometimes notice -evidences of fire and partially-consumed bones; in both we find -instances where the mortar-like covering has been used, and in both we -meet occasionally with those confused masses of bones which seem to have -been gathered from graves or other temporary burial places into these -mounds as common depositories. Moreover the transition from one to the -other is so gradual as to leave us nothing save the position in the -mound and the presence of vestiges of civilized art to distinguish the -former from the latter. - -[Illustration: FIG. 6.--Section of burial mound, Vernon County, -Wisconsin.] - -A large portion of these mounds, as has already been stated, are -unstratified, and each was probably thrown up and completed at one time; -yet skeletons are found at various depths in some of these, as, for -example, one opened by Mr. Middleton, in Vernon County, a vertical -section of which is shown in Fig. 6, _a a_ indicating the original -surface of the ground and the stars the positions of the skeletons, some -of which were stretched out at full length while others were folded. The -heads were towards different points of the compass and the bones of all -were so much decayed that none could be preserved. Several instances of -this kind were observed, in some cases those skeletons near the surface -or top of the mound indicating burial after contact with the whites. - -It is apparent, therefore, that although some of the burial mounds of -this district must be attributed to the so-called mound-builders, others -were certainly built by the Indians found inhabiting it at the advent of -the whites. There can scarcely be a doubt that some of the small -unstratified tumuli described are the work of the Indians. If this is -conceded there would seem to be no halting place short of attributing -all of this class in this district to the same race. - -Dr. Hoy's statement that in some cases there was evidence that the -bodies had been "covered with a bark or log roofing," is in exact accord -with a well-known burial custom of some of the tribes of the Northwest. - -According to Mr. M. B. Kent, the Sacs and Foxes, who formerly resided in -the region now under consideration, buried the body "in a grave made -about 2-1/2 feet deep, which was laid always with the head towards the -east, the burial taking place as soon after death as possible. The grave -was prepared by putting bark in the bottom of it before the corpse was -deposited, a plank covering made and secured some distance above the -body." - -Another method followed by the same people, according to Mr. J. W. -Spencer[8], was to make a shallow hole in the ground, setting the body -in it up to the waist, so that most of the body was above the ground. A -trench was then dug about the grave, in which pickets were planted. But -the usual method was to place split pieces of wood about three feet long -over the body, meeting at the top in the form of a roof, on which dirt -was thrown to keep them in place. - -According to Potherie[9], the Iroquois were accustomed to cover the -bodies, after being deposited in the "fosse," with bark of trees, on -which they cast earth and stones. - -According to Schoolcraft[10], the Mohawks of New York-- - - make a large round hole in which the body can be placed upright - or upon its haunches: which after the body is placed in it is - covered with timber to support the earth which they lay over, - and thereby keep the body from being pressed. They then raise - the earth in a round hill over it.[11] - -The burial customs of northern tribes, known to have occupied portions -of the effigy mound district, agree so exactly with what we see in the -sepulchral tumuli of this district as to justify the conclusion reached -by Dr. Lapham, after a long and careful personal study of them, that -they are to be attributed to Indians. Some he was rather inclined to -ascribe to tribes which had migrated, had been driven off by other -tribes, or been incorporated into them previous to the advent of the -white race. But he maintained that the subsequent tribes or those found -occupying the country "continued the practice of mound-building so far -as to erect a circular or conical tumulus over their dead." And he adds -significantly, "This practice appears to be a remnant of ancient customs -that connects the mound-builders with the present tribes."[12] - -The evidence in regard to these unstratified mounds appears to lead -directly to the conclusion that they are all the work of the Indians -found occupying the country at the time it was first visited by whites -or of their ancestors. If it is conceded that the small unstratified -tumuli are in part the work of these aborigines, there would seem to be -no escape from the conclusion that all the burial mounds of this -district are to be ascribed to them; for, although there are some two or -three types of burial and burial mounds, the gradation from one to the -other is so complete as to leave no marked line of distinction, and Dr. -Lapham is fully justified in asserting that the evidence connects the -mound-builders with the modern Indians. The stratified mounds in which -the hard clay or mortar covering over the remains is found, and which we -shall again meet with in the adjoining district, may be the work of -different tribes from those which constructed the small unstratified -tumuli, but the distinctions between the two classes are not such as to -justify the belief that they are to be attributed to a different race or -to a people occupying a higher or widely different culture-status. - -Having reached this conclusion it is impossible for us to halt here; we -are compelled to take one step farther in the same direction and ascribe -the singular structures known as "effigy mounds" to the same people. The -two classes of work are too intimately connected to admit of the -supposition that the effigy mounds were built by one race or people, and -the conical tumuli by another. We might as well assume that the -enclosures of Ohio were the work of one people, but the mounds -accompanying them of another. - -That works of different tribes or nations may frequently be found -intermingled on areas over which successive waves of population have -passed is admitted, but that one part of what is clearly a system is to -be attributed to one people and the other part to another people is a -hypothesis unworthy of serious consideration. The only possible -explanations of the origin, object, or meaning of these singular -structures are based, whether confessedly so or not, on the theory that -they are of Indian origin. Remove the Indian element from the problem -and we are left without even the shadow of an hypothesis. - -The fact that the effigy mounds were not used as places of sepulture, -and that no cemeteries save the burial mounds are found in connection -with them, is almost conclusive proof that the two, as a rule, must be -attributed to the same people, that they belong to one system. If this -conclusion is considered legitimate, it will lend much aid to the study -of these works. It is true it is not new, but it has been generally -ignored, and hence could not aid in working out results. - -The following extract from Dr. Lapham's "Antiquities of Wisconsin" will -not be considered inappropriate at this point:[13] - - The ancient works in Wisconsin are mostly at the very places - selected by the present Indians for their abodes, thus - indicating that the habits, wants, modes of subsistence, &c., - of their builders were essentially the same. - - If the present tribes have no traditions running back as far as - the time of Allouez and Marquette, or even to the more recent - time of Jonathan Carver, it is not strange that none should - exist in regard to the mounds, which must be of much earlier - date. - - It is by considerations of this nature that we are led to the - conclusion that the mound-builders of Wisconsin were none - others than the ancestors of the present tribes of Indians. - - There is some evidence of a greater prevalence than at present - of prairie or cultivated land in this State at no very remote - age. The largest trees are probably not more than five hundred - years old, and large tracts of land are now covered with - forests of young trees where there are no traces of an - antecedent growth. Every year the high winds prostrate great - numbers of trees and frequent storms pass through the forest, - throwing down nearly everything before them. Trees are left - with a portion of the roots still in the ground, so as to keep - them alive for several years after their prostration. These - "wind-falls" are of frequent occurrence in the depths of the - forests and occasion much difficulty in making the public - surveys. The straight lines of the sections frequently - encounter them. - - The amount of earth adhering to the roots of a tree when - prostrated by the wind is, under favorable circumstances, very - considerable, and upon their decay forms an oblong mound of - greater or less magnitude, and a slight depression is left - where the tree stood. These little hillocks are often by the - inexperienced mistaken for Indian graves. From the paucity of - these little "tree-mounds" we infer that no very great - antiquity can be assigned to the dense forests of Wisconsin; - for, during a long period of time, with no material change of - climate, we would expect to find great numbers of these little - monuments of ancient storms scattered everywhere over the - ground. - - Whether the greater extent of treeless country in former times - was owing to natural or artificial causes it is now difficult - to determine, but the great extent of ancient works within the - depths of the present forests would seem to indicate that the - country was at least kept free from trees by the agency of man. - - Many of these tree-mounds were observed on and about the - ancient works. - - Another curious circumstance that may be noticed by inspection - of the figures of mounds accompanying this work is the gradual - transition, as it were, or change of one form into another. - Examples can be found of all forms, from a true circle through - the oval and elongated oval to the oblong mounds and long - ridges. Again, there is a succession of mounds, from the simple - ridge of considerable size at one end and gradually diminishing - to a point at the other, through the intermediate forms, having - one, two, three, or four projections to the "turtle-form." In - this way, also, we may trace a gradual development (so to - speak) of nearly all the more complicated forms. - - It is not pretended to assert that this was the order in which - the mounds were erected; or that the aborigines gradually - acquired the art by successive essays or lessons. Indeed, we - are led to believe that the more complicated forms are the most - ancient. - - The relative ages of the different works in Wisconsin, so far - as they can be ascertained from the facts now before us, are - probably about as follows: - - First and oldest. The animal forms, and the great works at - Aztalan. - - Second. The conical mounds built for sepulchral purposes, which - come down to a very recent period. - - Third. The indications of garden-beds planted in regular - geometrical figures or straight lines. - - Fourth. The plantations of the present tribes, who plant - without system or regularity. - - Thus the taste for regular forms and arrangements, and the - habits of construction with earthy materials seems to have been - gradually lost, until all traces of them disappear in our - modern degenerate red men. - - The animal-shaped mounds and accompanying oblongs and ridges, - constituting the first of the above series, are composed of - whitish clay or of the subsoil of the country. - - The mounds of the second series, or burial mounds, are usually - composed of black mould or loam, promiscuously intermixed with - the lighter-colored subsoil. - - - - -BURIAL MOUNDS OF THE ILLINOIS OR UPPER MISSISSIPPI DISTRICT. - - -This district, as heretofore stated, includes eastern Iowa, northeastern -Missouri, and northern and central Illinois as far south as the mouth of -the Illinois River. - -Although we are justified in concluding that this area was occupied -during the mound-building age by tribes different from those residing -in the Wisconsin district, yet the distinguishing characteristics are -more apparent in the forms of the works than in the modes of burial and -internal construction of the burial mounds. We shall see by the -illustrations hereafter given that at least one of the types found in -one district is common in the other. But this is to be expected and is -readily explained by the supposition that the tribes which have occupied -these regions moved back and forth, thus one after another coming upon -the same area. The absence of evidence of such movements would indicate -that the mound-building period was of comparatively short duration, a -theory which I believe has not been adopted by any authority, but to -which I shall have occasion again to refer. One class of the burial -mounds of this district is well represented in a group, explored by the -members of the Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences, on the Cook farm, -near Davenport, Iowa. The mounds of this group are situated on the -immediate bank of the Mississippi at a height not exceeding 8 to 12 feet -above high-water mark; they are conical in form and of comparatively -small size, varying in height from 3 to 8 feet. Nine of them were -opened, of which we notice the following: - -[Illustration: FIG. 7.--Section of burial mound, Davenport, Iowa. [From -the Proceedings of the Davenport Academy of Sciences.]] - -In No. 1 the layers from above down were, first, a foot of earth; then a -layer of stones 1-1/2 feet thick; then a layer of shells 2 inches thick; -next a foot of earth, and lastly a second layer of shells 4 inches -thick. Immediately under this, at the depth of 5 feet, were found five -skeletons stretched horizontally on the original surface of the ground, -parallel to each other, three with heads toward the east and two with -heads west. With them were found one sea-shell (_Busycon perversum_), -two copper axes, to which fragments of cloth were attached, one copper -awl, an arrow-head, and two stone pipes, one representing a frog. - -Mound No. 2, though similar in form and external appearance to the -preceding, presented a quite different arrangement internally, as is -evident from the vertical section shown in Fig. 7. Here there were no -layers of shells, but two distinct layers of stones. At the depth of 5 -feet eight skulls (five only are shown in the figure), with some -fragments of bones were unearthed; these were lying in a semicircle of 5 -feet diameter, each surrounded by a circle of small stones (shown at _a_ -in the figure). From the position of the skulls and bones it was evident -these bodies had been buried in a sitting posture. The articles found -accompanying the skeletons were two copper axes, two small hemispheres -of copper and _one of silver_, a bear's tooth, and an arrow-head. - -No. 3, though the largest of the group, was apparently unstratified, the -original burial consisting of the bones of two adults and one infant, at -the original surface of the ground, under a thin layer of ashes, and -surrounded by a single circle of small red stones. With these were found -copper axes, copper beads, two carved stone pipes (one in the form of a -ground-hog), animal teeth, etc. Near the surface of the mound were two -well-preserved skeletons, with evidences of an "oakwood" covering over -them and accompanied by glass beads, a fire steel, clay pipe, and silver -ear-ring--evidently an intrusive burial. - -No. 4 was found similar in construction and in all other respects to No. -3, except that at the feet of the skeletons was a round heap of stones, -3 feet high, neatly laid up, and that in the earth where the skeletons -lay could be distinctly seen traces of cloth or some woven material, in -which they had probably been enveloped. - -No. 5 was similar to No. 2, except in the following respects: The -skeletons (probably two) were in a confused heap at the bottom under a -6-inch layer of hard clay (probably similar to what Colonel Norris calls -"mortar"). Near these, but outside of the clay layer, was a stone heap -similar to that in No. 4. "On this lay two very strong thigh bones and -three ribs placed diagonally across each other. There were also a few -bones leaning against the heap at one side. The stones were partly -burned to lime, and all of them showed more or less marks of fire, while -the bones in the mound showed not the slightest trace of it." - -Four or five feet south of the stone heap was a large quantity of human -bones in complete confusion. The relics were broken pots, arrow-heads, a -stone pipe, etc. - -Nos. 7, 8, and 9 were similar to No. 1, varying only in minor -details.[14] - -My object in noticing the construction of so many mounds in a single -group and the modes of burial in them, is to call attention to the -differences in detail where there can be no doubt that they were built -by one tribe and probably by one clan, as the size of the group -indicates a comparatively limited population. In these nine mounds we -notice the following differences: some are stratified, others not; in -some the skeletons are placed horizontally on the ground, in others they -are in a sitting posture, while in others they are dismembered and in -confused heaps; in some there are altar-like[15] structures of stone -which are wanting in others; in some the skeletons are covered with a -hard clay or mortar coating which is wanting in most of them, and -lastly, we see in one or two, evidences of the use of fire in the burial -ceremonies, though not found in the others. - -In some respects these mounds remind us of some of the stratified tumuli -of Wisconsin, especially those opened by Colonel Norris in Sheboygan -County, to which they bear a strong resemblance. - -In the latter part of 1882 Colonel Norris examined a group of works in -Allamakee County, Iowa, which presents some peculiarities worthy of -notice in this connection. - -This group, which is represented in Plate I, consisting of enclosures, -lines of small mounds, and excavations, is situated on the farm of Mr. -H. P. Lane, about 7 miles above New Albin. It is on a bluff in one of -the numerous bends of the Little Iowa River, the character of the -locality indicating that it was selected as one easily defended. I shall -at present only notice those particulars which seem to have some bearing -on the character of the burial mounds and mode of interment. - -Although there are no effigy mounds in the group, the relative positions -and forms of the tumuli, as shown in the figure, and other particulars -to be noticed, leave no doubt in my mind that the works, in part, are to -be attributed to the people who built the figure mounds of Wisconsin. -But, as will be seen from the particulars mentioned, there is conclusive -evidence that the locality has been occupied at different times by at -least two distinct tribes or peoples, differing widely in habits and -customs. - -[Illustration: PL. I. GROUP OF EARTHWORKS, ALLAMAKEE COUNTY, IOWA] - -The largest work is an enclosure marked _A_ in Plate I, and shown on an -enlarged scale in Plate II. It is situated on the margin of a bluff -overlooking the Little Iowa and an intervening bog-bayou, probably the -former channel of the river. It is almost exactly circular, the curve -being broken on the east side, where it touches the brink of the bluff, -being here made to conform to the line of the latter, though probably -never thrown up to the same height as the other portion. The ends at the -southeast overlap each other for a short distance, leaving at this point -an entrance way, the only one to the enclosure. A ditch runs round on -the inside from the entrance on the south to where the wall strikes the -bluff on the north, but is wanting along the bluff and overlapping -portion. The north and south diameter, measuring from outside to -outside, is 277 feet; from east to west, 235 feet; the entire outer -circumference is 807 feet, the length of the portion along the bluff 100 -feet, and of the overlapping portion at the entrance 45 feet. The wall -is quite uniform in size, about 4 feet high and from 25 to 27 in width, -except along the bluff, where it is scarcely apparent; the entrance is -16 feet wide, and the ditch 5 to 6 feet wide and 3 feet deep. On the -north, adjoining the wall on the outside and extending along it for -about 100 feet, is an excavation (_c_, Plate II) 35 feet wide at the -widest point and 3 feet deep. - -As this ground, including the circle, has been under cultivation for -fifteen years, it would be supposed the height of the wall is -considerably less than it originally was, but this is probably a -mistake. On the contrary, it was originally probably but 20 feet wide -and not more than 3 feet high, composed mainly of yellowish brown clay -obtained, in part at least, from the ditch, but during occupancy the -accumulation of countless bones of animals used as food, stone chips, -river shells, broken pottery, and dirt, and, since abandonment, the -accumulation of sand drifted by the winds from the crumbling -sandstone butte (_C_, Plate I) overlooking it, have not only filled the -ditch but elevated the wall and whole interior area 2 feet or more. This -accumulation of sand is so great and so uniform over the plateau that -fifteen years of cultivation have not sufficed to reach the clay of the -original surface nor to unearth or even penetrate to the bones, pottery -fragments, and other refuse matter covering the original surface in the -circle. - -Trenches cut across the wall at various points indicate, first, a layer -of sand about 1 foot thick; immediately below this an accumulation of -refuse matter forming a layer from 1 to 2 feet thick; under which was -the original clay embankment 2 feet thick, resting on the natural -surface of the ground. A section of the ditch, embankment, and -excavation is shown in Plate II. The dotted line _a b_ indicates the -natural surface; No. 1 the original clay layer of the wall; No. 2 the -layer of earth and refuse material with which the ditch is filled; and -No. 3 the top layer of sand. - -In No. 2 were found charcoal, ashes, fragments of pottery, fractured -bones, etc. - -A broad belt of the inner area on the east side was explored, and the -same conditions were found to exist here as were revealed by the -trenches across the wall and ditch, except that here the shells were -more abundant in layer No. 2, and there were many burnt stones. - -On the southeastern portion of the plateau (_B_, Plate I) are six nearly -parallel lines of mounds running northeast and southwest, mostly -circular in form, varying from 15 to 40 feet in diameter, and from 2 to -6 feet in height; a few, as indicated in the figure, are oblong, varying -in length from 50 to 100 feet. The number in the group exceeds one -hundred. - -While engaged in excavating these mounds Colonel Norris observed a -number of patches of the level area quite destitute of vegetation. The -owner of the land, who was present, could give no explanation of this -phenomenon, simply remarking that they had always been so, never having -produced a good crop of anything, although there was no apparent -difference between the soil of these spots and the surface around them. -As some of these extended across the area occupied by the mound group, -he concluded to explore them, and was surprised to find them to be -burying places, and scattered here and there among the graves, if such -they could be called, were stone chips, shells, charcoal, and ashes. He -was surprised at this, as he supposed the mounds alone were used as -depositories of the dead, and was at first disposed to attribute these -burials to a people who had occupied the ground long subsequent to the -authors of the works. Possibly this may be the correct solution, but if -so, they were certainly the same as those who buried in the mounds of -this group, as no difference in the contents and internal arrangement -could be observed. In both cases there was a compact layer of hard, -light-colored earth, having the appearance of lime-mortar, possibly clay -and ashes mixed together, which had been subject to the action of fire. -As the burials in these sterile spots were seldom more than 18 inches -deep, the only layer above them consisted of sand from the butte, while -the mounds were uniformly covered with a layer of richer soil, although -below this and covering the skeletons was a layer of hard, light-colored -earth. Skeletons and bones were found in great abundance in the mounds -and under the surface of the plateau, though none were discovered in the -circle or nearer than 200 yards of it. They were sometimes mingled -promiscuously with charcoal and ashes, but were usually in whole -skeletons lying horizontally, though some were in a sitting posture; -they were within from 1 to 3 feet of the surface, without any apparent -system, except that they were always covered with a layer of hard earth. - -A trench cut through the long mound of this group, No. 1, revealed near -the center an oblong pile of sandstones, beneath which was found a rude -stone coffin, formed by first placing flat sandstone slabs on the -natural surface of the ground, then other slabs at the sides and ends, -and a covering of similar stones, thus forming a cist or coffin about 6 -feet long and 18 inches wide. Within this, extended at full length, with -the head west, was the skeleton of an adult, but too much decayed for -preservation. With it were some stone chips, rude stone scrapers, a -_Unio_ shell, and some fragments of pottery similar to those dug up in -the circular enclosure. - -The mounds on the sand butte marked _C_, Plate I, which is something -over 100 feet high, were opened and found to be in every respect similar -to those already mentioned, showing them to be the work of the same -people who built the others. - -The three mounds in the square enclosures marked _D_, (Plate I), were -also opened, with the following results: The largest, oval in form, 30 -feet long, about 20 feet broad and 4 feet high, was found to consist of -a top layer of loose sand 1 foot thick, the remainder of hard yellowish -clay. In the latter were found several flat sandstone fragments, and -beneath them, on the original surface of the ground, a much decayed -skeleton, with which were a few stone chips, _Unio_ shells, and -fragments of pottery. - -The second in size, 18 feet in diameter and 3 feet high, although -covered with a layer of sand, was mainly a loose cairn of sandstones, -covering traces of human bones, charcoal, and ashes. The third was found -to be similar to the second, but in this case the pile of stones was -heaped over a mass of charred human bones, mingled with which were -charcoal, ashes, and fragments of pottery. - -Fragments of pottery were found in abundance in the circle, in the -mounds, in the washouts, and in fact at almost every point in the area -covered by the group. Judging by the fragments, for not a single entire -vessel was obtained, the prevailing forms were the ordinary earthen pot -with ears, and a flask or gourd-shaped vase with a rather broad and -short neck, often furnished with a lid. The paste with which this -pottery was made had evidently been mixed with pounded shells. The only -ornamentation observed consisted in the varied forms given the handles -or ears and indentations and scratched lines. - -Nearly all the implements found were of stone, exceedingly rude, being -little else than stone flakes with one sharp edge; many of them having -been resharpened and used as knives, scrapers, and skinners. Some had -been worked into moderately fair perforators or drills for making holes -in horn, bone, and shell--specimens of all these, with such holes, -having been found here. - -The immense quantity of charred and fractured bones, not only of fish, -birds, and the smaller quadrupeds, such as the rabbit and the fox, but -also of the bear, wolf, elk, deer, and buffalo, shows that the occupants -of this place lived chiefly by the chase, and hence must have used the -bow and arrow and spear; yet, strange to say, although careful search -was made for them, less than a dozen arrow and spear heads were found, -and these so rude as scarcely to deserve the name. A single true chipped -celt, three sandstones with mortar-shaped cavities, and a few mullers or -stones used for grinding were obtained; also, some fragments of -deer-horn, evidently cut round by some rude implement and then broken -off, and several horn and bone punches and awls, one barbed and another -with a hole through the larger end. - -The object in view in presenting these details is to give the reader an -opportunity of judging for himself in reference to some inferences drawn -from them. - -The form of the circular enclosure reminds us at the first glance of the -palisade enclosures figured by De Bry,[16] which, according to -Lafitau,[17] was the form usually adopted by the Indian tribes who were -accustomed to erect such structures. We have here the almost exact -circle, save where interrupted by the margin of the bluff, the -overlapping of the ends, and the narrow entrance-way. We have here also -the clay with which it was the custom, at least in the southern section, -to plaster the palisades or which was cast against their bases as a -means of supporting or bracing them at the bottom, a custom not entirely -unknown among the northern tribes in former times. - -The indications are therefore very strong that this enclosing wall was -originally a palisade which had been in part plastered with clay, or -against which clay had been heaped to assist in rendering it firm and -secure, and, if so, then it is probable it was built by Indians. - -Be this supposition right or wrong the evidence is conclusive that the -area on which this group is situated has been the abode of at least two -tribes or peoples: first, it was occupied by the authors of the -enclosures, whose stay was probably not very protracted, and after they -had abandoned the locality or been driven from it by a second tribe, -evidently comparatively numerous, that made it for a long time a -dwelling place; a tribe differing in customs from its predecessor, and -one that did not rely upon enclosures for protection. By no other -supposition can we account for the fact that the refuse layer which -covers the interior of the circle also spreads in equal depth over the -ditch and clay remains of the enclosing wall, as those who left this -refuse layer could have made no possible use of the wall as a defensive -work, for which the position chosen and other particulars show it was -designed. - -The form of this enclosure, as we have before intimated, seems to -connect it with some one of the Indian tribes; its age is uncertain but -the accumulation of refuse matter and sand since the abandonment by the -first occupants indicates considerable antiquity. - -Although we cannot say positively that the second occupants were the -builders of the mounds, as the investigation was not as thorough as it -should have been, still I think we may assume, with almost absolute -certainty, that such was the fact. The mounds in the square work marked -D, in Plate I, present considerable differences from those in the group, -and are probably the work of those who built the enclosures. - -The stone grave in the oblong mound indicates the presence of -individuals of a more southern tribe[18] at this place, during its -second occupancy. The position of the cist in the mound would seem to -forbid the idea of an intrusive burial, otherwise I should certainly -suppose such to be the fact. I cannot, in the present paper, enter into -a discussion of the question "to what tribe or people are the box-form -stone graves to be attributed," but will state my conviction to be, -after a somewhat careful study of the question, that they are to be -ascribed to the Shawnees, Delawares, and Kickapoos. - -[Illustration: PL. II. ENLARGED FIGURE AND SECTION OF EARTHWORK A, PL. -I.] - -Without further discussion of this group, which, as before intimated, -presents, so far as the mounds are concerned, some features which appear -to ally the latter to one class of burial mounds found in Wisconsin, we -will now refer to some other works of this district explored by the -Bureau assistants. - -On the land owned by Mr. Fish, in Iowa, near the Mississippi River, a -short distance below where the Little Iowa joins it, is a group of -mounds placed on the crest of a ridge running parallel with the former -stream about one-fourth of a mile therefrom. There are in all about -thirty of these mounds, circular in form, and varying from 20 to 40 feet -in diameter. These are all burial mounds, but one singular feature -observed is that those on the higher sandy ground, although about the -same size and having cores of clay similar to those on the firm clay -portion of the ridge, have a layer of sand, some two feet or more added -to them, yet when opened the contents and mode of construction of the -two classes were found to be the same, to wit, a layer of hard clay -covering decaying human bones, fragments of pottery, and rude stone -implements. There were generally two or more skeletons in a mound, which -were placed horizontally side by side on the natural surface of the -ground. - -[Illustration: FIG. 8.--Section of mound showing stone vault (Iowa).] - -Upon the terrace below the group were found the remnants of a row of -comparatively large burial mounds. A railroad line having been carried -along here, the larger portion of these works were destroyed; still, -enough remained to show that the height varied from 6 to 15 feet, that -they were composed chiefly of sandy loam similar to that around them, -and that each had a hard central core of clay mixed with ashes, usually -covering but a single skeleton. The relics found in them when opened -consisted chiefly of stone axes, arrow and spear heads, and a few copper -celts. In one, which was 32 feet in diameter and 8 feet high and less -injured than the others, was a circular vault, walled as represented in -Fig. 8. This was built of flat, unworked stones, laid up without mortar, -gradually lessening as it ascended, and covered at the top by a single -flat stone. In it was a single skeleton in a squatting posture, with -which was a small earthen vase of globular form. - -A singular fact was observed in a group near the town of Peru, Dubuque -County. This group is situated on a dry, sandy bench or terrace some 20 -feet or more above a bayou which, makes out from the Mississippi. It -consists chiefly of small circular tumuli, but at the north end are four -oblong mounds varying in length from 40 to 110 feet and in height from -1-1/2 to 4 feet; there is also an excavation about 30 feet in diameter -and 6 feet deep, and scattered throughout the group are a number of -circular earthen rings varying in diameter from 12 to 30 feet and from 1 -to 2 feet in height. - -Quite a number of the circular mounds were opened, but only detached -portions of a skeleton were found in any one, as a skull in one, and a -leg, arm, or other part in another, four or five adjacent ones -apparently together containing the equivalents of an entire skeleton. -Some of these bones were charred, and all were much decayed, indicating -by their appearance great age. The inner portion of the mounds consisted -of hard, compact earth, chiefly clay, resembling in this respect most of -the burial mounds of this region. - -Unfortunately the examination of this group was too partial and too -hastily made to enable us to form any theory as to the meaning of this -singular mode of burial, or even to be satisfied that the idea of our -assistant in this regard is correct. - -As possibly having some bearing upon the question, the following facts -relating to another similar group at Eagle Point, three miles above -Dubuque, are given. - -This group, which is situated on a bluff about 50 feet above high-water -mark, consists of about seventy mounds, all of which, except two oblong -ones, are small and conical in form. Eleven of these circular tumuli -were thoroughly explored, but nothing was found in them except some -charcoal, stone chips, and fragments of pottery. But in an excavation -made in the center of a long mound just west of the group were found two -decayed skeletons. Near the breast of one of them were a blue stone -gorget and five rude stone scrapers; with the other, thirty-one -fresh-water pearls, perforated and used as beads. Excavations were made -in an oblong and circular mound near the extreme point of the bluffs. -Each was found to have a central core of very hard clay mixed with -ashes, so hard in fact that it could only be broken up with the pick, -when it crumbled like dry lime mortar, and was found to be traversed -throughout with flattened horizontal cavities. These cavities were lined -with a peculiar felt-like substance, which Colonel Norris, who opened -the mounds, was satisfied from all the indications pertained to bodies -which had been buried here, but from lapse of time had entirely crumbled -to earth save these little fragments. We are therefore perhaps justified -in concluding that a more thorough and careful examination of the mounds -of the other group would have shown that the skeletons had so far -decayed as to leave but a small part in a mound. Nevertheless it is -proper to state that Colonel Norris does not coincide with this -conclusion, but thinks that the dismembered skeletons were buried as -found. Possibly he is correct. - -In this connection, and before referring to the mounds of this district -on the Illinois side of the Mississippi, I desire to call attention to -some modern Indian burials in this region. As the statements here made -are from one claiming to be an eye-witness, I give them as related to -the Bureau assistant. - -[Illustration: FIG. 9.--Plat of Indian burying-ground, Wapello County, -Iowa.] - -The locality is a level plat in a bend of the Des Moines River between -Eldon and Iowaville, Wapello County. The plat of this area and the sites -of the burial places, as shown in Fig. 9, are based upon the statements -of Mr. J. H. Jordan (the person referred to), who has resided here since -the close of the Black Hawk war, and was the agent of the Sacs and Foxes -from their removal hither after the war until Black Hawk's death, -September 15, 1838.[19] - -The extreme width of the area represented is about 2 miles. Close to the -point of the bend formerly stood the agency building, near which is the -present residence of Mr. Jordan. The triangle marks the position of -Black Hawk's grave; the parallel lines, the race-tracks; the rings in -the upper corner, the mounds of the Iowas; those in the lower corner, -near Iowaville, the mounds of the Pottawattamies; and the open dots, -near the same point, the place where the scaffolds for their dead stood. - -Mr. Jordan says: - -"This valley had long been a famous haunt for the warring Indians, but -was, at the time of my first personal acquaintance with it, in -possession of the Iowas, whose main village was around the point where -my present residence now stands. The race-course consisted of three hard -beaten parallel tracks nearly a mile in length, where the greater -portion of the Iowa warriors were engaged in sport when Black Hawk -surprised and slaughtered a great portion of them in 1830. After Black -Hawk and his warriors had departed with their plunder, the remaining -Iowas returned and buried their dead in little mounds of sod and earth, -from 2 to 4 feet high, at the point indicated on the diagram. - -"After the Black Hawk war was over, the remnant of the Iowas, by treaty, -formally ceded their rights in this valley to the Sacs and Foxes. At -this place this noted chief was buried, in accordance with his dying -request, in a full military suit given him by President Jackson, -together with the various memorials received by him from the whites and -the trophies won from the Indians. He was placed on his back on a -'puncheon' [split slab of wood], slanting at a low angle to the ground, -where his feet were sustained by another, and then covered with several -inches of sod. Over this was placed a roof-shaped covering of slabs or -'puncheons,' one end being higher than the other; over this was thrown a -covering of earth and sod to the depth of a foot or more, and the whole -surrounded by a line of pickets some 8 or 10 feet high." - -Here we have evidence that some at least of the Indians of this region -were accustomed to bury their dead in mounds down to a recent date. - -One of the most important burial mounds opened in this district by the -employés of the Bureau is situated on the bluff which overhangs East -Dubuque (formerly Dunleith), Jo Daviess County, Illinois. As I shall -have occasion to refer to others than the one mentioned, I give in Fig. -15, Plate III, a plan of the group, and in Fig. 16, same plate, a -vertical section of the bluff along the line of mounds numbered 13, 14, -15, 16, and 17, in which is seen the general slope of the upper area. - -The mounds of this group are conical in form, varying from 12 to 70 feet -in diameter and from 3 to 12 in height. All appear to have been built -for burial purposes. - -In No. 5, the largest of the group, measuring 70 feet in diameter and 12 -feet in height, a skeleton, apparently an intrusive burial, was found at -the depth of 2 feet immediately below the apex. Near the original -surface of the ground, several feet north of the center, were the -much-decayed skeletons of some six or eight individuals of every size -from the infant to the adult. They were placed horizontally at full -length with the heads toward the south. A few perforated _Unio_ shells -and some rude stone skinners and scrapers were found with them. Near the -original surface, some 10 or 12 feet from the center, on the lower side, -was discovered, lying at full length on its back, an unusually large -skeleton, the length being something over 7 feet. It was all distinctly -traceable though it crumbled to pieces immediately after removal from -the hard earth in which it was encased. With it were three thin, -crescent-shaped pieces of roughly-hammered native copper, respectively -6, 8, and 10 inches in length, with some small holes along the convex -margin; also a number of elongate copper beads, made by rolling together -thin sheets, and a chert lance-head 11 inches long; the latter was -placed near the left thigh. Around the neck were the remains of a -necklace of bears' teeth. Lying across the thighs were dozens of small -copper beads, evidently formed by rolling slender wire-like strips into -small rings. The assistant who opened this mound, and who is personally -well acquainted with Indian habits and customs, suggests that these -beads once formed the ornamentation of the fringe of a hunting shirt. - -As No. 4 of this group presents some peculiarities, I take the -description from Colonel Norris's notes: - -During a visit to this locality in 1857, he partially opened this mound, -finding masses of burned earth and charred human bones mingled with -charcoal and ashes. At his visit in 1882, on behalf of the Bureau, a -further examination revealed, on the lower side, the end of a double -line of flat stones set on edge, about a foot apart at the bottom and -leaned so as to meet at the top and form a roof-shaped flue or drain. -Following this up, he found that it extended inward nearly on a level, -almost to the center of the mound, at which point it was nearly 3 feet -below the original surface of the ground. Here a skeleton was discovered -stretched horizontally in a vault or grave which had been dug in the -ground before the mound was cast up. Over that portion below the waist -(including the right arm) were placed flat stones so arranged as to -support one another and prevent pressure on the body, but no traces of -fire were on them; yet, when the upper portions of the body were -reached, they were found so burned and charred as to be scarcely -traceable amid the charcoal and ashes that surrounded them. - -It was apparent that a grave had first been dug, then the right arm had -been dislocated and placed by the side of the skeleton below the waist, -and this part covered with stones as described, and then the remainder -burned by a fire kindled over it. - -A section of the mound showing the grave and stone drain is given in -Fig. 10, in which 1 is the outline of the mound on the hill slope; 2, -the pit; and 3, the stones of the drain. - -[Illustration: FIG. 10.--Section of mound 4, East Dubuque, Illinois.] - -No. 13 was found to contain a circle or enclosure, 10 feet in diameter, -of stone slabs set on edge at the natural surface of the ground. Within -this circle, but some 2 feet below the surface, were five skeletons: two -adults, two children, and one infant. They were all lying horizontally, -side by side, with heads south, the adults at the outside and the -children between them. - -We are reminded by the mode of burial in this case of that in the mound -opened by Dr. Lapham at Waukesha, Wisconsin, before referred to. In that -the remains of a single individual were discovered, but in this it would -seem that the skeletons of an entire family, gathered from their -temporary resting places, had been carefully buried side by side, a -silent testimonial to parental love and affection of friends among the -mound-builders. - -No. 1, 6 feet high and 45 feet in diameter, was found to be an ossuary. -Beneath the top layer was an arched stratum of clay and ashes mixed, so -firm and hard as to retain its form unsupported over a space of several -feet. This covered a confused heap of human bones, many of which were -badly decayed. - -The marked feature of the group was found in No. 16, a remarkably -symmetrical mound 65 feet in diameter and 10 feet high. After passing -downward 6 feet, mostly through a hard gray layer, a vault partly of -timber and partly of stone was reached. A vertical section of the mound -and vault is shown in Fig. 11, and the ground plan of the vault in Fig. -12. - -This vault or crypt was found to be rectangular in form, inside -measurements showing it to be 13 feet long and 7 feet wide, surrounded -by a sandstone wall 3 feet high. Three feet from each end was a -crosswall or partition of like character, thus forming a main central -chamber 7 feet square, and a narrow chamber or cell at each end -something over 2 feet wide and 7 feet long. The whole had been -completely covered with a layer of logs from 6 to 12 inches in diameter, -their ends reaching slightly beyond the side walls in the manner shown -in Fig. 12. - -[Illustration: PL. III. GROUP OF MOUNDS AND VERTICAL SECTION OF BLUFF, -EAST DUBUQUE, ILL.] - -In the center chamber were found eleven skeletons: six adults and five -children of different ages, including one infant, the latter evidently -buried in the arms of one of the adults, possibly its mother. Apparently -they had all been buried at one time, arranged in a circle, in a -squatting or sitting posture, against the walls. In the center of the -space around which they were grouped was a fine specimen of _Busycon -perversum_, which had been converted into a drinking-cup by removing the -columella. Here were also numerous fragments of pottery. - -[Illustration: FIG. 11.--Section of mound 16 (Pl. III) showing vault.] - -[Illustration: FIG. 12.--Plan of vault, mound 16 (Pl. III).] - -The end cells, walled off from the main portion, as heretofore stated, -were found nearly filled with a very fine chocolate-colored dust, which -gave out such a sickening odor that the workmen were compelled to stop -operations for the day in order to allow it to escape. - -The covering of the vault was of oak logs, most of which had been peeled -and some of the larger ones somewhat squared by slabbing off the sides; -and the slabs and bark thus removed, together with reeds or large grass -stems, had been laid over them. Over the whole was spread layer after -layer of mortar containing lime, each succeeding layer harder and -thicker than that which preceded it, a foot or so of ordinary soil -completing the mound. - -As there can be scarcely a doubt that the mounds of this group were -built by one tribe, we have here additional evidence that the same -people were accustomed to bury their dead in various ways. Some of the -skeletons are found lying horizontally side by side, others are placed -in a circle in a sitting or squatting posture, while in another mound we -find the dismembered bones heaped in a confused mass. In one place is a -single huge frame decked with the ornaments of savage life, while in -other places we see the members of a family lying side by side, and in -others the bones, possibly of the ordinary people, heaped together in a -common ossuary. - -The timber-covered vault in mound No. 16 calls to mind very vividly the -similar vaults mentioned by Squier and Davis,[20] found in the valley of -the Scioto in Ohio. In the latter the walls as well as the covering were -of logs, instead of stone, but the adaptation to circumstances may, -perhaps, form a sufficient explanation of this difference. While there -are several very marked distinctions between the Ohio works and those of -the district now under consideration, there are also some resemblances, -as we shall see as we proceed, which cannot be overlooked, and which -seem to indicate relationship, contact, or intercourse between the -people who were the authors of these different structures. - -[Illustration: FIG. 13.--Pipe from Illinois mound. (After Smithsonian -Report.)] - -[Illustration: FIG. 14.--Pipe from Illinois mound, 1/2. (After -Smithsonian Report.)] - -[Illustration: FIG. 15.--Pipe from Illinois mound, 1/2. (After -Smithsonian Report.)] - -In additional support of this view, I call attention to the carved pipes -found by members of the Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences, in the -mounds near Davenport, Iowa, already referred to, which are represented -on Plates IV and XXXIV of Vol. I of the Proceedings of that society, -and to others obtained by Judge J. G. Henderson from some mounds near -Naples, Illinois, and described in the Smithsonian Report for 1882. The -latter are shown in Figs. 13, 14, and 15. The relation of these to the -pipes found in the Ohio works by Squier and Davis is too apparent to be -attributed to accident, and forces us to the conclusion that there was -intercourse of some kind between the two peoples, and hence that the -works of the two localities are relatively of the same age. - -The mode of burial in one of the mounds near Naples is so suggestive in -this connection that I quote here Judge Henderson's description: - - The oval mound No. 1 was explored in April, 1881, by beginning - a trench at the north end and carrying it to the original - surface and through to the south end. Lateral trenches were - opened at intervals, and from these and the main one a complete - exploration was made by tunneling. - - Near the center of the mound a single skeleton was found in a - sitting position, and no objects were about it except a single - sea-shell resting on the earth _just over the head_, and a - number of the bone awls, already described, _sticking in the - sand around the skeleton_. The individual had been seated upon - the sand, these awls stuck around him in a circle 4 or 5 inches - in the sand, and the work of carrying dirt begun. - - When the mound had been elevated about 6 inches above the head - the shell was laid on and the work continued. - -The shell alluded to is a fine specimen of _Busycon perversum_, with the -columella removed in order to form a drinking cup. - -The particular point to which I call attention is this: In Plate XI, -Part II of De Bry,[21] which is reproduced in the annexed Plate IV, is -represented a very small mound, on the top of which is a large shell, -and about the base a circle of arrows sticking in the ground. The -artist, Le Moyne de Morgues, remarks, in reference to it, "Sometimes the -deceased king of this province is buried with great solemnity, and his -great cup from which he was accustomed to drink is placed on a tumulus -with many arrows set about it." The tumulus in this case is evidently -very small, and, as remarked by Dr. Brinton,[22] "scarcely rises to the -dignity of a mound." Yet it will correspond in size with what the Naples -mound was when the shell was placed upon it; nevertheless the latter, -when completed, formed an oval tumulus 132 feet long, 98 feet wide, and -10 feet high. - -It is therefore quite probable that Le Moyne figures the mound at the -time it reached the point where the shell cup was to be deposited, when, -in all likelihood, certain ceremonies were to be observed and a pause in -the work occurred. Whether this suggestion be correct or not, the cut -and the statement of Judge Henderson furnish some evidence in regard to -the presence of these articles in the mounds, and point to the people by -whom they were placed there. - -[Illustration: FIG. 16.--Group of mounds and hut-rings, Brown County, -Illinois.] - -[Illustration: PL. IV. A MOUND, FROM DE BRY.] - -Colonel Norris opened a number of the ordinary small burial mounds found -on the bluffs and higher grounds of Pike and Brown Counties, Illinois, -which were found to be constructed in the usual method of this district; -that is, with a layer of hard, mortar-like substance, or clay and ashes -mixed, covering the skeletons. The positions of the skeletons varied, as -we have seen is the case in other localities. The number of intrusive -burials was unusually large here. In a number of cases where there were -intrusive burials near the surface, no bones, or but the slightest -fragments of the bones of the original burial, could be found, although -there were sure indications that the mounds were built and had -apparently been used for this purpose. These mounds also present -evidence of the intrusion of an element from one people into the country -of another. On the farm of Mr. Edward Welch, Brown County, Illinois, is -the group of mounds shown in Fig. 16. This consists of conical and -pyramidal mounds, and the small earthen rings designated house sites. -The form of the larger mounds is shown in Fig. 17. Although standing on -a bluff some 200 feet above the river bottom, it is evident at the first -glance that these works belong to the southern type and were built by -the people who erected those of the Cahokia group or farther south. No -opportunity was allowed to investigate the burial mounds or house sites, -but slight explorations made in the larger mounds sufficed to reveal the -fire-beds so common in southern mounds, thus confirming the impression -given by their form. It is probable that these mark the point of the -extreme northern extension of the southern mound-building tribes. A -colony, probably from the numerous and strong tribe located on Cahokia -Creek around the giant Monk's mound, pushed its way thus far and formed -a settlement, but, after contending for a time with the hostile tribes -which pressed upon it from the north, was compelled to return towards -the south. - -[Illustration: FIG. 17.--Forms of larger mounds of the group shown in -Fig. 16.] - -Passing to the northeastern portion of Missouri, which, as heretofore -stated, we include in the North Mississippi or Illinois district, we -find a material change in the character of the burial mounds, so marked, -in fact, that it is very doubtful whether they should be embraced in the -district named. Although differing in minor particulars, the custom of -inclosing the remains of the dead in some kind of a receptacle of stone, -over which was heaped the earth forming the mound, appears to have -prevailed very generally. - -The region has been but partially explored, yet it is probable the -following examples will furnish illustrations of most of the types to be -found in it. - -From an article by Messrs. Hardy and Scheetz in the Smithsonian Report -for 1881,[23] we learn the following particulars regarding the burial -mounds of Ralls County: - -Occasionally an isolated one is found, but almost invariably they are in -groups of three to ten or more. They are usually placed along the crest -of a ridge, but when in the bottoms or on a level bluff they are in -direct lines or gentle curves. They are very numerous, being found in -almost every bottom and on nearly every bluff. They are usually circular -and from 2 to 12 feet high, and are composed wholly of earth, wholly of -stone, or of the two combined. Where stone was used the plan seems to -have been first to pave the natural surface with flat stones, in one or -two thicknesses, for a foundation. In one case the stones were thrown -together indiscriminately. Human remains are almost invariably found in -them. The bones are generally very much decayed, though each bone is -found almost entire except those of the head. This seems to have always -rested on a stone, and to have been covered by one or more stones, so -that it is always found in a crushed condition. In rare instances stone -implements, pipes, etc., are found in the mounds. The remains found in -tumuli wholly of stone are much more decayed than in those of mixed -material. - -One opened by the writers of the article is described by them as -follows: - - On the south side of it the bed stone had been formed into a - shallow trough. On removing the flat stones which covered this, - and which showed no action of fire, we found a bed of charcoal - several inches thick, both animal and vegetable, and the - limestone which composed it was burned completely through. Some - fragments of a human femur were found in a calcined state. - There were no indications of fire elsewhere in the mound, but - there were the partial remains of several skeletons, lying in - two layers, with stone and earth between them. - -In another, examined by them, fragments of human bones were found so -near the surface as to be reached by the plow; but deeper, on the north -sides, were single skeletons laid at length east and west, and between -them a mass of bones confused as though thrown in indiscriminately. The -diameter of this mound was about 30 feet, height 2-1/2 feet. - -In section 24, township 55, range 7, is a small hill, known as "Wilson's -Knob." Its crest, which is about 120 feet long, is completely covered -with stone to the depth of several feet, the pile being about 20 feet -wide. Examination brought to light the fact that this was originally a -row of stone mounds or burial vaults, nine in number, circular in form, -each from eight to nine feet in diameter (inner measure), and contiguous -to one another. Judging from appearances it would seem that each had -been of a conical or dome-like form. They were composed wholly of stone, -and the remains found in them were almost wholly decomposed. - -On another ridge the same parties found another row with four stone -mounds similar to those described, except that the cists were square -instead of circular, the sides of the latter being equal to the diameter -of the former. In these only small fragments of bone could be found. - -Although Messrs. Hardy and Scheetz evidently considered these stone -structures as receptacles for the dead, and as erected for this purpose, -yet it is possible they may have been intended for some other use. - -The mounds of Pike County are chiefly of mixed material similar to those -mentioned,[24] though some of them contain rectangular stone vaults. One -of these vaults, measuring 4 by 5 feet, was found to contain the remains -of eight skeletons. Another, a regular box-shaped cist of stone slabs, -contained nothing save a few cranial bones very much decayed. Another of -large size contained human remains with which were some arrow-heads, a -vessel of clay, and a carved steatite pipe, having upon its front a -figure-head. - -I have given these particulars in order to show how closely they agree -with the discoveries made by the Bureau assistant in this region, from -whose notes I take the following description: - -[Illustration: FIG. 18.--Group of mounds, Clarke County, Missouri.] - -Between Fox River and Sugar Creek, in Clarke County, a sharp dividing -ridge about 100 feet high extends in a northerly direction for nearly -two miles from where these streams enter upon the open bottom of the -Mississippi. Scattered irregularly along the crest of this ridge is a -line of circular mounds shown in Fig. 18. These range in size from 15 to -50 feet in diameter and from 2 to 6 feet high, and are circular in form. -In No. 3,[25] diameter 35 feet and height 5 feet, situated in the -central portion, was found a stone coffin or cist 7 feet long and 2 feet -wide, formed of slabs of sandstone in the usual manner. This was covered -first with similar slabs and then the whole incased in a layer of -rougher stones. Over this was a layer of hard earth, which was evidently -in a plastic state when placed there, as it had run into and filled up -the interstices. Above this was a foot or more of yellowish earth, -similar to that forming the ridge. In the coffin was the skeleton of an -adult, lying horizontally on the back, but too far gone to decay to -admit of removal. No specimens of art of any kind were found with it. - -No. 4, a trifle smaller than No. 3, was opened by running a trench from -the eastern margin. For a distance of 15 or 16 feet nothing was -encountered except the earth, with which it appeared to be covered to -the depth of 2 feet. Here was found a layer of rough stones covering a -mass of charcoal and ashes with bones intermixed. In fact the -indications leave the impression that one or more persons (or their -bones) had been burned in a fire on the natural surface of the earth -near the center of the mound, the coals and brands of which were then -covered with rough stones thrown in, without any system, to the depth of -3 feet, over a space 10 or 12 feet in diameter, and then covered with -earth. Only fragments of charred human bones, pieces of rude pottery, -and stone chips were found commingled with the charcoal and ashes. - -Another group on the farm of Mr. J. N. Boulware, near the line between -Clarke and Lewis counties, was examined by the same party. This group, -which is situated on a bench or terrace from 20 to 40 feet above the -Mississippi bottoms, consists of some 55 or 60 ordinary circular mounds -of comparatively small size. - -In one of these, 45 feet in diameter and 5 feet high, were found, near -the top, the fragments of a human skeleton much decayed, and broken -pottery, encircled by a row of flat stones set up edgewise and covered -with others of a similar character. Below these was a layer of very -hard light-colored earth, mixed throughout with fragments of charred -human bones and pottery, charcoal and stone chips. - -Another, about 60 feet in diameter, was found to consist (except the top -layer of soil, about 1 foot thick) of hard, dried "mortar" (apparently -clay and ashes mixed), in which fragments of charred human bones, small -rounded pieces of pottery, and stone scrapers were mingled with charcoal -and ashes. - -"As all the mounds opened here," remarks the assistant, "presented this -somewhat singular feature, I made a very careful examination of this -mortar-like substance. I found that there were differences between -different portions of the same mound sufficiently marked to trace the -separate masses. This would indicate that the mounds were built by -successive deposits of mortar thus mixed with charred bones, and not in -strata but in masses." - - - - -THE OHIO DISTRICT. - - -This, as before stated, includes Ohio, a portion of eastern Indiana, and -the western part of West Virginia. - -As only very limited explorations have been made in the Ohio portion of -this district by the Bureau of Ethnology, I will content myself with a -brief allusion to the observations of others. - -The descriptions given by Squier and Davis of the few burial mounds they -explored are too well known to require repeating here. Their conclusion -in regard to them, which has already been alluded to, is stated in -general terms as follows: - - Mounds of this class are very numerous. They are generally of - considerable size, varying from 6 to 80 feet in height, but - having an average altitude of from 15 to 20 or 25 feet. They - stand without the walls of enclosures at a distance more or - less remote from them. - - Many are isolated, with no other monuments near them; but they - frequently occur in groups, sometimes in close connection with - each other, and exhibiting a dependence which was not without - its meaning. They are destitute of altars, nor do they possess - the regularity which characterizes the "temple mounds." The - usual form is that of a simple cone; sometimes they are - elliptical or pear-shaped. These mounds invariably cover a - skeleton (in very rare instances more than one, as in the case - of the Grave Creek mound), which at the time of interment was - enveloped in bark or coarse matting, or inclosed in a rude - sarcophagus of timber, the traces and in some instances the - very casts of which remain. Occasionally the chamber of the - dead is built of stone, rudely laid up, without cement of any - kind. Burial by fire seems to have been frequently practiced by - the mound-builders. Urn burial also appears to have prevailed - to a considerable extent in the Southern States. With the - skeletons in these mounds are found various remains of art, - comprising ornaments, utensils, and weapons.[26] - -For the purpose of conveying to the mind a clear idea of the character -of these mounds, I give here a copy of their figure of one of them (Fig. -19), and also of the wooden vault found in it (Fig. 20). This mound, as -was the case with most of the burial mounds opened by them, although -comparatively large, is without any distinct stratification. - -In some cases (see Ancient Monuments, Figs. 52 and 53, p. 164) a layer -of bark was first spread on the natural surface of the ground after it -had been cleared, leveled, and packed; on this the body was laid at full -length. It was then covered with another layer of bark and the mound was -heaped over this. - -Although no mounds containing stone sepulchers fell under their notice -during their explorations, they obtained satisfactory evidence that one -within the limits of Chillicothe had been removed, in which a stone -coffin, "corresponding very nearly with the _kistvaen_ of English -antiquarians" was discovered. - -[Illustration: FIG. 19.--Ohio burial mound (after Squier and Davis).] - -[Illustration: FIG. 20.--Wooden vault (after Squier and Davis).] - -Some rather singular burial mounds have been described as found in -different parts of this State, but unfortunately the descriptions are -based largely on memory and second-hand statements and hence do not have -that stamp of accuracy and authenticity that is desirable. For example, -a large stone mound, which formerly stood a short distance from Newark, -is described[27] as conical in form, 182 feet in diameter, and from 40 -to 50 feet high, composed of stones in their natural shape. This, upon -removal, was found to cover some fifteen or sixteen small earth mounds. -In one of these were found human bones and river shells. In another was -encountered a layer of hard white fire-clay. Two or three feet below -this was a wooden trough. This was overlaid by small logs of wood to -serve as a cover, and in it was found a skeleton, around which appeared -the impression of a coarse cloth. With it were fifteen copper rings and -a "breastplate" of the same metal. The wood of the trough and covering -was in a good state of preservation. The clay which covered it was -impervious both to air and water. The logs which overlaid the wooden -sarcophagus "were so well preserved that the ends showed the axe marks, -and the steepness of the kerf seemed to indicate that some instrument -sharper than the stone axe found throughout the West had been employed -to cut them." - -"In another of these mounds a large number of human bones, but no other -relics worthy of note, were found."[28] - -In a mound situated in Clear Creek Township, Ashland County, a stone -coffin or cist was discovered, constructed of flat stones set up -edgewise. It contained six or eight skeletons, "neatly cleaned and -packed, in a good state of preservation."[29] - -A statement worthy of notice in this connection is made by Mr. H. B. -Case in the Smithsonian Report for 1881.[30] The Delaware Indians -formerly had a village in the northern part of Green Township, Ashland -County, which was still occupied by them when the white settlers reached -there in 1809. An examination of their graves in 1876 brought to light -the fact that in some cases the dead were buried in stone cists; in -others small, round, drift bowlders were placed around the skeletons. - -One of the most satisfactory and most important accounts of Ohio burial -mounds will be found in a "Report of Explorations of Mounds in Southern -Ohio," by Prof. E. B. Andrews, published in the Tenth Annual Report of -the Peabody Museum. Speaking of the George Connet mound, in Athens -County, he says: - - This is a low mound about 6 feet high with a broad base perhaps - 40 feet in diameter. It has for years been plowed over and its - original height has been considerably reduced. My attention was - drawn to this mound by the burnt clay on its top. A trench 5 - feet wide was dug through the center. On the east side much - burnt yellow clay was found, while on the west end of the - trench considerable black earth appeared, which I took to be - kitchen refuse. - - About 5 feet below the top we came upon large quantities of - charcoal, especially on the western side. Underneath the - charcoal was found a skeleton with the head to the east. The - body had evidently been enclosed in some wooden structure. - First there was a platform of wood placed upon the ground, on - the original level of the plain. On this wooden floor timbers - or logs were placed longitudinally, and over these timbers - there were laid other pieces of wood, forming an enclosed box - or coffin. A part of this wood was only charred, the rest was - burnt to ashes. The middle part of the body was in the hottest - fire and many of the vertebræ, ribs, and other bones were burnt - to a black cinder, and at this point the enclosing timbers were - burnt to ashes. The timbers enclosing the lower extremities - were only charred. - - I am led to think that before any fire was kindled a layer of - dirt was thrown over the wooden structure, making a sort of - burial. On this dirt a fire was built, but by some misplacement - of the dirt the fire reached the timbers below, and at such - points as the air could penetrate there was an active - combustion, but at others, where the dirt still remained, there - was only a smothered fire, like that in a charcoal pit. It is - difficult to explain the existence of the charred timbers in - any other way. There must have been other fires than that - immediately around and above the body, and many of them, - because on one side of the mound the clay is burned even to the - top of the mound. In one place, 3 feet above the body, the clay - is vitrified. - - It is possible that fires were built at different levels, open - fires, and that most of the ashes were blown away by the winds - which often sweep over the plain. I have stated that there was - first laid down a sort of floor of wood, on which the body was - placed. On the same floor were placed about 500 copper beads, - forming a line almost around the body. - -In addition to these copper beads a number of shell beads, and also a -hollow copper implement in the shape of a caulker's chisel, were found. -The copper implement and beads were made of thin sheet-copper which, -Professor Andrews says, had been "hammered out into so smooth and even a -sheet that no traces of the hammer were visible. It would be taken -indeed for rolled sheet copper." Some of the bones were pretty well -preserved. - -The professor closes his description with the remark: "The skeleton -undoubtedly belonged to a veritable mound-builder." In this he is -certainly correct, as the mode of burial in this case agrees so exactly -with that observed by Squier and Davis in the larger mounds opened by -them as to leave no doubt that both are to be attributed to one people, -although the mound described by Professor Andrews is probably of much -more recent date than those mentioned by Squier and Davis. - -What explanation shall we give of the presence in this work of thin -sheet-copper "hammered out into so smooth and even a sheet that no -traces of the hammer were visible," and that "would be taken for rolled -copper"? - -The simple and most natural explanation would be that it was derived -from European traders and early adventurers; and such, I am disposed to -believe, is the correct one. The distinction between the sheets and -ornaments hammered from native copper with the rude implements of the -aborigines, and many specimens made of this smooth sheet-copper found in -mounds, is too apparent to be overlooked. But of this more hereafter, as -I shall have occasion again to refer to the subject. - -In another mound, 8 or 9 feet high, in the same county, he found near -the top a considerable bed of kitchen refuse; at the bottom, on the -original surface, ashes and burnt human bones. "These bones," he -remarks, "had evidently been burned before burial, and had been gathered -in miscellaneous confusion and placed in a narrow space 5 or 6 inches -wide and from 2 to 3 feet long. The ashes were doubtless brought with -them, at least there appeared to be no evidences of a local fire in the -reddening or hardening of the clay or in remnants of charcoal." - -As bearing upon a suggestion made by Colonel Norris, and previously -referred to,[31] in regard to the probable use of copper beads found -across the limbs of a skeleton, I call attention to another statement of -Professor Andrews. Speaking of the School-house mound he says: - - At a point near the northwestern corner of the school-house and - perhaps 15 feet from the center of the mound, there was plowed - up, in extremely hard and dry dirt, a large piece of what I - suppose to have been an ornamented dress. It was covered with - copper beads, which were strung on a buckskin string and placed - on four layers of the same skin. It was found 8 feet below the - original surface of the mound and in extremely hard, dry dirt - which had never been disturbed. - -From the figure and the description we can have but little doubt that -this was a buckskin hunting-shirt, which gives support to Colonel -Norris's suggestion. - -Recently some interesting burial mounds near Madisonville have been -carefully explored by Dr. C. L. Metz in the interest of the Peabody -Museum. Only partial notices of these explorations, which are not yet -completed, have been published, but we deem these of sufficient -importance in this connection to quote freely from them,[32] so far as -they serve to illustrate the modes of burial and construction of burial -mounds of this region. - -Speaking of one of the mounds of a group situated in Anderson Township, -Professor Putnam remarks: - - Mound 21 of Group C was about 4 feet high and 50 in diameter. - It proved to be made entirely of the sandy loam of the - immediate vicinity. The remains of five skeletons were - discovered at different points in the lower portion of the - mound. The bones were nearly all reduced to dust, and only a - fragment here and there could be saved. There was not a single - relic found with the skeletons, and a few flint chips and a - broken arrow-head were the only artificial objects found in the - earth composing the mound. The condition of the bones showed - considerable antiquity, but their advanced decay and friability - were probably largely due to the character of the soil in which - they were enclosed. The position of the skeletons rather goes - to show that the several bodies were buried at different times, - and that the mound was gradually constructed as the burials - took place. For the present we are inclined to consider this - mound, with some others in the valley, as a place of sepulcher - by tribes of a more recent time than the builders of the - earthworks of the Turner group. - - Mound No. 22 proved to be of a more interesting character than - the last. This mound was 14 feet high and about 100 in - diameter. It was composed of pure clay, except in the central - portion. Five feet from the top there was found a hard mass of - burnt earth and ashes, 7 feet deep and a little over 9 feet in - width and length. Resting on top of this, about in the center, - and covered in part by the overlying clay, lay a large stone - celt. A foot below this, in the burnt material, was a stone - implement perforated at its upper end. Below this, at points - several feet apart, in the burnt mass, were three holes or - pockets, each of which contained the remains of portions of - human skeletons, surrounded by a thin layer of clay. Near the - bones in the lowest pocket were three spear-heads or chipped - points. A few potsherds and several flint chips were found - throughout the burnt mass. Under it was a circular bed of black - soil and ashes, 13 inches thick in the center and 14 feet in - diameter, beneath which was a layer of fine sand and gravel, 3 - inches thick, which covered another circular bed of black soil - and ashes, 14 inches thick in the center and 15 feet in - diameter. Directly under the center of this lower layer was a - pit 4 feet deep and 10 feet 4 inches long, 4 feet wide at the - ends and 3 feet 5 inches wide at the center. This pit probably - had contained a wooden structure, as its sides showed rough - striations, as if large logs had once rested against them. The - pit had been dug in the drift gravel upon which the mound was - built, and was nearly filled with soft, spongy ashes mixed with - a reddish substance. Extended at full length at the bottom of - the pit was a human skeleton, with the head to the west. Among - the bones of the neck a single shell bead was found; at the - feet were ten stones or small bowlders, such as are common in - the drift gravel. It is evident that this interesting tumulus - was erected over the grave which was dug in the underlying - gravel, and that the human bones placed in the burnt mass above - the grave, with the few stone implements found in or on the - mass, had some connection with the funeral ceremonies which - took place in connection with the burial of the body in the pit - below. The regularity of the deposits over the pit, which was - under the center of the mound, seems to be sufficient proof of - this. - -Another mound, nearer the river, situated on an elevated portion of -bottom land, was found to differ in construction from any of the others -explored in this vicinity. This is described as follows:[33] - - According to Mr. William Edwards, sixty years ago it was about 9 - feet high, and covered by a heavy forest growth, which also - extended over the region about. Over fifty years ago the land was - cleared and the mound scraped down by Mr. Edwards, who, after - removing about 4 feet of earth from its summit, came to a large - quantity of stones, with which were many human bones. Since that - time the mound has been plowed over and stones have been taken from - it until it has been so nearly leveled as hardly to be noticed. - Thus only the base of the mound could be explored; but that has - proved of great interest in connection with the other works of the - valley. On removing the earth around the base it was found that - stones, many of considerable size, had been so arranged as to form - a mound about 5 feet high in the center and 90 feet in diameter, - over which the earth had been placed to the height of about 4 feet, - as stated by Mr. Edwards. In height about one-half of the stone - portion of the mound was undisturbed. On removing the outer - covering of stones it was found that many burials, probably at - least one hundred, had been made in the mound. The remains of - seventy-one skeletons were obtained. These skeletons were all more - or less crushed by the stones which surrounded them, as, in - addition to the outer stones of the mound, each body had been - surrounded with stones at the time of its burial. In many instances - large slabs of limestone had been used, and in a few cases they - were set on edge around the body. In other cases small stones had - been piled around and over the bodies, which had been placed in - various positions, some extended and others flexed in various ways. - With many of the skeletons were stone implements and ornaments, - among which were several of the flat stones with two or more - perforations, generally known as gorgets. There were also many bone - implements, shell and bone ornaments, and cut teeth of bears. - Several small copper awls in bone handles, and the shells of - box-turtles, were also found with the skeletons. Many fragments of - pottery and broken bones of animals were scattered through the mass - of stones and human bones. At the feet of the skeleton, in the - center of the mound, there was an upright slab of limestone 2 feet - long by 20 inches wide, and with this skeleton were the following - objects: Resting on the chest was a large ornament made from the - apex of a conch shell, with a hole at one edge for suspension; - below this, on the ribs, was a spear-shaped gorget, with one hole, - and by its side were several shell ornaments, also perforated. - Lying near the right femur and parallel with it was a carved bone, - grooved on the under side and having two holes; between this and - the leg bone were four small pieces of carved bone about an inch in - length. In the bones of the right hand was a small awl made of - native copper and inserted in a little round handle made of bone, - similar to others found with other skeletons in the mound. At the - south side of the mound, on the original surface, was a burnt - space, on which was a large quantity, several bushels, of broken - bones of animals, clam shells, and fragments of pottery mixed with - ashes. This mass seems to have existed before the mound was made, - or at all events completed, as five of the burials had taken place - above it. On the plain about the mound are evidences of the site of - a former village, and the annual plowing brings to light many - animal remains, fragments of pottery, and stone implements of the - same character as those from, the mound. From this fact, and from - the character of the burials in the mound, as well as that of the - objects found with the skeletons, and from the absence of the - characteristic ornaments found with so many of the human remains in - the Turner group and other ancient mounds of the Ohio Valley, we - are led to look upon this stone mound as the burial place of a - tribe of Indians living in the region subsequent to the builders of - the Turner mounds. The remains found in this stone mound, as a - whole, indicate that the people here buried were closely connected - with those who made the singular ash-pits in the ancient cemetery - near Madisonville.[34] - -Passing into West Virginia we notice first the celebrated Grave Greek -mound. This has been described and figured so often that it is -unnecessary for me to do more than call attention to certain particulars -in regard to it to which I may desire hereafter to refer by way of -comparison. It is in the form of a regular cone, about 70 feet high and -nearly 300 feet in diameter at the base. A shaft sunk from the apex to -the base disclosed two wooden vaults, the first about half way down and -the other at the bottom. In the first or upper one was a single -skeleton, decorated with a profusion of shell beads, copper bracelets, -and plates of mica. The lower vault, which was partly in an excavation -made in the natural ground, was found to be rectangular, 12 by 8 feet -and 7 feet high. Along each side and across the ends upright timbers had -been placed, which supported other timbers thrown across the vault as a -covering. These were covered with a layer of rough stones. In this vault -were two human skeletons, one of which had no ornaments, while the other -was surrounded with hundreds of shell beads. In attempting to enlarge -this vault the workmen discovered around it ten other skeletons. While -carrying the horizontal tunnel, several masses of charcoal and burnt -bones were encountered after a distance of 12 or 15 feet had been -reached. - -Before making any comments on the construction of this noted work and -the mode of burial in it, I will present some facts recently brought to -light in regard to the burial mounds of the Kanawha Valley by the -assistants of the Bureau. - -A large mound situated on the farm of Col. B. H. Smith, near Charleston, -is conical in form, about 175 feet in diameter at the base and 35 feet -high. It appears to be double; that is to say, it consists of two -mounds, one built on the other, the lower or original one 20 feet and -the upper 15 feet high. - -The exploration was made by sinking a shaft, 12 feet square at the top -and narrowing gradually to 6 feet square at the bottom, down through the -center of the structure to the original surface of the ground and a -short distance below it. After removing a slight covering of earth, an -irregular mass of large, rough, flat sandstones, evidently brought from -the bluffs half a mile distant, was encountered. Some of these -sandstones were a good load for two ordinary men. - -The removal of a wagon load or so of these stones brought to light a -stone vault 7 feet long and 4 feet deep, in the bottom of which was -found a large and much decayed human skeleton, but wanting the head, -which the most careful examination failed to discover. A single rough -spearhead was the only accompanying article found in this vault. At the -depth of 6 feet, in earth similar to that around the base of the mound, -was found a second skeleton, also much decayed, of an adult of ordinary -size. At 9 feet a third skeleton was encountered, in a mass of loose, -dry earth, surrounded by the remains of a bark coffin. This was in a -much, better state of preservation than the other two. The skull, which -was preserved, is of the compressed or "flat-head" type. - -For some 3 or 4 feet below this the earth was found to be mixed with -ashes. At this depth in his downward progress Colonel Norris began to -encounter the remains of what further excavation showed to have been a -timber vault, about 12 feet square and 7 or 8 feet high. From the -condition in which the remains of the cover were found, he concludes -that this must have been roof-shaped, and, having become decayed, was -crushed in by the weight of the addition made to the mound. Some of the -walnut timbers of this vault were as much as 12 inches in diameter. - -In this vault were found five skeletons, one lying prostrate on the -floor at the depth of 19 feet from the top of the mound, and four -others, which, from the positions in which they were found, were -supposed to have been placed standing in the four corners. The first of -these was discovered at the depth of 14 feet, amid a commingled mass of -earth and decaying bark and timbers, nearly erect, leaning against the -wall, and surrounded by the remains of a bark coffin. All the bones -except those of the left forearm were too far decayed to be saved; these -were preserved by two heavy copper bracelets which yet surrounded them. - -[Illustration: FIG. 21.--Copper gorget from mound, Kanawha County, West -Virginia.] - -The skeleton found lying in the middle of the floor of the vault was of -unusually large size, "measuring 7 feet 6 inches in length and 19 inches -between the shoulder sockets." It had also been inclosed in a wrapping -or coffin of bark, remains of which were still distinctly visible. It -lay upon the back, head east, legs together, and arms by the sides. -There were six heavy bracelets on each wrist; four others were found -under the head, which, together with a spear-point of black flint, were -incased in a mass of mortar-like substance, which had evidently been -wrapped in some textile fabric. On the breast was a copper gorget (Fig. -21). In each hand were three spear-heads of black flint, and others -were about the head, knees, and feet. Near the right hand were two -hematite celts, and on the shoulder were three large and thick plates of -mica. About the shoulders, waist, and thighs were numerous minute -perforated shells and shell beads. - -[Illustration: FIG. 22.--Pipe from mound, Kanawha County, West -Virginia.] - -[Illustration: FIG. 23.--Pipe from mound, Butler County, Ohio.] - -While filling in the excavation, the pipe represented in Fig. 22 was -found in the dirt which had been removed from it. This pipe has been -carved out of gray steatite and highly polished. It is worthy of note -that it is precisely of the form described by Adair as made by the -Cherokees, and also that it approaches very near to an Ohio type (Fig. -23). - -Another mound of rather large size, in the same locality, was opened by -the Bureau assistant. - -In order that all the facts bearing on its uses may be understood it is -necessary to notice its immediate surroundings. - -Plate V is a map showing the ancient works in the valley of the Kanawha, -from 3 to 5 miles below Charleston, and Plate VI is an enlarged plat of -the area embracing those numbered I, II and 1, 3, and 4 on the map. As -will be seen by an inspection of the latter plate, the works included -are two circular enclosures, 1 and 2; one excavation; one included -mound, 2; three mounds, 3, 1, and 4, outside of the enclosures; and a -graded way. As our attention at present is directed only to the large -mound, 1, it is unnecessary to notice the other works further than to -add that each enclosure is about 220 feet in diameter, and consists of a -circular wall and an inside ditch. The excavation is nearly circular and -about 140 feet in diameter. The large mound is conical in form, 173 feet -in diameter, and 33 feet high. It is slightly truncated, the top having -been leveled off some forty years ago for the purpose of building a -judge's stand in connection with a race-course that was laid out around -the mound. - -A shaft 12 feet square at the top and narrowing downward was sunk to the -base. At the depth of 4 feet, in a very hard bed of earth and ashes -mixed, were found two much decayed human skeletons, both stretched -horizontally on their backs, heads south, and near their heads several -stone implements. From this point until a depth of 24 feet was reached -the shaft passed through very hard earth of a light-gray color, -apparently clay and ashes mixed, in which nothing of consequence was -found. When a depth of 24 feet was reached the material suddenly changed -to a much softer and darker earth, disclosing the casts and some decayed -fragments of timbers from 6 to 12 inches in diameter. Here were found -fragments of bark, ashes, and also numerous fragments of animal bones, -some of which had been split lengthwise. At the depth of 31 feet was a -human skeleton, lying prostrate, head north, which had evidently been -enclosed in a coffin or wrapping of elm bark. In contact with the head -was a thin sheet of hammered native copper. By enlarging the base of the -shaft until a space some 16 feet in diameter was opened, the character -and the contents of the base of the mound were more fully ascertained. -This brought to light the fact that the builders, after having first -smoothed, leveled, and packed the natural surface, carefully spread upon -the floor a layer of bark (chiefly elm), the inner side up, and upon -this a layer of fine white ashes, clear of charcoal, to the depth, -probably, of 5 or 6 inches, though pressed now to little more than 1 -inch. On this the bodies were laid and presumably covered with bark. - -The enlargement of the shaft also brought to view ten other skeletons, -all apparently adults, five on one side and five on the other side of -the central skeleton, and, like it, extended horizontally, with their -feet pointing toward the central one but not quite touching it. Like the -first, they had all been buried in bark coffins or wrappings. With each -skeleton on the east side was a fine, apparently unused lance-head about -3 inches long, and by the right side of the northern one a fish-dart, -three arrow-heads, and some fragments of _Unio_ shells and pottery. No -implements or ornaments were found with either of the five skeletons on -the west side, although careful search was made therefor. In addition to -the copper plate, a few shell beads and a large lance-head were found -with the central skeleton. As there were a number of holes resembling -post-holes, about the base, which were filled with rotten bark and -decayed vegetable matter, I am inclined to believe there was a vault -here similar to the lower vault in the Grave Creek mound, in which the -walls were of timbers set up endwise in the ground. But it is proper to -state that the assistant who opened the mound is rather disposed to -doubt the correctness of this explanation. - -In order to show the character of the smaller burial mounds of this -region, I give descriptions of a few opened by Colonel Norris. - -[Illustration: PL. V. PLAT OF ANCIENT WORKS, KANAWHA COUNTY, W. VA.] - -One 20 feet in diameter and 7 feet high, with a beech tree 30 inches in -diameter growing on it, was opened by running a broad trench through it. -The material of which it was composed was yellow clay, evidently from an -excavation in the hillside near it. Stretched horizontally on the -natural surface of the ground, faces up and heads south, were seven -skeletons, six adults and one child, all charred. They were covered -several inches thick with ashes, charcoal, and fire-brands, evidently -the remains of a very heavy fire which must have been smothered before -it was fully burned out. Three coarse lance-heads were found among the -bones of the adults, and around the neck of the child three copper -beads, apparently of hammered native copper. - -Another mound, 50 feet in diameter and 5 feet high, standing guard, as -it were, at the entrance of an inclosure, was opened, revealing the -following particulars: The top was strewn with fragments of flat rocks, -most of which were marked with one or more small, artificial, cup-shaped -depressions. Below these, to the depth, of 2 or 3 feet, the hard yellow -clay was mixed throughout with similar stones, charcoal, ashes, stone -chips, and fragments of rude pottery. Near the center and 3 feet from -the top of the mound were the much decayed remains of a human skeleton, -lying on its back, in a very rude stone-slab coffin. Beneath this were -other flat stones, and under them charcoal, ashes, and baked earth, -covering the decayed bones of some three or four skeletons which lay -upon the original surface of the ground. So far as could be ascertained, -the skeletons in this mound lay with their heads toward the east. No -relics of any kind worthy of notice were found with them. - -Another mound of similar size, upon a dry terrace, was found to consist -chiefly of very hard clay, scattered through which were stone chips and -fragments of rude pottery. Near the natural surface of the ground a -layer of ashes and charcoal was encountered, in which were found the -remains of at least two skeletons. - -A mound some 200 yards south of the inclosure, situated on a slope and -measuring 50 feet in diameter and 6 feet in height, gave a somewhat -different result. It consisted wholly of very hard clay down to the -natural surface of the hill-slope. But further excavation revealed a -vault or pit in the original earth 8 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 3 feet -deep at the upper end. In this was found a decayed skeleton, with the -head up hill or toward the north. Upon the breast was a sandstone -gorget, and upon it a leaf-shaped knife of black flint and a neatly -polished hematite celt. The bones of the right arm were found stretched -out at right angles to the body, along a line of ashes. Upon the bones -of the open hand were three piles (five in each) of small leaf-shaped -flint knives. - -As the four small mounds just mentioned pertain to the Clifton groups, -in the Elk River Valley, we will call attention to one or two of the -Charleston group, for the purpose of affording the reader the means of -comparison. - -Below the center of No. 7 (see Plate), sunk into the original earth, was -a vault about 8 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 3 feet deep. Lying extended -on the back in the bottom of this, amid the rotten fragments of a bark -coffin, was a decayed human skeleton, fully 7 feet long, with head west. -No evidence of fire was to be seen, nor were any stone implements -discovered, but lying in a circle just above the hips were fifty -circular pieces of white perforated shell, each about 1 inch in diameter -and an eighth of an inch thick. The bones of the left arm lay by the -side of the body, but those of the right arm, as in one of the mounds -heretofore mentioned, were stretched at right angles to the body, -reaching out to a small oven-shaped vault, the mortar or cement roof of -which was still unbroken. The capacity of this small circular vault was -probably two bushels, and the peculiar appearance of the dark-colored -deposit therein, and other indications, led to the belief that it had -been filled with corn (maize) in the ear. The absence of weapons would -indicate that the individual buried here was not a warrior, though a -person of some importance. - -Mound No. 23 of this group presents some peculiarities worthy of notice. -It is 312 feet in circumference at the base and 25 feet high, covered -with a second growth of timber, some of the stumps of the former growth -yet remaining. It is unusually sharp and symmetrical. From the top down -the material was found to be a light-gray and apparently mixed earth, so -hard as to require the vigorous use of the pick to penetrate it. At the -depth of 15 feet the explorers began to find the casts and fragments of -poles or round timbers less than a foot in diameter. These casts and -rotten remains of wood and bark increased in abundance from this point -until the original surface of the ground was reached. By enlarging the -lower end of the shaft to 14 feet in diameter it was ascertained that -this rotten wood and bark were the remains of what had once been a -circular or polygonal, timber-sided, and conical-roofed vault. Many of -the timbers of the sides and roof, being considerably longer than -necessary, had been allowed to extend beyond the points of support often -8 or 10 feet, those on the sides beyond the crossing and those of the -roof downward beyond the wall. Upon the floor and amid the remains of -the timber were numerous human bones and also two whole skeletons, the -latter but slightly decayed, though badly crushed by the weight pressing -on them, but unaccompanied by an ornament or an implement of any kind. A -further excavation of about 4 feet below the floor, or what was supposed -to be the floor, of this vault, and below the original surface of the -ground, brought to light six circular, oven-shaped vaults, each about 3 -feet in diameter and the same in depth. As these six were so placed as -to form a semicircle, it is presumed there are others under that portion -of the mound not reached by the excavation. All were filled with dry, -dark dust or decayed substances, supposed to be the remains of Indian -corn in the ear, as it was similar to that heretofore mentioned. In the -center of the circle indicated by the positions of these minor vaults, -and the supposed center of the base of the mound (the shaft not being -exactly central), and but 2 feet below the floor of the main vault, and -in a fine mortar or cement, were found two cavities resembling in form -the bottle or gourd shaped vessel so frequently met with in the mounds -of southeastern Missouri and northeastern Arkansas. Unfortunately the -further investigation of this work was stopped at this stage of progress -by cold weather. - -In another mound of this group the burial was in a box-shaped stone -vault, not of slabs in the usual method, but built up of rough, angular -stones. - -[Illustration: FIG. 24.--Mound with so-called "altar," Kanawha County, -West Virginia.] - -Mound 31 of this group seems to furnish a connecting link between the -West Virginia and the Ohio mounds. It is sharp in outline, has a steep -slope, and is flattened on the top; is 318 feet in circumference at the -base and about 25 feet high. It was opened by digging a shaft 10 feet in -diameter from the center of the top to the base. After passing through -the top layer of surface soil, some 2 feet thick, a layer of clay and -ashes 1 foot thick was encountered. Here, near the center of the shaft, -were two skeletons, lying horizontally, one immediately over the other, -the upper and larger one with the face down and the lower with the face -up. There were no indications of fire about them. Immediately over the -heads were one celt and three lance-heads. At the depth of 13 feet and a -little north of the center of the mound were two very large skeletons, -in a sitting posture, with their extended legs interlocked to the knees. -Their arms were extended and their hands slightly elevated, as if -together holding up a sandstone mortar which was between their faces. -This stone is somewhat hemispherical, about 2 feet in diameter across -the top, which is hollowed in the shape of a shallow basin or mortar. It -had been subjected to the action of fire until burned to a bright red. -The cavity was filled with white ashes, containing small fragments of -bones burned to cinders. Immediately over this, and of sufficient size -to cover it, was a slab of bluish-gray limestone about 3 inches thick, -which had small cup-shaped excavations on the under side. This bore no -marks of fire. Near the hands of the eastern skeleton were a small -hematite celt and a lance-head, and upon the left wrist of the other two -copper bracelets. At the depth of 25 feet, and on the natural surface, -was found what in an Ohio mound would have been designated an "altar." -This was not thoroughly traced throughout, but was about 12 feet long -and over 8 feet wide, of the form shown in Fig. 24. - -It consisted of a layer of well-prepared mortar, apparently clay, -slightly mixed with ashes. This was not more than 6 or 8 inches thick in -the center of the basin-shaped depression, where it was about 1 foot -lower than at the other margin. It was burned to a brick-red and covered -with a compact layer of very fine white ashes, scattered thickly, -through which were small water-worn bowlders, bearing evidences of -having undergone an intense heat. Mingled with this mass were a few -thoroughly charred human bones. The material of the shaft, after the -first 3 feet at the top, consisted almost wholly of finely packed ashes, -which appeared to have been deposited at intervals of considerable -length and not at one time. - -It is evident from this description, which is abridged from the report -of the assistant, that we have here a true representation of the -so-called "altars" of the Ohio mounds. But, contrary to the usual -custom, as shown by an examination of the Ohio works, this mound appears -to have been used by the people who erected it as a burial place, for -the mode of construction and the material used for the body of it forbid -the supposition that the lower burial was by a different people from -those who formed the clay structure at the base. - -It is proper to state that around and near the inclosure (No. 7 of Plate -V) were a number of stone graves of the ordinary box shape, constructed -in the usual way, of stone slabs. - -At this place was also discovered a pit or cache resembling those found -at Madisonville, Ohio. A more thorough examination will probably bring -to light others. - -The descriptions of other burial mounds of this region, differing -slightly in minor details from those mentioned, might be presented, but -the foregoing will suffice to give the types and show the character of -the structures of this kind in this section. The details given will, I -think, satisfy any one that the authors of these structures were also -the authors of the Ohio works, or that they belonged to tribes so -closely related that we may justly consider them as one people. - -I have been and am still disposed to connect the mound-builders of the -Kanawha valley with those of western North Carolina, but our -explorations in the two sections have convinced me of their close -relation to the people whose mysterious monuments dot the hills and -valleys of Ohio. That they were related in some way to the -mound-builders of North Carolina and East Tennessee is more than -probable, but the key to unlock this mystery, if it exists anywhere, is -most likely to be found in the history, traditions, and works of the -Cherokees, and the traditions relating to the Tallegwi. - -As a result of my examination and discussion of the burial mounds of -Wisconsin, I reached the conclusion that they were built by the Indian -tribes found inhabiting that section at the advent of the whites, or by -their ancestors. The data, of which but a comparatively small portion -is given, seem to justify this conclusion. But the case is somewhat -different in reference to the works of the Ohio district. Although the -data obtained here point with satisfactory certainty to the conclusion -that Indians were the authors of these works, it cannot be claimed that -all or even the larger portion of them were built by Indians inhabiting -the district when first visited by the whites, or by their ancestors. - -[Illustration: PL. VI. ENLARGED PLAN OF PART OF THE WORKS SHOWN IN PL. -V.] - -Hence the mystery which enshrouds them is deeper and much more difficult -to penetrate than that which hangs about the antiquities of some of the -other districts; in fact, they present probably the most difficult -problem for solution in this respect of any ancient works of our -country. That some of the burial mounds, graves, and other works are to -be attributed to Indians who entered this district after the Europeans -had planted colonies in Canada and along the Atlantic coast is probably -true, but that much the greater portion of the typical works belong to a -more distant period must be conceded. It is a singular fact that in the -latter half of the seventeenth century, when European explorers began to -penetrate into this region, what is now the State of Ohio was -uninhabited. - - The Miami confederacy, inhabiting the southern shore of Lake - Michigan, extended southeasterly to the Wabash. The Illinois - confederacy extended down the eastern shore of the Mississippi - to about where Memphis now stands. The Cherokees occupied the - slopes and valleys of the mountains about the borders of what - is now East Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia. The great - basin bounded north by Lake Erie, the Miamis, and the Illinois, - west by the Mississippi, east by the Alleghanies, and south by - the headwaters of the streams that flow into the Gulf of - Mexico, seems to have been uninhabited except by bands of - Shawnees, and scarcely visited except by war parties of the - Five Nations.[35] - -With the exception of some slight notices of the Erie or Cat Nation -dwelling south of Lake Erie, the mere mention of the Tongarias (possibly -but another name for the Eries, with whom Colden identifies them), -located somewhere on the Ohio, and the tradition regarding the Tallegwi, -the only history which remains to us regarding this region previous to -the close of the seventeenth century, is to be gathered from the ancient -monuments which dot its surface. Even conjecture can find but few -pointers on this desert field to give direction to its flight. But it -does not necessarily follow, because we are unable to determine the -direction in which the goal we are seeking lies, that we cannot tell -some of the directions in which it does not lie, and thus narrow the -field of our investigation. I will therefore venture to offer the -following suggestions: - -As the evidence in regard to the antiquities of the northwestern, the -southern, and the Appalachian districts points so decidedly to the -Indians as the authors, I think we may assume that the works of Ohio are -attributable to the same race. As they bear a strong resemblance in -several respects to the West Virginia and North Carolina works, and as -the geographical positions of the defensive works indicate pressure -from the north and north-west, we are perhaps justified in excluding -from consideration all tribes known to have had their principal seats -north of the Ohio in historic times, except the Eries, which form an -uncertain and so far indeterminable factor in the problem. - -The data so far obtained seem to me to indicate the following as the -most promising lines of research: The possible identity or relation of -the Tallegwi and the Cherokees; the possibility of this region having -been the ancient home of the Shawnees or their ancestors (though I -believe the testimony of the mounds is most decidedly against this and -the following supposition); and the theory that the builders of these -works were driven southward and were merged into the Chahta-Muscogee -family. - -Be our conclusion on this question what it may, one important result of -the explorations in this northern section of the United States is the -conviction that there was during the mound-building age a powerful tribe -or association of closely allied tribes occupying the valley of the -Ohio, whose chief seats were in the Kanawha, Scioto, and Little Miami -Valleys. We might suppose that one strong tribe had occupied -successively these various points, yet the slight though persistent -differences in methods and customs indicated by the works seem to favor -the other view. Moreover, the data furnished by the burial mounds lead -to the conclusion that all the works of these localities are relatively -contemporaneous. Not that those of either section are all of the same -age, perhaps by some two or three or possibly more centuries, but that -those of one section, as a whole, are relatively of the same age as -those of the other sections. Nevertheless a somewhat careful study of -all the data bearing on this subject leads me to the conclusion that the -Cherokees are the modern representatives of the Tallegwi, and that most -of the typical works of Ohio and West Virginia owe their origin to this -people. - -In each section there are some indications that the authors of these -works followed the custom of erecting burial mounds down to the time the -Europeans appeared on the continent. These evidences have not been given -here, as it is not my intention to discuss them in this paper. - -In Ohio there are undoubted evidences of one, if not two, waves of -population subsequent to the occupancy of that region by the builders of -the chief works. But these were of comparatively short duration, and -were evidently Indian hordes pressed westward and southward by the -Iroquois tribes and the advance of the whites. - - - - -THE APPALACHIAN DISTRICT. - - -This district, as already defined, includes East Tennessee, western -North Carolina, southwestern Virginia, and the southeastern part of -Kentucky. It is probable that northeastern Georgia and the northwestern -part of South Carolina should be included, but the investigations in -most of the sections named have not been sufficiently thorough to -enable us to fix with any degree of certainty the boundaries of the -district. - -Although there is uncertainty in reference to the area occupied by the -people who left behind them the antiquities found in this region, there -can be no doubt that here we find a class of burial mounds differing in -several important respects from any we have so far noticed. - -Some of the most important mounds of this class found in this district -were discovered in Caldwell County, North Carolina, and opened in 1882 -by Mr. J. P. Rogan, one of the Bureau assistants, aided by Dr. J. M. -Spainhour, a resident of the county. - -As Mr. Rogan's descriptions are somewhat full, I give them substantially -as found in his report: - -_The T. F. Nelson mound._--This mound, so insignificant in appearance as -scarcely to attract any notice, was located on the farm of Rev. T. F. -Nelson, in Caldwell County, North Carolina, on the bottom land of the -Yadkin, about 100 yards from the river-bank. It was almost a true circle -in outline, 38 feet in diameter, but not exceeding at any point 18 -inches in height. The thorough excavation made revealed the fact that -the builders of the mound had first dug a circular pit, with -perpendicular margin, to the depth of 3 feet, and 38 feet in diameter, -then deposited their dead in the manner hereafter shown, and afterwards -covered them over, raising a slight mound above the pit. - -A plan of the pit, drawn at the time (after the removal of the dirt), -showing the stone graves and skeletons, is given in Fig. 25. - -The walled graves or vaults and altar-shaped mass were built of water -worn bowlders and clay or earth merely sufficient to hold them in place. - -No. 1, a stone grave or vault standing exactly in the center of the pit. -In this case a small circular hole, a little over 3 feet in diameter and -extending down 3 feet below the bottom of the large pit, had been dug, -the body or skeleton placed perpendicularly upon its feet, and the wall -built up around it from the bottom of the hole, converging, after a -height of 4 feet was reached, so as to be covered at the top by a single -soapstone rock of moderate size. On the top of the head of the skeleton -and immediately under the capstone of the vault were found several -plates of silver mica, which had evidently been cut with some rude -implement. Although the bones were much decayed, yet they were retained -in position by the dirt which filled the vault, an indication that the -flesh had been removed before burial and the vault filled with dirt as -it was built up. - -[Illustration: FIG. 25.--Appearance of T. F. Nelson mound after -excavation.] - -Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, although walled around in a similar -manner, were in a sitting posture on the bottom of the pit. In the grave -of No. 2 was found a polished celt, in that of No. 3 a single discoidal -stone, in that of No. 6 two polished celts, and immediately over No. 9 a -pitted stone. - -Nos. 11, 12, and 13 are three skeletons in a squatting posture, with no -wall around them and unaccompanied by relics of any kind. - -Nos. 14 and 15 are two uninclosed skeletons, lying horizontally at full -length. With the former some pieces of broken soapstone pipes were -found, and with the latter one polished celt. - -No. 16, an uninclosed "squatter," of unusually large size, not less than -7 feet high when living. Near the mouth was an uninjured soapstone pipe. -The legs were extended in a southwest direction, upon a bed of burnt -earth. - -The faces of all the squatting skeletons were turned away from the -standing central one. - -At A was found a considerable quantity of black paint in little lumps, -which appear to have been molded in the hull of some nut. At B was a -cubical mass of water-worn bowlders, built up solidly and symmetrically, -24 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 18 inches high, but with no bones, -specimens of art, coal, ashes, or indications of fire on or around it. -Many of the stones of the vaults and the earth immediately around them, -on the contrary, bore unmistakable evidences of fire; in fact, the heat -in some cases left its mark on the bones of the inclosed skeletons, -another indication that the flesh had been removed before burial here, -either by previous burial or otherwise. - -Scattered through the dirt which filled the pit were small pieces of -pottery and charcoal. The bottom, and sides of the pit were so -distinctly marked that they could be traced without difficulty. - -This mound stood about 75 yards south of the triangular burial pit -described below. - -[Illustration: FIG. 26.--Burials in the T. F. Nelson triangle, Caldwell -County, North Carolina.] - -_The T. F. Nelson triangle._--This is the name applied by Mr. Rogan to -an ancient triangular burying ground found on the same farm as the mound -just described and about 75 yards north of it. - -It is not a mound, but simply a burial pit in the form of a triangle, -the two longest sides each 48 feet and the (southern) base 32 feet, in -which the bodies and accompanying articles were deposited and then -covered over, but not heaped up into a mound; or, if so, it had -subsequently settled until on a level with the natural surface of the -ground. The apex, which points directly north, was found to extend -within 3 feet of the break of the bank of the Yadkin River, the height -above the usual water-level being about 12 feet. The depth of the -original excavation, the lines of which could be distinctly traced, -varied from 2-1/2 to 3 feet. A rude sketch of this triangle, showing the -relative positions of the skeletons, is given in Fig. 26. - -Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 indicate the positions of single -skeletons found lying horizontally, on their backs, heads east and -northeast. With No. 2 was found a broken soapstone pipe, and with Nos. 5 -and 9 one small polished celt each. - -Nos. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 indicate the positions of skeletons -inclosed in rude stone vaults built of cobblestones and similar to those -in the preceding mound. (See Fig. 25.) Nos. 10, 12, 13, and 15 were in a -sitting posture, without any accompanying articles. - -Graves 11 and 14 contained each two bodies, extended horizontally, the -lower ones, which were of smaller stature than the upper ones, face up -and with heavy flat stones on the extended arms and legs. The upper -ones, with face down, were resting on those below. No implements or -ornaments were found with them. - -Near No. 12 about a peck of singular, pinkish-colored earth was found. - -[Illustration: FIG. 27.--Engraved shell gorget from mound, Caldwell -County, North Carolina.] - -In the northwest part of the triangle (at A in Fig. 26) ten or more -skeletons were found in one grave or group, which from the arrangement -the explorers concluded must have been buried at one time; the "old -chief" (?), or principal personage of the group, resting horizontally on -his face, with his head northeast and feet southwest. Under his head was -a large engraved shell gorget (Fig. 27); around his neck were a number -of large-sized shell beads, evidently the remains of a necklace; at the -sides of the head, near the ears, were five elongate copper beads, or -rather small cylinders, varying in length from one and a quarter to four -and a half inches, part of the leather thong on which the smaller were -strung yet remaining in them. These are made of thin pieces of copper -cut into strips and then rolled together so that the edges meet in a -straight joint on one side. (See Fig. 28.) The plate out of which they -were made was as smooth and even in thickness as though it had been -rolled. - -[Illustration: FIG. 28.--Cylindrical copper bead from mound, Caldwell -County, North Carolina.] - -[Illustration: FIG. 29.--Bracelet of copper and shell beads, Caldwell -County, North Carolina.] - -A piece of copper was also under his breast. His arms were partially -extended, his hands resting about a foot from his head. Around each -wrist were the remains of a bracelet composed of copper and shell beads, -alternating, thus (Fig. 29): - -[Illustration FIG. 30.--Iron celt from mound, Caldwell County, North -Carolina.] - -At his right hand were four iron specimens, much corroded but still -showing the form. Two of them were of uniform thickness, one not -sharpened at the ends or edges, the other slightly sharpened at one end, -3 to 3-1/2 inches long, 1 to 1-1/2 inches broad, and about a quarter of -an inch thick. The form is shown in Fig. 30. Another is 5 inches long, -slightly tapering in width from one and an eighth to seven-eighths of an -inch, both edges sharp; it is apparently part of the blade of a long, -slender, cutting or thrusting weapon of some kind, as a sword, dagger, -or knife. (Shown in Fig. 31.) The other specimen is part of a round, -awl-shaped implement, a small part of the bone handle in which it was -fixed yet remaining attached to it. - -[Illustration: FIG. 31.--Iron implement from mound, Caldwell County, -North Carolina.] - -Under his left hand was another engraved shell, the concave surface -upward and filled with shell beads of all sizes. - -Around and over the skeleton of this chief personage, with their heads -near his, were nine other skeletons. Under the heads of two of these -were two engraved shells. Scattered over and between the ten skeletons -of the group were numerous polished celts, discoidal stones, copper -arrow-points, plates of mica, lumps of paint, black lead, etc. - -_The W. D. Jones mound._--Two miles east of Patterson, same county, and -near the north bank of the Yadkin River, running out from a low ridge to -the river bank, is a natural terrace about 12 feet high, with a level -area on top of about an acre, the sides steep and abrupt. According to -tradition this terrace was formerly occupied by an Indian village. - -About 200 yards east of this, on the second river bottom or terrace, was -located a low, circular mound 33 feet in diameter and not more than 1 -foot high, on the land of Mr. W. D. Jones. - -This mound was found on investigation to cover a circular pit 32 feet in -diameter and 3 feet deep, the margin and bottom being so well defined as -to leave no doubt as to the limits of the pit; in fact, the bottom, -which was of clay, had been baked hard by fire to the depth of 2 or 3 -inches. The mound and the filling of the pit consisted of earth and -loose yellow clay, similar to that around it. In this mound were found -twenty-five skeletons and one stone heap, the relative positions of -which are shown in Fig. 32. - -1. A "squatter," walled in with water-worn stones, the face turned -toward the west; no relics. - -2. Sitting with the face toward the center; two polished celts at the -feet, and immediately in front of the face a cylinder of hard gray -mortar (not burned) about 5 inches long and 2 inches in diameter, with a -hole through one end. - -3. Sitting with the face toward the center; several polished celts at -the feet. - -[Illustration: FIG. 32.--W. D. Jones mound, Caldwell County, North -Carolina.] - -4. Horizontal, head southeast; several celts at the feet. - -5. Horizontal, head toward the center; several celts at the feet. - -6. Facing the center, sitting; shell beads around the neck, a _Unio_ -shell on top of the head, with the concave surface down, a conch shell -(_Busycon perversum_) in front of the face, and celts at the feet. - -7. Sitting, facing the center; celts at the feet. - -8. Very large, lying on the left side, legs partially drawn up, walled -in with bowlders; no implements. - -9. Horizontal, face down, head toward the center; celts and discoidal -stones at the feet, and a pot resting, mouth down, upon the head. - -10. Horizontal, face up, feet toward the center; pot resting on the -face, stone implements at the feet. - -11. Horizontal, head southeast, arms extended, and a bracelet of copper -and shell beads around each wrist; shell beads around the neck; face up -and food-cup (without handle) at the right side of the head. - -12. Horizontal, face up, head southeast; shell beads around the neck, a -hook or crescent shaped piece of copper on the breast, and a soapstone -pipe near the face; one hand near each side of the head, each grasping -small, conical copper ornaments (ear-drops) and a bunch of hair. Was -this individual, apparently a female, buried alive? - -13. Horizontal, lying on the back, head southeast; copper and shell -beads around the neck and wrists, a hook or crescent shaped piece of -copper on the breast, a food-cup (with handle) lying on its side with -mouth close to the face, a pipe near the mouth, and two celts over the -head. - -14. Horizontal, lying on the back, head northeast, arms extended; each -hand resting on a shell which had evidently been engraved, though the -figures are almost totally obliterated. - -15. Horizontal, on the back, head west, knees drawn up; stone implements -at the feet. - -16. Too much decayed to determine the position. - -17. Four skeletons in one grave, horizontal, heads toward the east, and -large rocks lying on the legs below the knees; no implements. - -18. Two skeletons in one grave, heads west, faces down, knees drawn up; -no implements. - -19. On the back, horizontal, head east; no implements. - -20. Sitting, with face toward the east, walled in, a large rock lying on -the feet (though this may have fallen from the wall); no implements. - -21. Sitting, walled in; over the head, but under the capstone of the -vault, a handful of flint arrow-heads. - -22. Doubled up, with the head between the feet. - -A. A solid oval-shaped mass of bowlders, 33 inches long, 22 inches wide, -and 24 inches high, resting on the bottom of the pit. No ashes or other -indications of fire about it. - -Fragments of pottery, mica, galena, charcoal, red and black paint, and -stone chips were found scattered in small quantities through the earth -which filled the pit. All the celts were more or less polished. - -_R. T. Lenoir burial pit._--This is a circular burial pit, similar to -those already described, but without any rounding up of the surface. It -is located on the farm of Mr. Rufus T. Lenoir, about 9 miles northeast -of Lenoir and nearly a mile west of Fort Defiance. - -A diagram showing the relative positions of the graves or burials is -given in Fig. 33. - -It is on the first river terrace or bottom of Buffalo Creek and some 200 -yards from the stream, which empties into the Yadkin about half a mile -southwest of this point. This bottom is subject to overflow in time of -high water. - -The pit, which is 27 feet in diameter and about 3-1/2 feet deep, is -almost a perfect circle, and well marked, the margin, which is nearly -perpendicular, and the bottom being easily traced. The dirt in this -case, as in the others, was all thrown out. - -No. 1. A bed of charred or rather burnt bones, occupying a space 3 feet -long, 2 feet wide, and about 1 foot deep. The bones were so thoroughly -burned that it was impossible to determine whether they were human or -animal. Beneath this bed the yellow sand was baked to the depth of 2 or -3 inches. Under the bones was an uncharred shell gorget. - -No. 2. A skeleton in a sitting posture, facing northeast; a pipe near -the mouth and a polished celt over the head. - -No. 3. Sitting, facing east, with shell beads around the neck and also -around the arms just below the shoulders. - -No. 4. Horizontal, on the back, head east and resting on the concave -surface of an engraved shell; a conch shell (_Busycon perversum_) at the -side of the head, and copper and shell beads around the neck. - -[Illustration: FIG. 33.--Plan of the R. T. Lenoir burial pit, Caldwell -County, North Carolina.] - -No. 5. Horizontal, head northeast; shell beads around the neck and two -discoidal stones and one celt at the feet. - -No. 6. A communal grave, containing at least twenty-five skeletons, in -two tiers, buried without any apparent regularity as to direction or -relative position. Thirteen of the twenty-five were "flat-heads;" that -is, "the heads running back and compressed in front." - -Scattered through this grave, between and above the skeletons, were -polished celts, discoidal stones, shells, mica, galena, fragments of -pottery, and one whole pot. Around the neck and wrists of some of the -skeletons were also shell beads. There may have been more than -twenty-five individuals buried here, this, however, being the number of -skulls observed. - -No. 7. Horizontal, on the left side, head northwest; no implements. - -No. 8. An irregular layer of water-worn stones, about 4 feet square. On -top was a bed of charcoal 3 or 4 inches thick, on and partially imbedded -in which were three skeletons, but showing no indications of having been -in the fire. Scattered over these were discoidal stones, one small, -saucer-shaped dish, shells (of which one is engraved), pipes, shell -beads, and pieces of pottery. - -No. 9. A grave containing three skeletons, lying horizontally on their -backs and side by side, the outer ones with their heads east and the -middle one with the head west; no implements. - -No. 10. Horizontal, on the right side, head north, with stone implements -in front of the face. - -No. 11. Doubled up, top of the head south; shell beads around the neck -and celts at the feet. - -No. 12. A grave containing seventeen skeletons, seven of which had flat -heads, two of the number children. Two of the adult heads were resting -on engraved shells. - -In this grave were found four pots and two food-cups, the handle of one -representing an owl's head and that of the other an eagle's head. One of -the small pots was inside a larger one. Scattered among the skeletons -were shell beads, polished celts, discoidal stones, paint, etc. None of -the skeletons were inclosed in stone graves.[36] - -In order to convey an idea of the number of articles deposited with the -dead in some of these burial places, I give here a list of those -obtained from the pit last described: - -One stone ax. - -Forty-three polished celts. - -Nine vessels of clay. - -Thirty-two arrow-heads. - -Twenty soapstone pipes, mostly uninjured. - -Twelve discoidal stones. - -Ten rubbing stones. - -Two hammer stones. - -One broken soapstone vessel. - -Six engraved shells. - -Four shell gorgets. - -One _Busycon perversum_ entire, and two or three broken ones. - -Five very large copper beads. - -One lot of fragments of shells, some of them engraved. - -A few rude shell pins. - -Shell beads. - -A few small copper beads. - -Specimens of paint and plumbago. - -Three skulls. - -It is evident from the foregoing descriptions that the mode of burial -and the depositories of the dead of the mound-building tribes of this -part of North Carolina differed in several marked and important respects -from the mode of burial and burial mounds of the sections previously -alluded to, and in fact from those of any other district. - -Here the pit seems to have been the important part of the depository and -the mound a mere adjunct. In some cases the bodies appear to have been -buried soon after death, while in others--as, for example, the groups in -the triangle and Lenoir burial pit--the skeletons were probably -deposited after the flesh was removed. - -We are reminded by these pits of the mode of burial practiced by some of -the Indian tribes, as mentioned by Lafitau,[37] Brebeuf,[38] etc.; but, -before attempting to draw conclusions, we will give other illustrations -of the burial mounds of this district, which are far from being uniform -in character. - -Comparatively few mounds have as yet been opened in North Carolina; -hence the data relating to this region is somewhat meager. As bearing -upon the subject, and probably relating to a period immediately -following the close of the mound-building era, I give from Mr. Rogan's -notes the description of a burial place explored by him on the farm of -Mr. Charles Hunt, in the central part of Wilkes County: - -This is not a "burial place," in the usual sense of that term, but is -probably the site of a camp or temporary village. It is about three -miles and a half east of Wilkesborough, on the second bottom or terrace -of the Yadkin River. It differs from the burial places just described in -having no large pit, the graves being separate and independent of each -other. A diagram showing the relative positions of the graves and small -pits accompanies Mr. Rogan's report but is omitted here, although the -numbering of the graves is retained in the description. - -No. 1 is a grave or oval-shaped pit 2 feet long and 18 inches wide, the -top within 8 inches of the surface of the ground, while the bottom is -2-1/2 feet below it. This contained the remains of two skeletons, which -were surrounded by charcoal; some of the bones were considerably -charred. In the pit were some fragments of pottery, a few flint chips, -and a decayed tortoise shell. - -No. 2. A grave 2 feet wide, 6 feet long, and 5 feet deep. It contained -quite a quantity of animal bones, some of them evidently those of a -bear; also charcoal, mussel shells, and one bone implement. - -No. 3. A grave of the same size and depth as No. 2, containing animal -bones, broken pottery, and some charcoal. - -No. 4. Grave; the size, depth, and contents same as the preceding. - -No. 5. A circular pit 2 feet in diameter and 2 feet deep. This contained -a very large pot, in which were some animal bones; it was on its side -and crushed. - -No. 6. A pit 2-1/2 feet deep and 2 feet square, with a bed of charcoal -in the bottom 6 inches deep. On this bed was a layer of flint chips, and -on the chips a quantity of broken pottery, animal bones, a discoidal -stone, and a bone implement. - -No. 7. A grave similar to those described. - -No. 8. A large grave, containing three skeletons, lying at full length -upon the right side, with the heads a little east of north. Between the -front and the middle one was a mass of mussel shells. At the head and -back of the front one were a number of animal bones, and between it and -the middle one, opposite the pelvis, was a large broken pot. The right -arm of the third or back one was extended forward and upward, the left -arm resting across the head, a white flint chip grasped in the hand. The -head of this skeleton was resting on a piece of a broken pot, and in -front of the face, at the distance of a foot, was also part of a pot, -containing a stone fragment and some animal bones. Under the legs of the -three skeletons, the head extending in front of the legs of the third or -back one, was the skeleton of a bear, and in front of the latter were -three broken pots, containing animal bones. - -[Illustration FIG. 34.--Fire-bed, Wilkes County, North Carolina.] - -No. 9. A basin-shaped fire-bed, or bed of burnt clay, 8 inches thick. A -section of this bed is shown in Fig. 34--_b_, _b_, _b_, the bed of burnt -clay, 8 inches thick, the material evidently placed here and not a part -of the original soil. The basin _a_ was filled with ashes, to the depth -of 12 inches; the diameter, from 1 to 2, 2 feet 3 inches, from 1 to 3 -and from 2 to 4, 1 foot 6 inches. - -No. 10. A bed of mussel shells, 3 inches thick and 3 feet in diameter, -lying on a flat bed of burnt earth 3 inches thick. - -No. 11. A pit 5 feet deep and 3 feet in diameter, filled with animal -bones, mussel shells, and broken pottery. - -There was no mounding over any of these graves or pits. - -The basin-shaped fire-bed, No. 9, reminds us very strongly of the -so-called altars of the Ohio mounds, and may possibly assist us in -arriving at a correct conclusion concerning these puzzling structures. - -A mound opened by Dr. J. M. Spainhour in Burke County, some years ago, -presents some variations, though, so far as the posture and relative -positions of the skeletons are concerned, reminding us of those in -Caldwell County. The following extract is from the article containing -the description:[39] - - Digging down I struck a stone about 18 inches below the surface, - which was found to be 18 inches long and 16 inches wide and from - 2 to 3 inches in thickness, the corners rounded. It rested on - solid earth and had been smoothed on top. - - I then made an excavation in the south of the mound, and soon - struck another stone, which upon examination proved to be in - front of the remains of a human skeleton in a sitting posture; - the bones of the fingers of the right hand had been resting on - the stone. Near the hand was a small stone about 5 inches long, - resembling a tomahawk or Indian hatchet. Upon a further - examination many of the bones were found, though in a very - decomposed condition, and upon exposure to the air they soon - crumbled to pieces. The heads of the bones, a considerable - portion of the skull, jaw-bones, teeth, neck-bones, and the - vertebræ were in their proper places. Though the weight of the - earth above them had driven them down, yet the frame was - perfect, and the bones of the head were slightly inclined - toward the east. Around the neck were found coarse beads that - seemed to be of some substance resembling chalk. - - A small lump of red paint, about the size of an egg, was found - near the right side of this skeleton. From my knowledge of - anatomy, the sutures of the skull would indicate the subject to - have been twenty-five or twenty-eight years of age. The top of - the skull was about 12 inches below the mark of the plow. - - I made a further excavation in the west part of this mound and - found another skeleton similar to the first, in a sitting - posture, facing the last. A stone was on the right, on which - the right hand had been resting, and on this was a tomahawk - which had been about 7 inches in length, broken into two - pieces, and much better finished than the first. Beads were - also on the neck of this one, but were much smaller and of - finer quality than those on the neck of the first; the - material, however, seemed to be the same. A much larger amount - of paint was found by the side of this than the first. The - bones indicated a person of larger frame and I think of about - fifty years of age. Everything about this one had the - appearance of superiority over the first. The top of the skull - was about 6 inches below the mark of the plow. - - I continued the examination, and after diligent search found - nothing at the north part of the mound, but on reaching the - east side found another skeleton, in the same posture as the - others, facing the west. On the right side of this was a stone - on which the right hand had been resting, and on the stone was - also a tomahawk about 8 inches in length, broken into three - pieces, much smoother and of finer material than the others. - Beads were also found on the neck of this, but much smaller and - finer than on those of the others, as well as a large amount of - paint. The bones would indicate a person of forty years of age. - The top of the skull had been moved by the plow. - - There was no appearance of hair discovered; besides, the - principal bones were almost entirely decomposed, and crumbled - when handled. - -A complete exploration of this mound, the dimensions of which are not -given, would possibly have shown that the skeletons were arranged -somewhat in a circle. The doctor does not state whether there was a -pit. - -[Illustration: FIG. 35.--Section of mound, Henderson County, North -Carolina.] - -Some mounds in Henderson County, opened in 1884 by Mr. J. W. Emmert, who -was temporarily employed by the Bureau, present some peculiarities -worthy of notice. One of these, situated on the farm of Mrs. Rebecca -Conner, and perfectly circular, was found to be 44 feet in diameter and -6 feet high; a number of small trees were growing on it. The annexed cut -(Fig. 35) shows a vertical section of it, the dark central triangle -representing a conical mass of charcoal and ashes. The conical mass -measured 16 feet in diameter at the base and 5 feet high, the top -reaching within 1 foot of the top of the mound. The outer portion -consisted of charcoal, evidently the remains of pine poles, which had -been placed in several layers, sloping toward the apex. The inner -portion consisted of ashes and coals mixed with earth, in which were -found some burnt human (?) bones, and some accompanying articles, among -which were two stones with holes drilled through them. The fragments of -bones and the specimens were at the base, in the center. - -A mound on the farm of Mr. J. B. Alexander, 2 miles above the one just -described, was examined by Mr. Emmert, and found to cover a pit similar -to those explored in Caldwell County. - -This mound was situated on an elevated level, about a quarter of a mile -from the creek, in an old field which had been plowed over for sixty -years. It was 2 feet high when he explored it, but the old people stated -to him that it was formerly 10 feet high, and had a "tail" or ridge -running away from it 200 feet long; but the only indication of this that -Mr. Emmert could see was a strip of clay running off where it was stated -to have been. It runs in the direction of the creek bottom, where any -quantity of broken pottery may be picked up. The mound, which was 30 -feet in diameter and composed wholly of red clay, was entirely removed -to the original surface of the ground. Nothing was found in it, but -after reaching the surface he discovered a circular pit 12 feet in -diameter, which had been dug to the depth of 4 feet in the solid red -clay. This he found to be filled full of ashes and charcoal, but failed -to find any bones or specimens in it. - -Although Mr. Emmert failed to find any evidence that this was a burial -mound, its similarity with those of Caldwell County will, I think, -justify us in concluding it was constructed for this purpose. - -[Illustration: FIG. 36.--Section of mound, Henderson County, North -Carolina.] - -Another mound on the same farm as the one last mentioned, a -cross-section of which is shown in Fig. 36, is of the common type, -examples of which are found in most of the districts: diameter 52 feet -and height 9 feet; the upper layer, No. 1, red clay, about 4 feet thick, -No. 2, a thin layer of charcoal, about 3 inches thick; the lower stratum -or central core, No. 3, dark-colored earth. In this lower layer were -found five skeletons, on the natural surface and at the points indicated -by the dots, which crumbled to pieces as soon as exposed to the air. -With one were sixteen large, rudely made, white flint arrow-heads, so -nearly alike as to make it apparent they were the work of one -individual, and with another a small pipe and some arrow-heads. - -Passing westward over the mountains into East Tennessee, we find some -variations in the modes of burial, but not so widely different from -those east of the range as to justify the belief that the authors of the -works of the two localities were different peoples or belonged to -different tribes. - -A burial mound opened by Mr. Emmert in the valley of the Holston, -Sullivan County, described by him as mound No. 1, on the north side of -the river, was found to be 22 feet in diameter and 4 feet high. It was -composed of red clay and sand. Digging down to the level of the -surrounding ground, there was found a pile of rock in the center, which -proved to be a burial vault built of water-worn bowlders, over a sitting -skeleton. It was 3-1/2 feet in diameter at the base and 3 feet high. On -the head of the skeleton was a slender, square copper spindle about 11 -inches long and a quarter of an inch thick in the middle. It has -evidently been hammered out with a stone hammer. Under the lower jaw -were two small copper drills or awls, with portions of the deer-horn -handles still attached. About the shoulders, one on each side, were two -polished stones, with holes in them. Near the head was a small pile of -flint chips, and at the knees a flint scalping knife. The bones were so -badly decayed that but few of them could be secured. - -Mound No. 2 was on the south side of the river, opposite No. 1 and about -the same distance from the river. It was 38 feet in diameter and 5 feet -high, and on the top was a pine stump 14 inches in diameter. - -Mr. Emmert, in opening it, commenced at the edge to cut a ditch 4 feet -wide through it, but soon reached a wall 3 feet high, built of "river -rock." He then worked around this, finding it to be an almost perfect -circle, 14 feet in diameter, inside of which were found, on throwing out -the dirt, twelve stone graves or vaults, built of the same kind of -stones, each containing a sitting skeleton, as shown in Fig. 37. One of -these graves or vaults was exactly in the center, the other eleven being -placed in a circle around it, and about equally spaced, as shown in the -diagram. - -[Illustration: FIG. 37.--Mound on Holston River, Sullivan County, -Tennessee.] - -[Illustration: FIG. 38.--Pipe from mound, Sullivan County, Tennessee.] - -In the center grave he found shell beads around the neck of the -skeleton, and near the mouth the pipe shown in Fig. 38. - -The bottom of the area within the circular wall was covered to the depth -of about 3 inches with charcoal, and the graves were built on this -layer. Both of these mounds were on the bench or upper bottom, and about -three-fourths of a mile from the river. - -Mr. Emmert says he learned that there was a tradition of the -neighborhood that the Indians once fought a great battle at this place, -and that one party buried some of their dead in mound No. 2, and the -other party buried their dead on the opposite side of the river, where -there is a large pile or mound of "river rock." - -He opened one of the rock mounds occurring in this region half a mile -from the river and near the foot of the mountain. A large tree had grown -up through it, the stump of which was yet standing, or the mound had -been built around it. After removing the rock and digging up the stump, -he found, at the depth of 4 feet and directly under the stump, two stone -axes, a large number of arrow-heads, two polished celts, and some pieces -of mica. - -Another mound on the Holston River, 2 miles above the two heretofore -described, was examined. This was 60 feet in diameter and 4-1/2 feet -high. The original surface of the earth had been first covered over -about 3 inches thick with charcoal, then the bodies or skeletons laid on -it, and each walled up separately with river rock. These were then -covered with black earth, over which was cast a layer of sand about the -same thickness, the remainder being top soil. - -Mr. Emmert, who opened this, commenced cutting a ditch 4 feet wide, -proceeding until he struck the bed of charcoal; then followed around the -outer edge of it, finally removing all the dirt inside the circle. One -side of the circle had six skeletons in it, all walled up, as before -stated, separately, but so thoroughly decayed that only one skull could -be saved. - -The other side of the mound had nothing in it except a fine pipe which -he found on the bed of coals, some 10 or 12 feet from the nearest -skeleton; some beautiful arrow-heads, shell beads, a polished celt, and -two small stones with holes in them were also discovered. - -In addition to the foregoing descriptions from the reports of my -assistants, I present the following, from accounts of earlier -explorations in this region: - -A burial mound situated on the left bank of the Tennessee River, about 1 -mile from Chattanooga, was opened by Mr. M. O. Read in 1865. This was -oval in form and flat on top, the diameters of the base 158 and 120 -feet, and those of the top 82 and 44 feet; height, 19 feet. Mr. Read -says:[40] - - For the purpose of examination, a tunnel was excavated into the - mound from the east, a little one side of the center and on a - level with the natural surface of the ground. When the point - directly under the outer edge of the top of the mound was - reached, holes were found containing fragments of rotted wood - showing that stakes or palisades had been erected here when - the mound was commenced. The sound of the pick indicating a - cavity or different material below, the excavation was carried - downward about 2 feet, when two skeletons were uncovered, - fragments of which preserved are marked No. 1. The bones were - packed in a small space, as though the bodies were crowded - down, without much regard to position of hands, into a pit not - exceeding 3 feet in length. One of the skulls is of especial - interest, as possibly indicating that the remains are those of - victims immolated in some sacrificial or burial rites. - The side was crushed in, as if with a club. I have connected - together the pieces of the upper jaw so that they retain the - position in which they were found, a position which cannot with - probability be supposed to be the result of the settling of the - earth around it, if unbroken when buried. The bones of the - bodies, although so friable that they could not be preserved, - were entire, in positions indicating that the bodies had not - been dismembered and forbidding the supposition that they were - the remains of a cannibal feast. - - The excavation was carried forward as indicated on the plat and - on a level with the location of the skeletons first found. It - became evident at once that the material of which the mound was - constructed was taken from the immediate neighborhood, it being - composed of the same alluvial soil, full of the shells found on - the surface, but in a much better state of preservation; but no - arrow-heads, chippings of flints, or fragments of pottery now - covering the surface were found. These would have been abundant - if the mound had been erected subsequent to the manufacture of - the pottery and arrow-heads at that place. Single fragments of - pottery were found, but these were painted and of much better - quality than those found on the surface. - - The mound was composed of alternate layers of earth and ashes, - showing that a surface of the size of the top, when finished, - was kept substantially level, and raised only 2 to 3 feet at a - time, when fires were kindled, which must have been large or - continued for a long time, as the amount of the ashes and - charcoal abundantly indicates. - - Near the center of the mound rows of stake-holes were found, as - far as followed, marking two sides of a rectangular - parallelogram, which continued would have formed an enclosure - around the center. In some of these were the remains of the - wood and bark, not enough to show the marks of tools, if any - had been used. They penetrated the natural surface of the - ground to the depth of about 2 feet. - - Here and at about the same level as at No. 1 were found the - skeletons of which the skull bones and other parts are marked - No. 2. They were apparently the remains of a youngish woman and - two children, all so far decomposed that only the parts sent - could be preserved. The larger skeleton was in such a position - as a person would take on kneeling down, then sitting upon the - feet; the hands were brought to the head and the body doubled - down upon the knees. The head was toward the south. The remains - of the children were found at the right side of this body, the - bones mingled together. - - About 2 feet directly under these the skeleton of which the - skull is marked No. 3 was found, in a similar position, it is - said (I was not present when it was taken out), with the one - above it. - - I attempt no description and indulge in no speculations in - regard to these remains, as I have decided to forward them to - you for the examination of those who can compare them with - other skulls and are better qualified to make a proper use of - them. They are unquestionably of the age of the mound-builders. - -We are reminded, by the remains of upright timbers found here, of the -wooden vaults of the Grave Creek and other mounds of West Virginia, but -in the form of the mound we have an indication that it belongs to the -southern class of ancient works. - -Rev. E. O. Dunning mentions[41] a stone-grave mound which he examined in -the valley of the Little Tennessee. Speaking of this mound he remarks: - - I did not expect to find rock graves in a mound of earth, but - after clearing away rubbish and penetrating 6 feet below the - top, near the center the workman struck a slab of slate, which - proved to be part of the covering of a stone tomb. It was much - like those scattered over the "river bottom"--more nicely - constructed, however, and fitted with more care, being arched - over the top, at an acute angle, with pieces of slate 3 inches - thick. Owing to its situation, raised above the level of the - river and covered with sand to the depth of 6 feet, its - contents were better preserved than those of the graves just - mentioned. At the head of it I took out a vessel of fine red - clay and pulverized mussel shells a foot in diameter, - gourd-shaped, and having a handle and spout 6 inches long, and - holding about a quart. It was preserved nearly whole. - Artificial fire had been kindled in the tomb, but it had been - smothered by the throwing in of sand before all the contents - were consumed. Besides some entire bones of the human skeleton, - flint arrow-heads and a large number of flint and stone beads - were removed. The beads could be traced along the lines of the - legs and arms, as if they had been attached to the garment in - which the dead was buried. Further excavations disclosed two - more of these stone sepulchers, the first 3 feet below the one - described, the other 2 feet from it, in the same plane. They - contained only fragments of bones, charcoal, and ashes. - - The mound, which was conical in shape, must have been 15 feet - high and 50 feet in diameter. Successive floods had impaired - its original dimensions. The last carried away a section on the - west side, exposing a tomb and some valuable relics, which have - not been preserved. Among them were large shells, pyrulas, - probably, judging from the description, from the Gulf of - Mexico. In connection with marine shells, images in stone were - found in this tomb. The mound was composed of sand-loam taken - from the bank of the river, and raised upon a foundation of - water-washed rocks 4 feet high, from the bed of the stream hard - by. There had been extensive burnings throughout this mound, at - various depths, indicated by layers of charcoal, ashes, and - burned clay, simply in honor of the dead, or to consume their - effects or mortal parts, or for human sacrifices to their - manes. - -Speaking of stone graves in the immediate vicinity as explanatory of -those in the mound, he says: - - They are built of slabs of slate, nicely fitted together, about - 3 inches thick, 4 feet long, and 2 broad, enclosing receptacles - not of uniform space, generally 5 feet long, 4 feet high, and 2 - broad, covered with flat pieces, resting upon the upright slabs - and conforming to the rounded corners of the tomb. - -As one of the principal objects in view in exploring and studying the -mounds of our country is to ascertain, if possible, by what people or -tribes they were built, a brief discussion of the question so far as it -relates to the district now under consideration will be in place. My -reasons for touching upon the topic in this connection, and limiting the -discussion to the antiquities of the one district, are as follows: - -First. The characteristics of the works of this section are so well -marked as to leave little, if any, doubt on the mind of any one who will -study them carefully that they are work of one people, probably of a -single tribe. - -Second. Because in this instance I think the evidence points with at -least reasonable certainty to the particular tribe by which they were -erected. - -Third. Whether our second reason prove to be correct or not, we find -data here which appear to form connecting links between the prehistoric -and the historic times, and hence call for some discussion in regard to -the authors. - -Fourth. The statement of the result of our explorations of these works -(especially the burial mounds) will, as I conceive, be incomplete -without some intimation of the bearing they have had on my own mind in -reference to their authorship. This it is true will apply with equal -force to the works of other districts. I have already briefly stated my -conclusions in this respect regarding the antiquities of Wisconsin, but -have refrained from entering at length upon the question as to the Ohio -and West Virginia works, as I confess and have already intimated that -these present more difficulties in the way of explanation than most of -the other sections. - -It may be thought premature to speculate in this direction, and some of -our ablest scientific journals appear to deprecate any such attempts -until more data have been obtained and the materials already collected -are more thoroughly digested. I admit that, as a very general and almost -universal rule, such a course is the proper one in respect to scientific -investigations, but must dissent from its application in this instance, -for the following reasons: - -The thought that a mighty nation once occupied the great valley of the -Mississippi, with its frontier settlements resting on the lake shores -and Gulf coasts, nestling in the valleys of the Appalachian Range and -skirting the broad plains of the West, a nation with its systems of -government and religion, its chief ruler, its great central city, and -all the necessary accompaniments, but which has disappeared before the -inroads of savage hordes, leaving behind it no evidences of its -existence, its glory, power, and extent save these silent forest-covered -remains, has something so fascinating and attractive in it, that when -once it has taken possession of the mind, it warps and biases all its -conclusions.[42] - -So strong, in fact, is the hold which this theory (in the broad sense, -including also the Toltec and Aztec theories) has taken of the minds of -both American and European archæologists, that it not only biases their -conclusions, but also molds and modifies their nomenclature, and is -thrust into their speculations and even into their descriptions as -though no longer a simple theory but a conceded fact. Hence it is -necessary, before a fair and unbiased discussion of the data can be had, -to call attention to the fact that there is another side to the -question. - -Unless some protest is presented or some expression of opinion is made -on this point in my paper, the facts I give will be viewed through the -medium of this "lost race" theory. This I desire, if possible, to -prevent, and whether the "Indian theory" proves to be correct or not, I -wish to obtain for it at least a fair consideration. I believe the -latter theory to be the correct one, as the facts so far ascertained -appear to point in that direction, but I am not wedded to it; on the -contrary, I am willing to follow the facts wherever they lead. - -Although additional data will hereafter be obtained and many new and -important facts be brought to light, yet, as I believe, sufficient -evidence has been collected (though much of it remains unpublished) to -indicate what will be the final result so far as this general question -is concerned. - -We see that already the theory that these remains scattered over the -face of our country from Dakota to Florida and from New York to -Louisiana were the work of one people, one great nation, is fast -breaking down before the evidence that is being produced. - -The following quotation from the last report of the Peabody Museum, -which is repeated in substance in Science, June 27, 1884, p. 775, will -serve not only to indicate the conflict which is going on in the minds -of some of our most active and progressive archæologists on this -subject, but also to show the difficulty of finding applicable and -well-defined terms, and of clearly stating the real question at issue: - - The different periods to which the various mounds and burial - places belong can only be made out by such a series of - explorations as the museum is now conducting in the Little - Miami Valley, and when they are completed we shall be better - able to answer the question, "Who were the mound-builders?" - than we are now. That more than one of the several American - stocks or nations or groups of tribes built mounds seems to me - to be established. What their connections were is not yet by - any means made clear, and to say that they all must have been - one and the same people seems to be making a statement directly - contrary to the facts, which are yearly increasing as the spade - and pick in careful hands bring them to light. That many Indian - tribes built mounds and earthworks is beyond doubt, but that - all the mounds and earthworks of North America were made by - these same tribes or their immediate ancestors is not thereby - proved. - - Mr. Carr, in his recent paper published by the Kentucky - Geological Survey, has taken up the historical side of the - question, but it must not be received for more than he - intended. He only shows from historical data what the spade and - pick have disclosed to the archæologist. It is simply one side - of the shield; the other is still waiting to be turned to the - light; and as history will not help us to read the reverse, - only patient and careful exploration will bring out its - meaning.[43] - -This, it is true, is but an incidental paragraph thrown into a report of -the work of the museum, but I have selected it as the latest expression -on this subject by one of our most active and practical American -archæologists, and because it will furnish a basis for the remarks I -desire to make on this subject. - -In order that the reader may clearly understand the particular points to -which I shall call attention, I will introduce here a brief review of -the leading opinions so far presented regarding the authorship of these -ancient works. - -It was not until about the close of the eighteenth century that the -scientific men of the Eastern States became fully impressed with the -fact that remarkable antiquities were to be found in our country. - -About this time President Stiles, of New Haven, Dr. Franklin, Dr. -Barton, and a few other leading minds of that day, becoming thoroughly -convinced of the existence of these antiquities, and having received -descriptions of a number of them, began to advance theories as to their -origin. William Bartram had come to the conclusion, from personal -observation and from the statement of the Indians that "they knew -nothing of their origin," that they belonged to the most distant -antiquity. - -Dr. Franklin, in reply to the inquiry of President Stiles, suggested -that the works in Ohio might have been constructed by De Soto in his -wanderings. This suggestion was followed up by Noah Webster with an -attempt to sustain it,[44] but he afterwards abandoned this position -and attributed these works to Indians. - -Captain Heart, in reply to the inquiries addressed to him by Dr. Barton, -gives his opinion that the works could not have been constructed by De -Soto and his followers, but belonged to an age preceding the discovery -of America by Columbus; that they were not due to the Indians or their -predecessors, but to a people not altogether in an uncultivated state, -as they must have been under the subordination of law and a -well-governed police.[45] - -This is probably the first clear and distinct expression of a view which -has subsequently obtained the assent of so many of the leading writers -on American archæology. - -About the commencement of the nineteenth century two new and important -characters appear on the stage of American archæology. These are Bishop -Madison, of Virginia, and Rev. Thaddeus M. Harris, of Massachusetts. - -Dr. Haven, to whose work we are indebted for reference to several of the -facts above stated, remarks: - - These two gentlemen are among the first who, uniting - opportunities of personal observation to the advantages of - scientific culture, imparted to the public their impressions of - western antiquities. They represent the two classes of - observers whose opposite views still divide the sentiment of - the country; one class seeing no evidence of art beyond what - might be expected of existing tribes, with the simple - difference of a more numerous population, and consequently - better defined and more permanent habitations; the other - finding proofs of skill and refinement, to be explained, as - they believe, only on the supposition that a superior race, or - more probably a people of foreign and higher civilization, once - occupied the soil.[46] - -Bishop Madison was the representative of the first class. Dr. Harris -represented that section of the second class maintaining the opinion -that the mound-builders were Toltecs, who after leaving this region -moved south into Mexico. - -As we find the principal theories which are held at the present day on -this subject substantially set forth in these authorities, it is -unnecessary to follow up the history of the controversy except so far as -is required to notice the various modifications of the two leading -opinions. - -Those holding the opinion that the Indians were not the authors of these -works, although agreeing as to this point and hence included in one -class, differ widely among themselves as to the people to whom they are -to be ascribed, one section, of which, as we have seen, Dr. Harris may -be considered the pioneer, holding that they were built by the Toltecs, -who, as they supposed, occupied the Mississippi Valley previous to their -appearance in the vale of Anahuac. - -Among the more recent advocates of this theory are Mr. John T. Short, -author of "The North Americans of Antiquity;"[47] Dr. Dawson, in his -"Fossil Man," who accepts the tradition respecting the Tallegwi, but -identifies them with the Toltecs; Rev. J. P. MacLean, author of the -"Mound Builders" and Dr. Joseph Jones, in his "Antiquities of -Tennessee." - -Wilson, in his "Prehistoric Man,"[48] modifies this view somewhat, -looking to the region south of Mexico for the original home of the -Toltecs, and deriving the Aztecs from the mound-builders. - -Another section of this class includes those who, although rejecting the -idea of an Indian origin, are satisfied with simply designating the -authors of these works a "lost race," without following the inquiry into -the more uncertain field of racial, national, or ethnical relations. To -this type belong a large portion of the recent authors of short articles -and brief reports on American archæology, and quite a number of diligent -workers in this field whose names are not before the world as authors. - -Baldwin believes that the mound-builders were Toltecs, but thinks they -came originally from Mexico or farther south, and, occupying the Ohio -Valley and the Gulf States, probably for centuries, were at the last -driven southward by an influx of barbarous hordes from the more northern -regions, and appeared again in Mexico.[49] Bradford, thirty years -previous to this, had suggested Mexico as their original home.[50] Lewis -H. Morgan, on the other hand, supposes that the authors of these remains -came from the Pueblo tribes of New Mexico. Dr. Foster[51] agrees -substantially with Baldwin. We might include in this class a number of -extravagant hypotheses, such as those held by Haywood, Rafinesque, and -others among the older, as well as by a few of the more recent authors. - -The opposite class, holding that the mound-builders were the ancestors -of some one or more of the modern tribes of Indians, or of those found -inhabiting the country at the time of its discovery, numbers -comparatively few leading authorities among its advocates; in other -words, the followers of Bishop Madison are far less numerous than the -followers of Dr. Harris. The differences between the advocates of this -view are of minor importance, and only appear when the investigation is -carried one step further back and the attempt is made to designate the -particular tribe, nation, people, or ethnic family to which they -appertained. - -The traditions of the Delawares, as given by Heckewelder, in his -"History of the Indian Nations," having brought upon the stage the -Tallegwi, they are made to play a most important part in the -speculations of those inclined to the theory of an Indian origin. As -this tradition agrees very well with a number of facts brought to light -by antiquarian and philological researches, it has had considerable -influence in shaping the conclusions even of those who are not professed -believers in it. - -One of the ablest early advocates of the Indian origin of these works -was Dr. McCulloch; and his conclusions, based as they were on the -comparatively slender data then obtainable, are remarkable not only for -the clearness with which they are stated and the distinctness with which -they are defined, but as being more in accordance with all the facts -ascertained than perhaps those of any contemporary. - -Samuel G. Drake, Schoolcraft, and Sir John Lubbock were also disposed to -ascribe these ancient works to the Indians. But the most recent advocate -of this view is Prof. Lucien Carr, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, who has -presented, in a recent paper entitled "The Mounds of the Mississippi -Valley historically considered" (contained in the Memoirs of the -Kentucky Geological Survey), a very strong array of historical evidence -going to show not only that the Indian tribes at the time of the -discovery were capable of producing these works, but also that several -of the tribes were in the habit of erecting mounds. - -But it is proper that we should mention an article by Dr. D. G. Brinton -in the October number, 1881, of the American Antiquarian, bearing upon -the same subject, in which considerable historical evidence tending to -the same conclusion is given. These two papers may justly be considered -the commencement of a rediscussion of this question, in which the -Indians, after a long exclusion, will be readmitted as a possible factor -in the problem. - -The reader will observe from the foregoing brief review that the -opinions regarding the authors of the mounds--or, as Dr. Brinton -expresses it, "the nationality of the mound-builders"--as heretofore -given to the world, may be divided into two classes--those holding that -the builders were "Indians," and those holding that they were not -"Indians." But the paragraph we have quoted from the Report of the -Peabody Museum introduces other considerations, which render it -necessary not only to define the terms used but to restate the question -at issue in a more exact and definite form. - -What mounds? What earth works? The authority quoted remarks, "That many -Indian tribes built mounds and earthworks is beyond doubt, but that _all -the mounds and earthworks of North America_ were made by _these same -tribes_ or their immediate ancestors is not thereby proved." - -That the term "mound-builders" is as applicable to the people who -constructed the mounds of Siberia, Japan, or elsewhere as those who -built the tumuli of the Mississippi Valley must be admitted, but the -term, when used in this country with reference to the mounds of this -country, has, as is well known, been generally understood to include -only those found in that part of the United States east of the Rocky -Mountains unless otherwise stated; and Mr. Carr's paper, to which -allusion is made in the next sentence of the quotation, is expressly -limited to the "mounds of the Mississippi Valley." North America is -therefore a broader field than is generally understood by those who -enter upon the discussion, and I may add that "these same tribes," -unless with explicit definition, is a limitation claimed by no one. - -The term "Indian" is so indefinite and so variously applied that more or -less uncertainty must ensue unless the writer discussing this question -makes clear the sense in which he uses it. It was probably an -appreciation of this fact that caused the author of the report referred -to to make use of the terms "American stocks," "nations," and "groups of -tribes." We can fully appreciate the difficulty he and all others -writing upon this subject experience from the want of an adequate and -definite nomenclature that is applicable. But his expansions in one -direction and limitations in another, in the paragraph quoted, as it -seems to me, have left the statement of the question in worse confusion -than it was before. - -In what sense does he use the terms "Indians," "Indian tribes," -"American stocks," and "groups of tribes"? Are the cultured Central -American and Mexican nations and the Pueblo tribes to be included or -excluded? Professor Carr evidently proceeds upon the idea that they are -to be excluded, and that the mounds and other ancient works of the -Mississippi Valley are to be attributed to one or more of the American -stocks found in possession of this region at the time of its discovery -by Europeans. - -This I believe to be the correct view, except in this: Professor Carr -fails to clear his work of the idea of one people, one stock, when the -evidence is conclusive that the mound-builders were divided into tribes -and stocks, as were the Indians when first encountered by the whites. -Hence when I use the terms "Indians," "Indian tribes," and "American -stocks" in this connection, they are to be understood as thus limited. - -I do not claim that this use of these terms is correct, but it is not my -intention at present to discuss the question "What is the proper use of -the indefinite term _Indian_?" My only object in referring to it and the -other equivalent terms is to explain the sense in which I use them in -this connection, because I can find no better ones. - -As thus limited the question for discussion maybe stated as follows: - -Were all the mounds and other ancient works found in that part of the -United States east of the Rocky Mountains (except such as are manifestly -the work of Europeans of post-Columbian times) built by the Indians -found in possession of this region at the time of its discovery and -their ancestors, or are they in part to be attributed to other more -civilized races or peoples, as the Aztecs, Toltecs, Pueblo tribes, or -some lost race of which we possess no historical mention? I say in part, -as it has long been conceded, that some of these works are to be -attributed to the Indians. - -If it can be shown that some of the mounds and other works of all the -different types and classes found in the Mississippi Valley and Gulf -States were built by Indians, or even that they were built by people in -the same stage of culture and art and having the same customs and habits -as the Indians of this region in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, -we shall be justified in concluding that the rest are the work of the -same race and of the same tribes, or those, closely allied in habits, -customs, art, and culture. That here and there a single mound-building -tribe may have become extinct or absorbed into other tribes in -pre-Columbian times, as has been the fate of some since the discovery of -the continent, does not alter the case, unless it be claimed that such -tribes belonged to different "American stocks" and had reached a higher -degree of culture than those found in this part of the continent at the -time of the arrival of the Europeans. - -No one believes that we will ever be able to ascertain the history of -the construction of each mound and earthwork; the utmost to be hoped is -that we may be able to determine with satisfactory certainty that such -and such works were built by such and such tribes. - -But one step in the investigation is to reach the general conclusion as -to whether all classes of these remains in the region designated may -justly be attributed to the Indians, or whether there are some types -which must be ascribed to a different race, to a people that had -attained a higher position in the scale of civilization than the -Indians. This it is possible to accomplish, without being able to -determine conclusively what tribe erected any particular work. - -Nevertheless the conclusion will be strengthened by every proof that the -works of certain sections are to be ascribed to certain tribes or -stocks. It is for this reason that I propose to discuss somewhat briefly -the question of the probable authorship of the works in the Appalachian -district. - - - - -THE CHEROKEES PROBABLY MOUND-BUILDERS. - - -In 1876, Prof. Lucien Carr, assistant curator of the Peabody Museum, -opened a mound in Lee County, Virginia, in which he made certain -discoveries which, with the form of the mound and the historical data, -led him to the conclusion that it was the work of the Cherokees. - -This monument, as he informs us, was a truncated oval, the level space -on the top measuring 40 feet in length by 15 in width. - - At the distance of 8 feet from the brow of the mound, on the - slope, there were found buried in the earth the decaying stumps - of a series of cedar posts, which I was informed by Mr. Ely - [the owner] at one time completely encircled it. He also told - me that at every plowing he struck more or less of these posts, - and, on digging for them, some six or seven were found at - different places, and in such order as showed that they had - been placed in the earth at regular intervals and according to - a definite plan. On the top, in the line of the greatest - diameter and near the center of the mound, another and a larger - post or column, also of cedar, was found.[52] - -Quoting Bartram's description (given below) of the council house of the -Cherokees in the town of Cowe, he concludes, and I think correctly, that -this mound was the site of a similar building. - -Bartram's description is as follows:[53] - - The Council or Town House is a large rotunda, capable of - accommodating several hundred people. It stands on the top of - an ancient artificial mount of earth of about 20 feet - perpendicular and the rotunda on the top of it, being above 30 - feet more, gives the whole fabric an elevation of about 60 feet - from the common surface of the ground. But it may be proper to - observe that this mount on which the rotunda stands is of a - much ancienter date than the building, and perhaps was raised - for another purpose. The Cherokees themselves are as ignorant - as we are by what people or for what purpose these artificial - hills were raised. * * * - - The rotunda is constructed after the following manner: They - first fix in the ground a circular range of posts or trunks of - trees, about 6 feet high, at equal distances, which are notched - at top to receive into them, from one to another, a range of - beams or wall plates. Within this is another circular order of - very large and strong pillars, above 12 feet high, notched in - like manner at top to receive another range of wall plates, and - within this is yet another or third range of stronger and - higher pillars, but fewer in number, and standing at a greater - distance from each other; and, lastly, in the center stands a - very strong pillar, which forms the pinnacle of the building, - and to which the rafters center at top; these rafters are - strengthened and bound together by cross-beams and laths, which - sustain the roof or covering, which is a layer of bark neatly - placed and tight enough to exclude the rain, and sometimes they - cast a thin superficies of earth over all. - - There is but one large door, which serves at the same time to - admit light from without and the smoke to escape when a fire is - kindled; but as there is but a small fire kept, sufficient to - give light at night, and that fed with dry, small, sound wood, - divested of its bark, there is but little smoke; all around the - inside of the building, betwixt the second range of pillars and - the wall, is a range of cabins or sophas consisting of two or - three steps, one above or behind the other, in theatrical - order, where the assembly sit or lean down; these sophas are - covered with mats or carpets very curiously made with thin - splits of ash or oak woven or platted together; near the great - pillar in the center the fire is kindled for light, near which - the musicians seat themselves, and around about this the - performers exhibit their dances and other shows at public - festivals, which happen almost every night throughout the year. - -From indications, not necessary to be mentioned here, Professor Carr -argues that the mound could not have been intended for burial purposes, -but was evidently erected for the foundation of a building of some kind. - -In a subsequent paper,[54] "Mounds of the Mississippi Valley," he not -only adheres to the theory advanced in the tenth report of the Peabody -Museum, but gives additional reasons for believing it to be true. - -Although guided by very dim and feeble rays of light I am nevertheless -inclined to believe that Professor Carr has succeeded in entering the -pathway that is to lead to a correct solution of the problem in this -case. As is apparent from what has been given in this paper regarding -the burial mounds of this district, much additional data bearing on the -point have been obtained since Professor Carr's explorations were made, -on which he bases his conclusions. - -The Cherokee tribe has long been a puzzling factor to students of -ethnology and North American languages. Whether to be considered an -abnormal offshoot from one of the well-known Indian stocks or families -of North America, or the remnant of some undetermined or almost extinct -family which has merged into another, appear to be questions yet -unsettled; but they are questions which do not trouble us in the present -inquiry; on the contrary, their ethnic isolation and tribal -characteristics are aids in the investigation. - -That the internal arrangement of the mounds, modes of burial, and -vestiges of art of this district present sufficient peculiarities to -distinguish them from the mounds, modes of burial, and vestiges of art -of all the other districts, as I have already stated, will be conceded -by any one who will carefully study them and make the comparison. If, -therefore, it be admitted, as stated, that the Cherokees are a somewhat -peculiar people, an abnormal tribe, we have in this a coincidence worthy -of note, if strengthened by corroborating testimony. - -As the mounds and other remains to be referred to are located in the -northwest part of North Carolina and the northern part of East -Tennessee, the first point to be established is that the Cherokees did -actually, at some time, occupy this region. - -In the first place, it is well known that they claimed all that portion -of the country east of Clinch River to and including the northwest part -of North Carolina, at least to the Yadkin, a claim which was conceded by -the whites and acted on officially by State and national authority and -denied by no Indian tribe. - -Haywood expressly states that[55]-- - - the Cherokees were firmly established on the Tennessee River or - Hogohega [the Holston] before the year 1650, and had dominion - over all the country on the east side of the Alleghany - Mountains, which includes the headwaters of the Yadkin, - Catawba, Broad River, and the headwaters of the Savannah-- - -a statement borne out by the fact that, as late as 1756, when the -English built Fort Dobbs on the Yadkin, not far from Salisbury, they -first obtained the privilege of doing so by treaty with Attacullaculla, -the Cherokee chief.[56] - -Haywood asserts,[57] upon what authority is not known, that-- - - before the year 1690 the Cherokees, who were once settled on - the Appomattox River, in the neighborhood of Monticello, left - their former abodes and came to the west. The Powhatans are - said by their descendants to have been once a part of this - nation. The probability is that migration took place about, or - soon after, the year 1632, when the Virginians suddenly and - unexpectedly fell upon the Indians, killing all they could - find, cutting up and destroying their crops, and causing great - numbers to perish by famine. They came to New River and made a - temporary settlement, and also on the head of the Holston. - -That they formerly had settlements on New River (Upper Kanawha) and on -the Holston is, as I believe, true, but that they came from the vicinity -of Monticello and the Appomattox River, were connected with the -Powhatans, or first appeared in Tennessee in 1632, cannot be believed. -First, because Jefferson makes no mention of their occupancy of this -part of Virginia; on the contrary, he locates them in the "western part -of North Carolina." Secondly, because John Lederer, who visited this -region in 1669-'70, speaking of the Indians of the "Apalatean -Mountains," doubtless the Cherokees, as he was at that time somewhere in -western North Carolina, says: "The Indians of these parts are none of -those which the English removed from Virginia; these were far more rude -and barbarous, feeding only upon raw flesh and fish, until these taught -them to sow corn and showed them the use of it."[58] Thirdly, because -it is evident that they were located in substantially the same territory -when De Soto passed through the northern part of Georgia, as it is now -admitted that the "Chelaques" or "Achalaques" mentioned by the -chroniclers of his ill-starred expedition were the Cherokees. That they -extended their territory a considerable distance farther southward after -the time of the Adelantado's visit can be easily demonstrated, but it is -unnecessary for me to present the proof of this assertion at this time, -as I presume it will be admitted. - -Their traditions in regard to their migrations are uncertain and -somewhat conflicting, still there are a few items to be gleaned from -them, which, I think, may be relied upon as pointing in the proper -direction. The first is, the positive statement that they formerly had a -settlement, or were settled on or near the Nolichucky; the second is, -that they were driven from some more northern section by their enemies; -and third, their constant and persistent claim that, of right, the -country about the headwaters of the Holston and eastward into North -Carolina belonged to them. - -From all the light, therefore, that I can obtain on this subject, I am -satisfied the Cherokees had at some time in the past moved southward -from a more northern location than that which they were found occupying -when first encountered by the whites. This corresponds with one of their -traditions given by Haywood, that they formerly dwelt on the Ohio and -built the mounds there. That they did at one time actually occupy the -section in which the mounds we allude to are situated cannot be doubted. - -Turning now to the mounds of East Tennessee and North Carolina, to which -allusion has been made, let us see what testimony they furnish on the -point now under discussion. - -The particular works to which we refer are those located in Caldwell -County, North Carolina, and Sullivan County, East Tennessee, -descriptions of which have been given. - -Although we cannot say positively that no other tribe occupied this -particular section between 1540 and 1690, still the evidence and -indications leading to that conclusion are so strong as to justify us in -assuming it. We find their frontiers on the borders of Georgia in 1540; -we can trace back their settlements on the Hiawassee to a period -preceding 1652. We have evidence that the settlements on the Little -Tennessee were still older, and that even these were made subsequent to -those on the Nolichucky. We have their own tradition, as given by -Lederer, that they migrated to this region about the close of the -thirteenth century from a more northern section; and, finally, their -uniform and persistent statement, from the time first encountered by -Europeans, that when they came to this region they found it uninhabited, -with the exception of a Creek settlement on the lower Hiawassee. This -clearly indicates a movement southward, a fact of much importance in the -study of this somewhat abnormal tribe. - -If, therefore, we can show that these mounds, or any of the typical -ones, were constructed since the discovery of America, we have good -reason to believe that they are to be attributed to the Cherokees, -notwithstanding their statement to Bartram that they did not build the -one at Cowe. - -At the bottom of one of the largest mounds found in this region, the T. -F. Nelson triangle heretofore described, and by the side of the skeleton -of the principal personage interred in it, as shown by the arrangement -of the bodies of those buried with him, and by the ornaments and -implements found with him, were discovered three pieces of iron. That -one of the pieces, at least, is part of an implement of European -manufacture, I think no one who examines it will doubt (see Fig. 31). It -appears to be part of a sword blade or the blade of a large knife. -Another of the pieces is apparently a large awl or punch, a part of the -deer-horn handle yet remaining attached to it. A chemical examination -made by Professor Clarke, chemist of the United States Geological -Survey, shows that these were not made of meteoric iron. - -That these cannot be attributed to an intrusive burial is evident from -the following facts: _First_, they were found at the very bottom of the -pit, which had been dug before depositing the bodies; _second_, they -were found with engraved shells, celts, and other relics of this -character; and _third_, they were deposited with the principal personage -who had been buried in the mound. - -In the same mound and under the same circumstances some large copper -beads or cylinders were also found. A careful examination of these -specimens shows, as I think very clearly, that the copper plate of which -they were made was not manufactured by any means at the command of the -Indians or the more civilized races of Mexico or Central America, as it -is as smooth and even as any rolled copper; moreover, the beads appear -to have been cut into the proper shape by some metallic instrument. If -this supposition be correct (and I believe an inspection of the -specimens will satisfy any one that it is), it certainly indicates -contact with civilized people. If so, then we have positive proof that -this mound was made subsequent to the discovery of America by Columbus -and in all probability after the date of De Soto's expedition in 1540. - -As I have shown that the Cherokees alone inhabited this particular -section from the time of De Soto's expedition until it was settled by -the whites, it follows that if the mound was built subsequent to that -date it must have been by the Cherokees. The nearest neighbors of this -tribe on the east, at the time the whites came in contact with them, -were the Tuscaroras. We learn from John Lederer, who visited them in -1670, on his return from the Cherokee country, that they were in the -habit of "decking themselves very fine with pieces of bright copper in -their hair and ears and about their neck, which, upon festival -occasions, they use as an extraordinary bravery."[59] While it is well -known that these two tribes were brought into contact with each other -through being constantly at war, until the latter removed to the north -and joined the Five Nations, it is more likely that these articles of -European workmanship were obtained chiefly from the Spaniards, who, as -is now known, worked the gold mines in northern Georgia at an early -date. We learn from Barcia's "Ensayo Cronologico"[60] that Tristan de -Luna, who, in 1559, went in search of the mines of "Coza" (the name by -which the region of northern Georgia was then known), succeeded in -reaching the region sought, and even heard, while there, of the negro -Robles, who was left behind by De Soto. When John Lederer reached the -borders of Georgia the Spaniards were then at work at these mines, which -fact, as he informs us, checked his further advance, as he feared he -might be made a captive by them. As further and conclusive evidence of -this, we have only to state that the remains of their cabins in the -vicinity of the mines were found in 1834 with trees from 2 to 3 feet in -diameter growing over them. The old shafts were discovered in which they -worked, as also some of the machinery they used.[61] Be this supposition -correct or not, if the articles we have mentioned were of European -workmanship, or if the material was obtained of civilized people, we -must take for granted, until evidence to the contrary is produced, that -the mound in which they were found was built after the commencement of -the sixteenth century, hence by Indians, and in all probability by the -Cherokees. - -Our next argument is the discovery in the ancient works of this region -of evidences that the habits and customs of the builders were similar to -those of the Cherokees and some of the immediately surrounding tribes. - -I have already alluded to the evidence found in the mound opened by -Professor Carr, that it had once supported a building similar to the -council house observed by Bartram on a mound at the old Cherokee town, -Cowe. Both were on mounds, both were circular, both were built on posts -set in the ground at equal distances from each other, and each had a -central pillar. - -As confirming this statement of Bartram, we are informed in Ramsey's -Annals of Tennessee[62] that when Colonel Christian marched against the -Cherokee towns, in 1776, he found in the center of each "a circular -tower rudely built and covered with dirt, 30 feet in diameter, and about -20 feet high. This tower was used as a council house and as a place for -celebrating the green-corn dance and other national ceremonials." -Lawson, who traveled through North Carolina in 1700, says:[63] "They -[the Indians] oftentimes make of this shell [alluding to a certain large -sea shell] a sort of gorge, which they wear about their neck in a -string, so it hangs on their collar, whereon is sometimes engraven a -cross or some odd sort of figure which comes next in their fancy." -Beverly, speaking of the Indians of Virginia, says:[64] "Of this shell -they also make round tablets of about 4 inches in diameter, which they -polish as smooth as the other, and sometimes they etch or grave thereon -circles, stars, a half-moon, or any other figure, suitable to their -fancy." - -Now it so happens that, in the same mound in which the iron specimens -before alluded to were found, and in other mounds in the same section, -the Bureau assistants discovered shell ornaments precisely of the -character described by these old writers. Some of them were smooth and -without any devices engraved on them, but with holes for inserting the -strings by which they were to be held in position; others were engraved -with figures which would readily be taken for stars and half-moons, and -one among the number had a cross engraved on it. The testimony in this -case that these relics were the work of the Indians found in possession -of the country at the time of the discovery is, therefore, too strong to -be put aside by mere conjectures or inferences. If the work of the -Indians, then they must have been used by the Cherokees and buried with -their dead. The engraved figures are strangely uniform, indicating some -common origin, but the attempt to trace this is foreign to our present -purpose. In these mounds were found a large number of nicely carved -soapstone pipes, usually with the stem made in connection with the bowl, -though some were without this addition, consisting only of the bowl, -with a hole for the insertion of a cane or wooden stem. - -By turning to Adair's "History of the North American Indians,"[65] we -find the following statement: - - They [the Indians] make beautiful stone pipes, and the - Cherokees the best of any of the Indians, for their mountainous - country contains many different sorts and colors of soils - proper for such uses. They easily form them with their - tomahawks, and afterwards finish them in any desired form with - their knives, the pipes being of a very soft quality till they - are smoked with and used with the fire, when they become quite - hard. They are often a full span long, and the bowls are about - half as long again as those of our English pipes. The fore part - of each commonly runs out, with a sharp peak two or three - fingers broad and a quarter of an inch thick. - -Not only were pipes made of soapstone found in these mounds, but two or -three were obtained precisely of the form mentioned by Adair, with the -fore part running out in front of the bowl; and another of the same form -has been found in a mound on the Kanawha, which is at least suggestive. -Jones says:[66] - - It has been more than hinted by at least one person whose - statement is entitled to every belief, that among the Cherokees - dwelling in the mountains there existed certain artists whose - professed occupation was the manufacture of stone pipes, which - were by them transported to the coast and there bartered away - for articles of use and ornament foreign to and highly esteemed - among the members of their own tribe. - -This not only strengthens our conclusion, drawn from the presence of -such pipes in the mounds alluded to, but may also assist in explaining -the presence of the copper ornaments in them. The writer last quoted -says:[67] - - Copper implements are rarely found in Georgia. The present [a - copper ax] is the finest specimen which, after no mean search, - has rewarded our investigations. Native copper exists in - portions of Cherokee Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and - Alabama, but it is generally found in combination with sulphur - and not in malleable form. We are not aware of any locality - among those enumerated whence the Indians could have secured - that metal either in quantity or purity sufficient to have - enabled them to manufacture this implement. - -Adair says:[68] - - From the time we supplied them with our European ornaments they - have used brass and silver ear-rings and finger-rings; the - young warriors now frequently fasten bell-buttons or pieces of - tinkling brass to their moccasins. - -From these facts I am inclined to believe that most of the copper used -by them was obtained directly or indirectly from the whites, and hence -subsequent to the discovery of America. But should this supposition be -erroneous, the fact still remains that the Cherokees were in the habit -of using just such ornaments as we find in these mounds. - -As showing that the Europeans began to trade copper to the Indians at a -very early day, I call attention to a statement made by Beverly in his -"History of Virginia."[69] Speaking of a settlement made at Powhatan, -six miles below the falls of James River, in 1609, he says it was -"bought of Powhatan for a certain quantity of copper." - -By reference to Smith's History and the narratives of the early -explorers we find that the amount of sheet copper traded to the Indians -and taken by them from wrecks was quite large. - -But we are not yet through with the items under this class of -testimony. - -Haywood, in his "Natural and Aboriginal History of Tennessee,"[70] says: - - Mr. Brown, a Scotchman, came into the Cherokee Nation, in the - year 1761 and settled on the Hiawassee River or near it. He saw - on the Hiawassee and Tennessee the remains of old forts, about - which were axes, guns, hoes, and other metallic utensils. The - Indians at that time told him that the French had formerly been - there and built these forts. - -I am fully aware that this author indulges in some extravagant -speculations; still, so far as I have tested his original statements I -have generally found them correct. During the year 1883 one of the -assistants of the Bureau was sent to this particular region, which is -too limited to allow the question of locality to be raised. An overflow -and a change in the channel of the river brought to light the remains of -old habitations and numerous relics of the people who formerly dwelt -there. Moreover, this was in the precise locality where tradition -located a Cherokee town. Digging was resorted to in order to complete -what the water had begun. - -Now let me mention some of the things obtained here: - -Ten discoidal stones, precisely like those from the mounds of Caldwell -County, North Carolina. - -Nine strings of glass beads. - -A large number of shell beads exactly like those from the mounds. - -A number of flint arrow-points. - -One soapstone pipe. - -Some pieces of smooth sheet-copper. - -Three conical copper ear-pendants. - -Three buttons of modern type. - -One small brass gouge. - -Fragments of iron articles belonging to a bridle. - -One bronze sleigh-bell. - -One stone awl or drill. - -Fragment of a soapstone pot. - -One soapstone gorget. - -Several polished stone celts of the same pattern as those found in the -North Carolina mounds. - -Grooved stone axes. - -A piece of sheet lead. - -This admixture of articles of civilized and savage life confirms the -statement made by Haywood, at least so far as regards the early presence -of white people in this section. It follows from what has been presented -that the Indians must have been Cherokees, and the fact that the -implements and ornaments of aboriginal manufacture found here are -throughout precisely like those found in the mounds before mentioned -affords a very strong proof that they were built by the Cherokees. - -It is worthy of notice that close by the side of this washout stands a -mound. Permission to open it has not yet been obtained. - -Returning to our mounds, we note that a large number of stones, -evidently used for cracking nuts, were found in and about them; some -charred acorns, or nuts of some kind, were also found in them. We have -only to refer to Adair and other early writers to see how well the -indications agree with the customs of the Cherokees. - -According to the Cherokee tradition, they found a settlement of Creeks -on the Lower Hiawassee, when they reached that region, and drove them -away. Ramsay expresses the opinion in his Annals of Tennessee, on what -authority is not known, that this was a Uchee settlement. Hence the -southern boundary of their possessions, at this early date, which must -have been before the time of De Soto's expedition, was about the present -northern boundary of Georgia. That their borders, at the time of De -Soto's march, extended into northeastern Georgia is proved by the -chroniclers of his expedition, but that they did not reach as far south -as Bartow County can be shown from one somewhat singular circumstance, -which, at the same time, will furnish strong reasons for believing that -the authors of the works immediately south of this boundary could not -have built the mounds we have been considering. - -It will be admitted, I presume, by every one, that the people over whom -the famous cacique of Cutifachiqui reigned could not have been -Cherokees; yet her territory included Xuala, probably in Nacoochee -valley, and extended westward well toward Guaxule on the headwaters of -the Coosa, but that the latter was not within the territory of her tribe -is expressly stated by Garcilasso de la Vega. I think it may be safely -assumed that her people were Creeks; and, if so, that the people of -Guaxule, who, as we judge from the chroniclers of De Soto's expedition, -were mound-builders, belonged to another distinct tribe. - -Garcilasso, who is our authority in reference to the first point now to -be considered, says: - - La casa estava en un cerro alto, como de otras semejantes hemos - dicho. Tenia toda ella al derredor un paseadero que podian - pasearse por el seis hombres juntos.[71] The house was on a - high hill (mound) similar to others we have already mentioned. - It had all round about it a roadway on which six men could walk - abreast. - -This language is peculiar, and, so far as I am aware, can apply to no -other mound in Georgia than the large one near Cartersville. The words -"similar to others we have mentioned," are evidently intended to signify -that it was artificial, and this is conceded by all who have noted the -passage. The word "alto" (high), in the mouth of the explorers, -indicates something more elevated than the ordinary mounds. The roadway -or passageway (paseadero) "round about it" is peculiar, and is the only -mention of the kind by either of the three chroniclers. How is it to be -explained? - -As Garcilasso wrote from information and not from personal observation -he often failed to catch from his informants a correct notion of the -things described to him; this is frequently apparent in his work where -there is no reason to attribute it to his vivid imagination. In this -case it is clear he understood there was a terrace running entirely -around the mound, or possibly a roadway around the top outside of a -rampart or stockade. - -But as neither conclusion could have been correct, as no such terrace -has been found in any part of this region, and a walk around the summit -would have thwarted the very design they had in view in building the -mound, what was it Garcilasso's informants saw? C. C. Jones says "a -terrace," but it is scarcely possible that any terrace at the end or -side of a southern mound, forming an apron-like extension (which is the -only form found there), could have been so described as to convey the -idea of a roadway, as the mode of estimating the width shows clearly was -intended. - -[Illustration: FIG. 39.--Large mound of Etowah group, Bartow County, -Georgia.] - -The broad way winding around and up the side of the Etowah mound (Fig. -39) appears to answer the description better than any other in Georgia. -It is a large mound, high, and one that would doubtless attract the -attention of the Spanish soldiers; its dimensions indicate that the -tribe by which it was built was strong in numbers and might easily send -forth five hundred warriors to greet the Spaniards. The locality is also -within the limits of De Soto's route as given by the best authorities; -and lastly, there is no other mound within the possible limits of his -route which will in any respect answer the description. As Garcillasso -must have learned of this mound from his informants, and has described -it according to the impression conveyed to his mind, we are justified in -accepting it as a statement of fact. I am, therefore, satisfied that the -work alluded to is none other than the Etowah mound near Cartersville, -Georgia, and that here we can point to the spot where the unfortunate -Adelantado rested his weary limbs and where the embassadors of the noted -cacique of Cutifachiqui delivered their final message. - -[Illustration: FIG. 40.--Vertical section, small mound, same group.] - -Recently the smallest of the three large mounds of this group was opened -and carefully explored by Mr. Rogan, one of the Bureau assistants. As -the result will be of much interest to archæologists aside from the -question now under discussion, although belonging to the southern type -of burial mounds not discussed in this paper, I will venture to give a -description of its construction and contents as a means of comparison -and as also bearing somewhat on the immediate question under discussion. -This mound is the one marked _c_ in Jones's plate;[72] also _c_ in -Colonel Whittlesey's figure 2.[73] A vertical section of it is given -in Fig. 40. The measurements, as ascertained by Mr. Rogan, are as -follows: Average diameter at the base, 120 feet; diameter of the level -top, 60 feet; height above the original surface of the ground, 16 feet. -The form is more nearly that of a truncated cone than represented in the -figures alluded to. - -The construction was found, by very thorough excavation, to be as -follows: the entire surrounding slope (No. 4, Fig. 40) was of hard, -tough red clay, which could not have been obtained nearer than half a -mile; the cylindrical core, 60 feet in diameter and extending down to -the original surface of the ground, was composed of three horizontal -layers; the bottom layer (No. 1) 10 feet thick, of rich, dark, and -rather loose loam; the next (No. 2) 4 feet thick, of hard, beaten (or -tramped) clay, so tough and hard that it was difficult to penetrate it -even with a pick; and the uppermost (No. 3) of sand and surface soil -between 1 and 2 feet thick. A trench was dug from opposite sides to the -central core; and when the arrangement was ascertained, this central -portion was carefully explored to the original surface of the ground. - -Nothing was found in the layer of clay (No. 2) except a rude clay pipe, -some small shell beads, a piece of mica, and a chunkee stone. The -burials were all in the lower layer (No. 1), of dark rich loam, and -chiefly in stone cists or coffins of the usual box-shape, formed of -stone slabs, and distributed horizontally, as shown in Fig. 41, which is -a plan of this lower bed. - -[Illustration: FIG. 41.--Plan of burials in small mound.] - -According to Mr. Rogan's field-notes, the form and contents of these -graves and the mode of burial in them were as follows: - -Grave _a_, Fig. 41.--A stone sepulcher, 2-1/2 feet wide, 8 feet long, -and 2 feet deep, formed by placing steatite slabs on edge at the sides -and ends, and others across the top. The bottom consisted simply of -earth hardened by fire. It contained the remains of a single skeleton, -lying on its back, with the head east. The frame was heavy and about 7 -feet long. The head was resting on a thin copper plate, ornamented with -stamped figures; but the skull was crushed and the plate injured by -fallen slabs. Under the copper were the remains of a skin of some kind; -and under this, coarse matting, probably of split cane. The skin and -matting were both so rotten that they could be secured only in -fragments. At the left of the feet were two clay vessels, one a -water-bottle, and the other a very small vase. On the right of the feet -were some mussel and sea shells; and immediately under the feet two -conch-shells (_Busycon perversum_), partially filled with small shell -beads. Around each ankle was a strand of similar beads. The bones and -most of the shells were so far decomposed that they could not be saved. - -Grave _b_.--A stone sepulcher, 4-1/4 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 1-1/2 -feet deep, differing from _a_ only in size and the fact that the bottom -was covered with stone slabs. The skeleton was extended on the back, -head east. On the forehead was a thin plate of copper, the only article -found. - -Grave _c_.--A stone sepulcher, 3-1/2 feet long, 1-1/2 feet wide, and -1-1/2 deep; the bottom being formed of burnt earth. Although extending -east and west, as shown in the figure, the bones had probably been -interred without regard to order and disconnected, the head being found -in the northeast corner with face to the wall and the remaining portion -of the skeleton in a promiscuous heap. Yet there was no indication of -disturbance after burial as the coffin was intact. Between some of the -bones was found a thin plate of copper that had been formed by uniting -and riveting together smaller sections. Some of the bones found in this -grave were saved. - -Grave _d_.--A small sepulcher, 1-1/2 feet square by 1 foot deep, -contained the remains of an infant, also a few small shell beads. The -slabs forming the sides and bottom of this grave bore very distinct -marks of fire. - -Grave _e_.--Simply a headstone and footstone, with the skeleton of a -very small child between them; head east. On the wrists were some very -small shell beads. The earth on the north and south sides had been -hardened in order to form the walls. - -Grave _f_.--Stone sepulcher, 6 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 1-1/2 feet -deep, with stone in the bottom; skeleton with the head north. There was -a lot of copper about the head, which, together with the skeleton, was -wrapped in a skin. The head rested on a large conch-shell (_Busycon -perversum_), and this on the remains of a coarse mat. Shell beads were -found around the neck, each wrist, and ankle. On the right was a small -cup, and on the breast an engraved shell. The copper had preserved a -portion of the hair, which was saved; portions of the skin and matting -were also secured. - -Immediately under _b_ was another stone grave or coffin, 3 feet long, -1-1/2 feet wide, and as deep, extending north and south. The head of the -skeleton was toward the north, but the feet were doubled back under the -frame in order to get it in the allotted space. The only things found -with this skeleton were some beads around the neck. - -At _g_ the remains of a child were found without any stones about them. -Some shell beads were around the neck and wrists and an engraved shell -on the breast. - -Grave _h_.--A stone sepulcher, 1-1/2 feet square and 1 foot deep, stone -slabs on the four sides and top; the bottom consisted simply of earth -hardened by fire. This contained only a trace of bones and presented -indications of at least partial cremation, as all around the slabs, -outside and inside, was a solid mass of charcoal and the earth was -burned to the depth of a foot. - -[Illustration: FIG. 42.--Copper plate from Etowah mound, Georgia.] - -Grave _i_.--A stone sepulcher, 4-1/2 feet long, 1-1/2 feet wide, and as -deep, the bottom earth; contained the remains of a skeleton resting on -the back, head north, and feet doubled back so as to come within the -coffin. On the breast was a thin plate of copper, five inches square, -with a hole through the center. Around the wrists were beads, and about -the neck rather more than a quart of the same. - -At _j_ were the remains of a small child, without stone surroundings; -under the head was a piece of copper, and about the neck and wrists were -shell beads. - -These graves were not all on the same level; the top of some being but -two feet below the clay bed (No. 2), while others were from two to three -feet lower. - -[Illustration: FIG. 43.--Copper plate from Etowah mound, Georgia.] - -All the articles obtained in this mound were forwarded at once to the -Bureau of Ethnology and are now in the National Museum. Examining them -somewhat carefully since their reception, I find there are really more -copper plates among them than Mr. Rogan supposed, the number and -description being as follows: - -1. A human figure with wings, represented in Fig. 42. This is 13 inches -long and 9 inches wide. A portion of the lower part, as shown by the -figure, is wanting, probably some 3 or 4 inches. There is a break -across the middle, but not sufficient to interfere with tracing out the -design. A crown piece to the head ornament is also wanting. - -2. Also a human figure, shown in Fig. 43. Length, 16 inches; width, -7-1/2 inches. - -3. Figure of a bird; this is imperfect, as part of the head and the -outer margin of the wings are wanting. Length, 13-1/2 inches; width -7-1/2 inches. This plate shows indubitable evidence of having been -formed of smaller pieces welded together, as the overlapping portions -can be easily traced. It has also undergone repairs: a fracture -commencing on the left margin and running irregularly half-way across -the body has been mended by placing a strip of copper along it on the -under side and riveting it to the main plate; a small piece has also -been riveted to the head and the head to the body; several other pieces -are attached in the same way. The rivets are small and the work is -neatly done. - -[Illustration: FIG. 44.--Copper badge, from Etowah mound, Georgia.] - -4. An ornament or badge of some kind, shown in Fig. 44. The two -crescent-shaped pieces are entirely plain, except some slightly -impressed lines on the portion connecting them with the central stem. -This central stem, throughout its entire length and to the width of -six-tenths of an inch, is raised, and cross strips are placed at various -points along the under side for the purpose of inserting a slip of bone, -a part of which yet remains in it, and is seen in the figure at the -break immediately below the point where the oblique strips meet. This -specimen presents, as I believe, indubitable evidence that the workmen -who formed it made use of metallic tools, as the cutting in this case -could not possibly have been done with anything except a metallic -implement. A single glance at it is sufficient to satisfy any one of the -truth of this assertion. Length of the stem, 9 inches; width across the -crescents, 7-1/2 inches. - -5. Part of an ornament similar to No. 4. These plates, especially No. 4, -appear to be enlarged patterns of that seen behind the head of Fig. 43. - -[Illustration: FIG. 45.--Copper badge, from Etowah mound, Georgia.] - -6. An ornament or badge, shown in Fig. 45, which Mr. Rogan, when he -found it under the head of the skeleton in grave _a_, was inclined to -consider a crown. It is imperfect, a narrow strip across the middle and -a portion of the tip being missing. As shown in the figure, it measures -around the outer border 19 inches and across the broad end 3-1/2 inches. -The six holes at the larger end, in which the remains of strings can be -detected, indicate that when in use it was attached to some portion of -the dress or fastened on a staff. - -[Illustration: FIG. 46.--Engraved shell from Etowah mound, Georgia.] - -7. A fragment from the larger end of a piece similar to the preceding. -Attached to this is a piece of cloth. - -In addition to the foregoing, there are a number of small fragments -probably broken from these plates, but, so far, I have been unable to -fit them to their proper places. - -These plates and the ones mentioned below are very thin, and as even and -smooth (except as interrupted by the figures) as tin plate. The figures -are all stamped, the lines and indentations being very sharp and -regular. - -An examination of what Mr. Rogan calls a skin shows beyond question that -it is animal matter. The matting he speaks of appears to be made of -split canes. - -The shell represented in Fig. 46 is the one obtained in grave _g_. The -one shown in Fig. 47 is that found in grave _f_. - -[Illustration: FIG. 47.--Engraved shell from Etowah mound, Georgia.] - -I shall at present simply call attention to one or two facts which -appear to bear upon the age and distribution of these singular -specimens of art. - -First. We notice the fact alluded to by Mr. Holmes,[74] which is -apparent to every one who inspects his accurately drawn figures, that in -all their leading features the designs themselves are suggestive of -Mexican or Central American work. Yet a close inspection brings to light -one or two features which are anomalies in Mexican or Central American -designs; as, for example, in Figs. 42 and 43, where the wings are -represented as _rising from the back of the shoulders_, a fact alluded -to by Mr. Holmes.[75] Although we can find numerous figures of winged -individuals in Mexican designs (they are unknown in Central American), -they always carry with them the idea that the individual is partly or -completely clothed in the skin of the bird. This is partially carried -out in our copper plate, as we see by the bird-bill over the head, the -eye being that of the bird and not of the man. But when we come to the -wings we at once see that the artist had in mind the _angel figure_, -with wings arising from the _back of the shoulders_, an idea wholly -foreign to Mexican art. It is further worthy of note in regard to these -two plates that there is a combination of Central American and Mexican -designs: the graceful limbs, and the ornaments of the arms, legs, waist, -and top of the head are Central American, and the rest, with the -exception possibly of what is carried in the right hand, are Mexican. - -That these plates are not the work of the Indians found inhabiting the -southern sections of the United States, or of their direct ancestors, I -freely concede. That they were not made by an aboriginal artisan of -Central America or Mexico of ante-Columbian times, I think is evident, -if not from the designs themselves, certainly from the indisputable -evidence that the work was done with hard metallic tools. - -[Illustration: FIG. 48.--Copper plate from Illinois mound.] - -Second. Plates like those of this collection have only been found, so -far as I can ascertain, in northern Georgia and northern and southern -Illinois. The bird figure represented in Fig. 48 was obtained by Major -Powell, the director of the United States Geological Survey, from a -mound near Peoria, Illinois. Another was obtained in Jackson County, -Illinois, by Mr. Thing, from an ordinary stone grave. From another -similar grave, at the same place, he also obtained the plate represented -in Fig. 49. Fragments of a similar plate were obtained by Mr. Earle from -a stone grave in a mound in Alexander County, Illinois. All these -specimens were received by the Bureau of Ethnology and deposited in the -National Museum. - -[Illustration: FIG. 49.--Copper plate from Indian grave, Illinois.] - -The box-form stone cists and the figures on the copper plates and -engraved shells differ so widely from the stone vaults and vestiges of -art found in the North Carolina and East Tennessee mounds as to forbid -the belief that the works of the two regions were constructed by one and -the same people. The stone cists and to some extent the construction of -the mound appear to connect the authors with the mound-builders and -authors of the stone graves of the Cumberland Valley and Southern -Illinois, and several other facts, which we cannot now stop to present, -seem to strengthen this suggestion. - -The presence of these stone cists in this mound of northern Georgia, -when coupled with the fact that similar stone graves are found in -Habersham County, indicate a Shawnee or closely allied element where we -should expect to find only Creeks or some branch of the Chahta-Muscogee -family. This is a puzzle by no means easy of solution, but one which the -scope of our paper does not require us to discuss. Still, we may add, -that if our conclusions in regard to this group be correct, we must -believe that the large mound was built before De Soto reached that -region while the one explored was built afterwards. Some facts brought -to light by the recent discovery of a cemetery within the area inclosed -by the ditch, which I have for some years believed would be found, and -for which I caused search to be made, appear to sustain these -conclusions, and to indicate that two different peoples have occupied -this site and have had a hand in constructing or adding to these works. - -Whatever may be our conclusion in reference to these questions, I think -it will be conceded that the builders of these Etowah mounds belonged to -different tribes from those who erected the East Tennessee and North -Carolina works, and hence, if we are right in regard to the latter, the -Etowah mounds were not built by the Cherokees. The important bearing -which this conclusion has upon the question under discussion, as the -reader will see, is that the mounds immediately outside of the territory -occupied by the Cherokees were built by a different people from those -who erected the works in that territory. Thus we see that, judging by -the mounds alone, immediately upon passing outside the Cherokee country -we encounter a different type of works. This fact, therefore, when taken -in connection with the other evidence adduced, becomes strongly -corroborative of the view that the Cherokees were the authors of the -works in their territory. - - - - -CONCLUDING REMARKS. - - -The results of our examination of the burial mounds of the northern -districts may be briefly summed up as follows: - -First. That different sections were occupied by different mound-building -tribes, which, though belonging to much the same stage in the scale of -civilization, differed in most instances in habits and customs to a -sufficient extent to mark, by their modes of burial, construction of -their mounds, and their works of art, the boundaries of the respective -areas occupied. - -Second. That each tribe adopted several different modes of burial -depending, in all probability, to some extent upon the social condition, -position, and occupation of the deceased. - -Third. That the custom of removing the flesh before the final burial -prevailed very extensively among the mound-builders of the northern -sections. The bones of the common people being often gathered together -and cast in promiscuous heaps, over which mounds were built. - -Fourth. That usually some kind of religious or superstitious ceremony -was performed at the burial, in which fire played a prominent part. -That, notwithstanding the very common belief to the contrary, there is -no evidence whatever that human sacrifice was practiced. - -Fifth. That there is nothing found in the mode of constructing these -mounds, nor in the vestiges of art they contain, to indicate that their -builders had reached a higher culture-status than that attained by some -of the Indian tribes found occupying the country at the time of the -first arrival of Europeans. - -Sixth. That the custom of erecting mounds over the dead continued to be -practiced in several localities in post-Columbian times. - -Seventh. That the character and condition of the ancient monuments, and -the relative uniformity in the culture status of the different tribes -shown by the works and the remains of art found in them, indicate that -the mound-building age could not have continued in this part of the -continent longer than a thousand years, and hence that its commencement -probably does not antedate the fifth or sixth century. - -Nothing has been found connected with them to sustain or justify the -opinion, so frequently advanced, of their great antiquity. The -calculations based upon the supposed age of trees found growing on some -of them is fast giving way before recent investigations made in regard -to the growth of forests, as it has been ascertained that the rings of -trees are not a sure indication of age. - -Quatrefages may not be correct in fixing the date of the appearance of -the "Red skins" in the "basin of the Missouri" in the eighth or ninth -century,[76] but nothing has been found in connection with the -ancient works of this country, supposing the Indians to have been their -authors, to prove that he has greatly erred in his calculation. Other -races or peoples may have preceded the mound-builders in this region, -but better proof of this is required than that based on the differences -between the supposed palæolithic and neolithic implements of New Jersey -and other sections, as every type discovered can be duplicated a hundred -times in the surface finds from different parts of the country. - -Eighth. That all the mounds which have been examined and carefully -studied are to be attributed to the indigenous tribes found inhabiting -this region and their ancestors. - - - - -SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE.[77] - -BURIAL CEREMONIES OF THE HURONS.[78] - - -Our savages are not savages as regards the duties which nature herself -requires us to render to the dead. They do not yield in this respect to -several nations much more civilized. You would say that all their labor -and efforts were for scarcely anything but to amass means of honoring -the dead. They have nothing too valuable for this purpose; they devote -to this use the robes, the hatchets, and the shell beads in such -quantities, that you would think to see them, on these occasions, that -they were considered of no great value, and yet they are all the riches -of the country; you may often see them in midwinter almost entirely -naked, while they have good and fine robes in their chests, which they -are keeping in reserve for the dead; this is, indeed, their point of -honor. It is on this occasion especially that they wish to appear -magnificent. But I speak here only of their peculiar funerals. - -These good people are not like many Christians, who cannot suffer death -to be spoken of, and who, in a mortal sickness, hesitate to break the -news to the sick one for fear of hastening his death. Here, when the -recovery of any one is despaired of, not only do they not hesitate to -tell him that his end is near, but they even prepare in his presence all -that is necessary for the burial; they often show him the shroud, the -hose, the shoes, and the girdle which he is to wear; frequently they are -enshrouded, after their custom, before they have expired, and they hold -a feast of farewell to their friends, during which they sing, sometimes -without showing any apprehension of death, which they regard very -indifferently, considering it only as a change to a life very little -different from this. As soon as the dying man has drawn his last breath, -they arrange the body in the same position that is to be preserved in -the tomb; they do not lay it out horizontally, as is our custom, but -crouched, like a ball (en peloton), "quasi en la mesme posture que les -enfants sont an ventre de la mere." Until this time they restrain their -mourning. After having performed these duties, all in the cabin begin to -utter sighs, groans, and lamentations; the children cry _Aistan_, if it -is their father, and the mother _Aien, Aien_, "My son, my son." No one -seeing them thus weeping and mourning would think that they were only -ceremonial lamentations; they blend their voices all in one accord and -in a lugubrious tone, until some one in authority calls for peace; at -once they cease and the captain hastens to announce through all the -cabins that such a one is dead. Upon the arrival of the friends they -resume their mourning. Frequently some one of more importance will begin -to speak and will console the mother and the children, now extolling the -deceased, praising his patience, his kindness, his liberality, his -magnificence, and, if he was a warrior, his great courage; now saying, -"What do you wish? there is no longer any remedy; it was necessary for -him to die; we are all subject to death;" and then, "He lingered a very -long time," &c. It is true that on this occasion they do not lack for -conversation; I am sometimes surprised to see them discourse a long time -on this subject, and bring up, with much discretion, all considerations -that may afford any consolation to the friends of the deceased. - -Notice is also given of this death to the friends who live in other -villages, and as each family employs another who has the care of their -dead, they come as soon as possible to give orders about everything and -to fix the day of the funeral. They usually inter the dead on the third -day; in the morning the captain gives an order that kettles shall be -boiled for the deceased throughout the village. No one spares his best -efforts. They do this, in my opinion, for three reasons: First, to -console each other, for they exchange dishes among themselves, and -scarcely any one eats out of the kettle that he has prepared; secondly, -on account of the arrival of those of other villages, who often come in -large numbers, lastly and principally, to gratify the soul of the -deceased, who, they think, takes pleasure in eating his share. All the -kettles being emptied, or at least distributed, the captain informs all -the village that the body is to be carried to the cemetery. All the -people assemble in the cabin; the mourning is renewed, and those who -have charge of the funeral prepare a litter upon which the body is -placed, laid upon a mat and wrapped in a robe of beaver skin; they then -raise it and carry it by the four corners. All the people follow in -silence to the cemetery. - -There is in the cemetery a tomb made of bark and raised on four stakes -of from 8 to 10 feet in height. While the body is placed in this, and -the bark is trimmed, the captain makes known the presents that have been -given by the friends. In this country, as well as in others, the most -agreeable consolations for the loss of relations are always accompanied -by presents, which consist of kettles, hatchets, beaver skins, and -necklaces of shell beads. If the deceased was of some importance in the -country, not only the friends and neighbors but even the captains of -other villages will come in person to bring their presents. Now, all -these presents do not follow the body into the tomb; a necklace of beads -is sometimes placed on its neck and near it a comb, a gourd-full of oil, -and two or three small loaves of bread; that is all. A large part of -them goes to the relatives to dry their tears; the rest is given to -those who have had charge of the funeral, to pay them for their trouble. -They also keep in reserve some robes or hatchets to make presents -(largesse) to the young men. The captain places in the hand of one of -them a stick about a foot long, offering a prize to any one who will -take it from him. They throw themselves headlong upon him and remain -engaged in the contest sometimes for an hour. After this each one -returns peaceably to his cabin. - -I forgot to say that generally throughout the ceremony the mother or -wife stands at the foot of the sepulcher, calling the deceased, singing, -or rather lamenting, in mournful tones. - -These ceremonies are not always all observed; those who die in war they -place in the ground, and the relatives make presents to their patrons, -if they have any, which is generally the case in this country, to -encourage them to raise soldiers and avenge the death of the warrior. -Those who are drowned are also buried, after the most fleshy parts of -the body have been taken away in pieces, as I have explained more -particularly in speaking of their superstitions. The presents are -doubled on this occasion, and all the people of the country are often -there, contributing from their store; all this, they say, is to appease -the Heaven or the Lake. - -There are even special ceremonies for small children deceased under one -or two months; they are not placed as others, in sepulchers of bark -raised on stakes, but buried in the road, in order, they say, "que -quelque femme passant par là, ils entrent secrètement en son ventre, et -que derechef elle leur donne la vie et les enfante." I doubt that the -good Nicodemus would have found much difficulty there, although he -doubted only for old men, "_Quomodo potest homo nasci cum sit senex._" - -This beautiful ceremony took place this winter in the person of one of -our little Christians, who had been named Joseph in baptism. I learned -it on this occasion from the lips of the father of the child himself. - -When the funeral is over the mourning does not cease: the wife continues -it all the year for her husband, the husband for the wife; but the grand -mourning itself lasts only ten days. During this time they remain lying -on their mats wrapped in their robes, with their faces against the -earth, without speaking or replying to anything, save _C[uo]ay_, to -those who come to visit them. They do not warm themselves in winter or -eat warm things; they do not go to the feasts nor go out, save at night, -for what they need; they cut a lock of hair from the back of the head -and declare that it is not without deep sorrow, especially when the -husband performs this ceremony on the death of his wife, or the wife on -the death of her husband. Such is the great mourning. - -The lesser mourning lasts all the year. When they wish to visit any one, -they do not salute them nor say _C[uo]ay_, neither do they grease their -hair. The women do this, however, when commanded to do so by their -mothers, who have at their disposal their hair, and even their persons. -It is also their privilege to send their daughters to the feasts, -without which several will not go. What I think strange is that during -the whole year neither the wife nor the husband marries again, else they -would cause themselves to be talked about in the country. - -The sepulchers are not perpetual, as their villages are only permanent -for some years, as long as the wood lasts. The bodies remain in the -cemeteries only until the feast of the dead, which usually takes place -every twelve years. During this time they do not neglect to honor the -dead often. From time to time kettles are boiled for their souls -throughout the village, as on the day of the funeral, and their names -are revived as often as possible. For this purpose presents are given to -the captains to be given to him who will consent to take the name of the -deceased; and if the latter was of consideration and had been esteemed -in the country during his life, he who represents him, after giving a -grand feast to all the people of the country, to introduce himself under -this name, raises a body of free young men and goes to war to accomplish -some brave feat which will show to the nation that he has not only -inherited the name but also the bravery and courage of the deceased. - - -THE SOLEMN FEAST OF THE DEAD. - -The feast of the dead is the most celebrated ceremony that takes place -among the Hurons. They give it the name of festival for the reason, as I -should say now, that when the bodies are taken from the cemeteries each -captain makes a "feast to the souls" in his village. The most important -and magnificent is that of the master of the feast, who is for this -reason called, par excellence, the "Maistre du Festin." - -This feast is full of ceremonies, but the chief one is evidently that of -"boiling the kettle." This outdoes all the others, and the festival of -the dead is spoken of, even in the most serious councils, only under the -name Chaudiere (the kettle). They appropriate to it all the terms of -cookery, so that when they speak of hastening or retarding the feast -they say "rake out" or "stir up the fire under the kettle;" and when any -one says "the kettle is overturned," that means there will be no feast. - -There is generally only one festival in each nation. All the bodies are -placed in the same grave. I say generally, for this year when the fête -des Morts took place the kettle-boiling was divided and five villages at -this point where we are stationed made a separate band and placed their -dead in a separate grave. He who had been captain of the preceding -feast, and who is like the chief at this point, made the excuse that his -kettle and his feast had been spoiled and that he was obliged to make -another. But, in fact, this was only a pretext. The real reason of this -separation is that the great heads of the village have complained for a -long time that the others took everything to themselves, that they did -not share as they wished the knowledge of the affairs of the country, -and that they were not called to the most secret and important councils -and to the division of the presents. - -This separation has been followed by distrust on both sides. God grant -that it cause no hindrance to the spreading of the sacred Gospel. But I -must touch briefly upon the order and the events of the feast. - -The twelve years or more having expired, the old people and great men of -the nation assemble to decide upon the time when the feast shall be -held, so as to satisfy all the people of the country and the outside -nations who are to be invited. - -When the decision is made, as all the bodies are to be transported to -the village where the common grave is made, each family takes charge of -its dead with a care and affection that cannot be described. If they -have relatives buried in any part of the country whatever they spare no -trouble to go and bring them. They take them from the cemeteries, carry -them on their own shoulders, and cover them with the finest robes they -have in their possession. In each village a good day is chosen, and they -repair to the cemetery, where those called _Aiheonde_, who have had the -care of the sepulcher, take the bodies from the tomb in the presence of -the relatives, who renew their tears and repeat the mourning of the day -of the funeral. - -I was present at this ceremony, and willingly invited all our servants, -for I do not think that there can be seen in this world a livelier image -or more perfect representation of the condition of man. - -It is true that in France our cemeteries speak forcibly, and that all -these bones heaped upon one another without distinction, the poor with -the rich or the small with the great, are so many voices continually -reminding us of death, the vanity of worldly things, and the -insignificance of this present life. But it seems to me that the custom -of our savages on this occasion shows us still more sensibly our -wretchedness, for after the graves are opened all the bodies are laid -out on the ground and left thus uncovered for some time, giving the -spectators an opportunity for once to see what will be their condition -some day. Some of the bodies are entirely devoid of flesh and have only -a dry skin on the bones; others appear as if they had been smoked and -dried and show scarcely any signs of decay. Others still are covered -with worms. - -The friends, being satisfied with this sight, cover them with handsome -robes of beaver-skin, entirely new. Finally, after a while, they strip -off the flesh and the skin, which they throw into the fire, together -with the robes and mats in which the bodies have been buried. The -complete bodies of those newly buried are left in the same condition and -the friends content themselves with simply covering them with new robes. -They touched only one old man, of whom I have spoken heretofore, who -died this autumn on the return from fishing. This large body had only -begun to decay a month ago, at the time of the first heat of spring; the -worms were swarming all over it, and the pus which came from it caused -an odor almost intolerable; nevertheless they had the courage to take -the body from the robe in which it was enveloped, cleansed it as much as -possible, took it up carefully and placed it in a new mat and robe, and -all this was accomplished without exposing any of this corruption. Is -here not a good example to animate the hearts of Christians, who should -have more noble ideas to deeds of charity and works of pity towards -their brethren? After this who will look with horror upon the misery of -a hospital? And who will not feel a peculiar pleasure in serving a sick -man covered with wounds, in whose person he serves the Son of God? - -As they were stripping the bodies they found in two of them a species of -charm. The one that I saw with my own eyes was a turtle's egg with a -leather strap (courroye); the other, which was examined by our fathers, -was a small turtle the size of a nut. This leads to the belief that -there were sorcerers in our village, on account of which some resolved -to leave it as soon as possible. Indeed, two or three days after one of -the richest men, fearing that some misfortune would befall him, -transported his cabin two miles from us to the village of Arontaen. - -Now, when these bones are well cleaned, part of them are placed in -sacks, part in blankets, and they carry them on their shoulders, -covering these bundles with other beautiful hanging robes. Entire bodies -are put on a sort of litter and carried with all the others, each one -taking his bundle into his cabin, where every family makes a feast to -its dead. - -Returning from this festival with a captain, who has considerable -intelligence and who will be some day of high standing in the affairs of -the country, I asked him why they called the bones of the dead -_Atisken_. He explained as clearly as he could, and I learned from what -he said that many believe that we have two souls, both divisible and -material and yet both rational; one leaves the body at death, but -remains, however, in the cemetery until the feast of the dead, after -which it either is changed into a turtle-dove, or according to the more -general belief, it goes immediately to the village of souls. - -The other soul is attached to the body; it marks the corpse, as it were, -and remains in the grave after the feast, never to leave it, "si ce -n'est que quelqu'un l'enfante de rechef." He mentioned to me, as a proof -of this metempsychosis, the perfect resemblance which some persons bear -to others who are deceased. Here is a grand philosophy. This is why they -call the bones of the dead _Atisken_, "the souls." - -A day or two before departing for the feast they carried all these -bodies into one of the largest cabins of the village, where some of them -were attached to the poles of the cabin, and others laid around it, and -the captain entertained and made a grand feast in the name of the -deceased captain, whose name he bore. I was present at this "feast of -spirits," and observed four things in particular: First, that the -offerings which were given for the feast by the friends, and which -consisted of robes, necklaces of shell beads, and kettles, were hung on -poles extending the whole length of the cabin from one side to the -other. Second, the captain sang the song of the dead captain, according -to the desire he had expressed before his death, that it should be sung -on this occasion. Third, all the guests had the privilege of dividing -among themselves all the good things they had brought, and even of -carrying them home, contrary to the custom at ordinary feasts. Lastly, -at the close of the feast, as a compliment to him who had entertained -them, they imitated as they sang the cry of the spirits, and left the -cabin crying _haéé haé_. - -The master of the feast, and even _Anenkhiondic_, captain-general of all -the country, sent to invite us several times with much solicitation. You -would have thought that the feast could not be a success without us. I -sent two of our fathers several days beforehand to see the preparations -and to learn exactly the day of the feast. _Anenkhiondic_ received them -very kindly, and on their departure conducted them himself a quarter of -a league from there to where the grave was dug, and showed them with -much display of emotion all the arrangements, &c., of the feast. - -This feast was to have taken place on the Saturday of Pentecost, but -some affairs which came up unexpectedly, and the uncertainty of the -weather, caused it to be put off until Monday. - -The seven or eight days before the feast were passed in collecting the -bodies (les âmes) as well as assembling the strangers who were invited; -meanwhile from morning till night gifts were distributed by the living -to the young men in honor of the dead. On one side women were drawing -the bow to see who should have the prize, which was sometimes a girdle -of porcupine quills or a necklace of beads; on the other hand, in -several parts of the village the young men were drawing clubs upon any -who would try to capture them. The prize of this victory was a hatchet, -some knives, or even a beaver robe. Every day the remains were arriving. -There is some pleasure in seeing these funeral processions which number -sometimes from two to three hundred persons. Each one carries the -remains of his friends, that is the bones, packed upon his back after -the manner that I have described, under a beautiful robe. Some arranged -their packets in the shape of a man, decorated with strings of beads, -with a fine crown of red hair. On leaving their village the whole -company cried _haéé haé_ and repeated this "cry of the spirits" all -along the way. This cry, they say, comforts them greatly, otherwise -their burdens, although souls, would weigh very heavily and cause a -weakness of the side (costé) for the rest of their lives. They travel by -short stages; the people of our village were three days in going four -leagues and in reaching _Ossossané_, which we call Rochelle, where all -the ceremonies were to be held. As soon as they arrive near any village -they shout again the haéé haé. The whole village comes out to meet them; -many presents are again distributed on this occasion. Each one repairs -to some one of the cabins; all find a place to put their bundles; this -is done without confusion. At the same time the captains hold a council -to decide upon the time that the company shall spend in this village. -All the bodies of the dead of eight or nine villages were taken to -Rochelle on Saturday of Pentecost; but the fear of bad weather obliged -them, as I have said, to postpone the ceremony till Monday. We were -lodged a quarter of a league from there, at the old village, in a cabin -where there were at least a hundred skeletons hung up to the poles, some -of which smelled stronger than musk. - -Monday at midday, word was sent that they were ready and that the -ceremony would begin. The bundles of skeletons were at once taken down -and the friends unfolded the wrappings to say their last farewells. -Their tears flowed anew. I admired the tenderness of one woman towards -the remains of her father and children. She is the daughter of a captain -who died at a great age and who formerly occupied a high position in the -country. She combed his hair; she touched the bones one after another -with as much affection as if she would have given them life; she placed -near him his _Atsatonesai_, that is, his packet of rods (bûchettes) of -the council, which are all the books and papers of the country. As for -her children, she put upon their arms bracelets of shells and glass -beads and bathed their bones with her tears. She could hardly be -separated from them, but they were in haste, and it was necessary to -start at once. The one who carried the body of this old captain walked -at the head, the men following and then the women. They marched in this -order until they arrived at the grave. - -The following is the arrangement of this place: There was a space about -as large as the Place Royale at Paris. In the center was a large grave -about 10 feet (pieds) deep and 5 fathoms (brasses) in diameter, round it -a scaffolding and a sort of stage nicely made, from 9 to 10 fathoms -(brasses) in diameter and 9 or 10 feet high; above the stage there were -several poles raised and well arranged, and others laid across them on -which to hang all the bundles of skeletons. The entire bodies, as these -were to be placed at the bottom of the grave, were laid under the -scaffolding the day before, resting on bark, or mats raised on stones to -the height of a man around the grave. The whole company arrived with the -bodies about an hour after midday, and divided into parties according to -the families and villages, and laid their bundles upon the ground, -almost as the pots of earth were made at the village fairs; they also -unfolded their robes and all the offerings they had brought and hung -them upon the poles which extended for from 500 to 600 fathoms (toises); -there were nearly twelve hundred gifts which remained thus on exhibition -for two whole hours, to give strangers an opportunity to see the riches -and magnificence of the country. I did not find the company as great as -I had expected; there were not more than two thousand persons. About 3 -o'clock each one fastened up his bundles and folded his robes. Meanwhile -each captain, in order, gave a signal, and all immediately took up their -bundles of bones, ran as if at the assault of a city, mounted upon this -stage by means of ladders which were placed all around, and hung them -(the bundles) to the poles; each village had its department. This done, -all the ladders were taken away. Some of the captains remained upon the -platform and spent the rest of the afternoon, until 7 o'clock, in -announcing the lists of presents which were given in the name of the -deceased to some particular persons. For instance, they would say, here -is what such a one, deceased, gives to a certain relative. - -About 5 or 6 o'clock they lined (pauerent) the bottom of the grave and -bordered it with large new robes, the skins of ten beavers, in such a -way that these extend more than a foot out of it. As they were preparing -the robes which were to be used for this purpose, some of them descended -into the grave, and came from it with their hands full of sand. I -inquired what this ceremony meant, and learned that they believed that -this sand will render them happy at their games (au ieu). - -Of the twelve hundred offerings that had been exhibited on the platform, -forty-eight robes were to line and trim the grave, and each complete -body had, besides the robe in which it was wrapped, another one, and -some even two others, to cover it. This is all: so that I do not think -[? but] that each body had one to itself, taking one with another, which -is the least that it could have for its burial; for these robes of -beaver skin are what the clothes and shrouds are in France. But what -becomes then of the rest? We will see presently. - -At 7 o'clock the bodies were lowered into the grave. We had great -difficulty in approaching it. Nothing ever pictured better to me the -confusion among the damned. You could see unloaded on all sides bodies -half decayed, and everywhere was heard a terrible uproar of confused -voices of persons who were speaking without hearing one another; ten or -twelve men were in the grave and were arranging the bodies all around -it, one after the other. They placed, exactly in the center, three large -kettles, which were of no use save for the spirits; one was pierced with -holes, another had no handle, and the third was worth little more. I saw -a few necklaces of shell beads there; it is true, many of them were put -on the body. This was all that was done on this day. - -The whole company passed the night on the spot, having lit a great many -fires and boiled kettles. We retired to the old village with the -intention of returning the next day at daylight when they were to cast -the bones into the grave; but we barely arrived in time, notwithstanding -all the diligence we employed, on account of an accident which happened. -One of the skeletons, which was not well fastened, or perhaps was too -heavy for the cord which held it, fell of itself into the grave. The -noise it made awoke the whole troupe, who ran and immediately mounted, -in a crowd, to the platform and emptied, without order, all the bundles -into the grave, reserving, however, the robes in which they had been -wrapped. We were just leaving the village at that time, but the noise -was so great that it seemed almost as though we were there. Approaching -we saw suddenly an image of the infernal regions. This great space was -filled with fire and smoke and the air resounded on all sides with the -mingled voices of the savages. This noise, nevertheless, ceased for a -while, and was changed to singing, but in a tone so doleful and weird -that it represented to us the terrible sadness and the depth of despair -in which condemned souls are forever plunged. - -Nearly all the bones had been cast in when we arrived, for it was done -almost in a moment, each one being in haste for fear that there was not -room for all these skeletons; nevertheless we saw enough of it to judge -of the rest. There were five or six men in the grave, with poles, to -arrange the bones. It was filled up within 2 feet of the top with bones, -after which they turned over upon them the robes that bordered the grave -all around, and covered the whole with mats and bark. The pit was then -filled up with sand, rods, and stakes of wood which were thrown in -promiscuously. Some of the women brought dishes of corn, and on the same -day and the following days several cabins of the village furnished -basketfuls of it, which were cast into the pit. - -We have fifteen or twenty Christians buried with these infidels. We say -a _De profundis_ for their souls, with the firm hope that if the Divine -goodness does not cease His blessings on His people this feast will be -made no more, or will be only for Christians, and will be celebrated -with rites as holy as these are foolish and useless. They also begin to -be a burden upon the people for the excess and superfluous expenses that -are caused by them. - -All the morning was spent in distributing gifts (largesses), and most of -the robes that had been wrapped around the bodies were cut in pieces and -thrown from the top of the platform into the midst of the crowd for -whoever could seize them first. There was great sport when two or three -contested the possession of one beaver skin. In order to settle it -peaceably it was necessary to cut it into so many pieces, and thus they -came out nearly empty-handed, for these tatters were hardly worth the -picking up. I admired here the industry of one savage. He did not hurry -himself to run after these flying pieces; but, as there is nothing so -valuable this year in the country as tobacco (petun), he held some -pieces of it in his hand, which he presented at once to those who were -disputing over the skin, and thus acquired it for himself. - -Before leaving the place we learned that, on the evening when presents -had been given to the foreign nations, on the part of the master of the -feast, we also had been named; and, in fact, as we were going, -_Anenkhiondic_ came and presented a new robe composed of ten beaver -skins, in return for the necklace which I had given them in the midst of -the council to show them the heavenly way. They were so much obliged for -this present that they wished to show some acknowledgment of it in so -good an assembly. I would not accept it, however, saying to him that, as -we had made them this present only to persuade them to embrace our -faith, they could not oblige us more than in listening to us willingly -and believing in Him who rules over all. He asked what I desired that he -should do with the robe. I replied that he could dispose of it in -whatever way he deemed best, with which he remained perfectly satisfied. -Of the rest of the twelve hundred presents forty-eight robes were used -to adorn the grave. Each body wore its robe and some of them two or -three. Twenty were given to the master of the feast, to reward the -nations who had assisted at it. A number were distributed on the part of -the dead, through the captains, to their living friends. A part of them -were only used for show, and were returned to those who had exhibited -them. The old people (anciens), and great leaders of the country, who -had the administration and management of it, privately took a great -deal, and the rest were cut in pieces, as I have said, and scattered -through the assembly. However, it was only the rich who lost nothing, or -very little, at this feast. The mendicants and poor people brought and -left there all they possessed of any value, and suffered much by -striving to appear as well as others in this celebration. Every one -stood upon this point of honor. - -Indeed, it was only by a chance that we were not also participants of -the feast. During this winter the Captain Aenons, of whom I have spoken -before, came to make us a proposal on the part of all the anciens of the -country. At that time the boiling of the kettle (chaudiere) was not yet -divided. They proposed to us then that we should consent to exhume the -remains of the two Frenchmen who had died in this country, to wit, -Guillaume Chaudron and Estienne Bruslé, who was killed four years ago, -and that their bones might be placed in the common grave of their dead. -We replied at first that this could not be done; that it was forbidden; -that as they had been baptized, and were, as we hoped, in heaven, we -respected their bones too highly to allow them to be mixed with the -bones of those who had not been baptized. Besides, it was not our custom -to exhume the bodies of those who had been buried. - -We decided, however, after all, that as they were interred in the wood -and since the people desired it so much, we would consent to take up -their bones on the condition that they allowed us to put them in a -particular grave, with the bones of all that we had baptized in the -country. - -Four reasons especially persuaded us to give them this final answer. -First, as it is the greatest expression of friendship and good-will -that can be shown in this country, we yielded to them readily in this -point that which they wished, and thus showed that we desired to love -them as brothers and to live and die with them. Second, we hoped that -God would be glorified in it, especially, in that separating by consent -of all the nation the bodies of the Christians from those of the -unbelievers, it would not be difficult afterwards to obtain special -permission that their Christians should be interred in a separate -cemetery, which we would bless for that purpose. Third, we claimed to -bury them with all the rites of the Church. Fourth, the old men, of -their own accord, desired us to raise there a beautiful and magnificent -cross, as they showed us afterwards more particularly. Thus the cross -would have been established by the authority of the whole country and -honored in the midst of this heathenism, and they would have been -careful not to impute to it afterwards, as they have done in the past, -all the misfortunes that befell them. - -This captain thought our proposition very reasonable and the old men -(anciens) of the country remained very well contented with it. Some time -after, the chaudiere was divided, and, as I have said, five villages of -our part of the country resolved to hold their feast apart. - -In the spring a general assembly of all the principal men was held, to -consult about the feast and to endeavor to prevent this schism and -reunite the cooking of the kettle. These dissatisfied ones were there -and I also was invited. They made me the same proposition as before. I -replied that we were very well satisfied, provided that this was done -under the conditions that we had demanded. I was reminded of the -division, and they asked me, since there were two feasts (chaudieres), -that is, two graves, on which side I desired to have our special grave. -To this I answered, in order to offend no one, that I would leave it to -their judgment; that they were just and wise and they could decide -between themselves. The master of the feast of Rochelle said, thereupon, -with condescension, that he did not claim anything and that he was -willing that the other, who is the chief at this place, should have on -his side the remains of our two Frenchmen. The latter replied that he -laid no claim to the one that had been buried at Rochelle, but that as -for the body of Estienne Bruslé it belonged to him, as it was he that -had engaged with him and led him into this country. So here the bodies -were separated, one on one side, the other on the other side. At this -some one said privately that indeed he (the chief) had the right to -demand the body of Estienne Bruslé, and that it was reasonable that he -should render some honor to his bones, since they had killed him. This -could not be said so discreetly but that the captain had a hint of it; -he concealed his feelings, however, at the time. After the council, as -we had already gone, he raised this reproach and began to talk with the -captain of Rochelle, and finally gave over entirely the body of Bruslé, -in order not to embitter and make bloody this sore, of which the people -of this point have not yet cleared themselves. This caused us to -resolve, that we might keep in favor with those of Rochelle, not to -meddle with either the one or the other. - -Truly there is reason to admire the secret judgments of God, for this -infamous man certainly did not merit that honor; and to tell the truth -we had hesitated much in resolving to make on this occasion a particular -cemetery, and to transport to holy ground a body that had led so wicked -a life in the country and given the savages such a wrong impression of -the manners of the French. At first some thought hard of it that we -should have this opinion and were offended, alleging that this being so -they could not boast as they hoped among strange nations of being -related to the French, otherwise it would be said to them that they did -not have much appearance of it, since we had not wished to put the bones -of our people with theirs. Afterwards, however, having heard all our -reasons, they decided that we had acted prudently and that it was the -best means of maintaining our friendship with each other. - -Shall I finish for the present with this funeral? Yes; since it is a -mark sufficiently clear of the hope of a future life which nature seems -to furnish us in the minds of these people, as a good means of making -them understand the promises of Jesus Christ. Is there not reason to -hope that they will do this, and that as soon as possible? Certainly I -dare to assert that with this prospect we have reason to fortify our -courage and to say of our Hurons what St. Paul wrote to the -Philippians: "_Confidens hoc ipsum, quia qui c[oe]pit in vobis opus -bonum, perficiet usque in diem Christi Iesu._" These poor people open -their ears to what we tell them of the kingdom of heaven; they think it -very reasonable, and do not dare to contradict it. They are learning the -judgments of God in the other life; they are beginning to have recourse -with us to His goodness in their necessities, and our Lord seems to -favor them sometimes with some particular assistance. They procure -baptism for those who they think are about to die; they give us their -children to be instructed, even permitting them to come three hundred -leagues for this purpose, notwithstanding the tender affection they have -for them; they promise to follow them one day and show us that they -would not give us such precious pledges if they did not desire to keep -faith with us. You would say that they were waiting only to see some one -among them to be the first to take this bold step and dare to go -contrary to the custom of the country. They are, finally, a people who -have a permanent home (demeure arrestée), are judicious, capable of -reason, and well multiplied. - -I made mention, the past year, of twelve nations entirely sedentary and -harmonious, who understand the language of our Hurons; and the Hurons -make in, twenty villages, about 30,000 souls; if the rest is in -proportion, there are more than 300,000 who speak only the Huron -language. God gives us influence among them; they esteem us, and we are -in such favor with them, that we know not whom to listen to, so much -does each one aspire to have us. In truth we would be very ungrateful -for the goodness of God if we should lose courage in the midst of all -this, and did not wait for Him to bring forth the fruit in his own time. - -It is true that I have some little apprehension for the time when it -will be necessary to speak to them in a new way of their manners and to -teach them "à clouër leur chairs" and restrain themselves in the honesty -of marriage, breaking off their excesses for fear of the judgment of God -upon their vices. Then it will be a question of telling them openly, -"_Quoniam qui talia agunt regnum Dei non possidebunt._" I fear that they -will prove stubborn, when we speak to them of assuming Jesus Christ, -wearing his colors, and distinguishing themselves in the quality of -Christians from what they have been formerly, by a virtue of which they -scarcely know the name; when we cry unto them with the Apostle: "For -this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain -from fornication, that every one of you should know how to possess his -vessel in sanctification and honor: not in the passion of lust, like the -gentiles that know not God." There is, I repeat, reason to fear that -they may be frightened with the subject of purity and chastity, and that -they will be disheartened with the doctrine of the Son of God, saying -with those of Capernaum, on another subject, "_Durus est hic sermo et -quis potest eum audire?_" Nevertheless, since with the grace of God we -have already persuaded them, by the open profession we have made of this -virtue, neither to do or say in our presence anything which may be -averse to it--even to threaten strangers when they forget themselves -before us, warning them that the French and especially the "black -robes," detest these intimacies--is it not credible that if the Holy -Spirit touches them once, it will so impress upon them henceforth, in -every place and at all times, the reverence which they should give to -His divine presence and immensity, that they will be glad to be chaste -in order to be Christians, and will desire earnestly to be Christians in -order to be chaste? I believe that it is for this very purpose that our -Lord has inspired us to put them under the charge of St. Joseph. This -great saint, who was formerly given for a husband to the glorious -Virgin, to conceal from the world and the devil a virginity which God -honored with His incarnation, has so much influence over the "Sainte -Dame," in whose hands His Son has placed, as in deposit, all the graces -which co-operate with this celestial virtue, that there is almost -nothing to fear in the contrary vice, for those who are devoted to Him, -as we desire our Hurons to be, as well as ourselves. It is for this -purpose, and for the entire conversion of all these peoples, that we -commend ourselves heartily to the prayers of all those who love or wish -to love God and especially of all our fathers and brothers. - - Your very humble and obedient servant in our Lord, - JEAN DE BREBEUF. - -From the residence of St. Joseph, among the Hurons, at the village -called Ihonatiria, this 16th of July, 1636. - - - - -FOOTNOTES - - -[1] Ancient Monuments, p. 161. - -[2] It is somewhat strange that Rev. J. P. MacLean, who has long resided -in Ohio and has studied the mounds and other works of the southern -portion of that State with much care, should follow almost word for word -this and the next statement of Squier and Davis (Mound-Builders, p. 50) -and adopt them as his own, without modification or protest, when in the -appendix containing his exceedingly valuable notes on the "Archæology of -Butler County" nearly all the facts given bearing on these points show -them to be incorrect. - -[3] Ancient Monuments, p. 161. - -[4] Antiquities of Wisconsin, p. 9. - -[5] Smithsonian Report 1879, p. 337. - -[6] Smithsonian Report 1879, p. 343. - -[7] Antiquities of Wisconsin, p. 28. - -[8] Pioneer Life. - -[9] Potherie, Histoire de l'Amérique Septentrionale, II, p. 43. - -[10] History of Indian Tribes of the United States, Part III, p. 193. - -[11] As Dr. Yarrow has described the burial customs of the North -American Indians in the first Annual Report of the Bureau, I will omit -further quotations and refer the reader to his paper. - -[12] Antiquities of Wisconsin, p. 89. - -[13] Pp. 90-92. - -[14] Proceedings of the Davenport Academy of Sciences, Vol. I, pp. -118-122. - -[15] I wish it distinctly understood, that I do not by the use of this -term, commit myself to the theory that these mounds or any others -contain altars in the true sense of the term, as I very much doubt it. - -[16] Brevis Narratio, Plate XXX. Admiranda Narratio, Plate XIX - -[17] M[oe]urs des Sauvages, II, p. 4. - -[18] See "Early Notices of the Indians of Ohio" by M. F. Force, pp. -18-20. - -[19] According to Drake, "Indians of North America," he died October 3, -1838. - -[20] Ancient Monuments, p. 162. - -[21] Brevis Narratio, Tab. XI. - -[22] American Antiquarian, October, 1881, p. 14. - -[23] Pages 533-6. - -[24] Smithsonian Report 1881, p. 537. - -[25] Counting from the southern end of the line. - -[26] Ancient Monuments, p. 161. It may be remarked here that the -statement that "urn burial appears to have prevailed to a considerable -extent in the Southern States" cannot be sustained by facts. - -[27] Smithsonian Report 1866, p. 359. - -[28] See, also, Smithsonian Report 1881, p. 596. - -[29] Smithsonian Report 1877, p. 264. - -[30] Page 598. - -[31] Page 35. - -[32] See 17th Report Peabody Museum, pp. 339-347. - -[33] 17th Report Peabody Museum, pp. 342-343. - -[34] 17th Report Peabody Museum, p. 344. - -[35] Early Notices of the Indians of Ohio, by M. F. Force, 1879, p. 3. - -[36] The circles and parallelograms in Figs. 32 and 33 have no other -significance than to indicate the relative positions of the graves and -the positions of the skeletons. - -[37] M[oe]urs des Sauvages Amériquains, II, pp. 447-445. - -[38] Jesuit Relations for 1636, pp. 128-139. For a translation of the -lively description of the burial ceremonies of the Hurons by Father -Brebeuf, see "Supplemental Note," at the end of this paper. - -[39] Smithsonian Report, 1871, pp. 404, 405. - -[40] Smithsonian Report 1867, p. 401. - -[41] Smithsonian Report 1870, p. 378. - -[42] See, for example, Foster's "Prehistoric Races," p. 97; Squier and -Davis's, "Ancient Monuments," p. 30; Baldwin's "Ancient America," p. 57; -Bancroft's "Native Races," IV, p. 785; Conant's "Foot-Prints of Vanished -Races," p. 38; Marquis de Nadaillac's "L'Amérique Préhistorique," p. -185, etc. - -[43] Sixteenth and Seventeenth Report Peabody Museum, p. 346. - -[44] Referred to by Dr. Haven, Smithsonian Contributions, VIII, p. 25. - -[45] Transactions of the American Philological Society, Vol. III. - -[46] Archæology of the United States, Smithsonian Contributions, Vol. -VIII, p. 31. - -[47] Page 253. - -[48] Vol. I, p. 353, 3d edition. - -[49] Ancient America, pp. 70-75. - -[50] American Antiquities, p. 71. - -[51] Prehistoric Races, p. 339. - -[52] Tenth Report Peabody Museum, p. 75. - -[53] Travels, p. 365. - -[54] Memoirs of the Kentucky Geological Survey, Vol. II. - -[55] Natural and Aboriginal History of Tennessee, p. 225. - -[56] Ramsey. Annals of Tennessee, p. 51. - -[57] Natural and Aboriginal History of Tennessee, p. 223. - -[58] Discoveries, etc., p. 3, London edition, 1672. - -[59] Discoveries, London edition, p. 20. - -[60] Pages 33-39. - -[61] Jones, Southern Indians, p. 18. - -[62] Page 169. - -[63] History of Carolina, Raleigh, reprint, 1850, p. 315. - -[64] History of Virginia, London, 1705, p. 58. - -[65] Page 423. - -[66] Antiquities of the Southern Indians, p. 400. - -[67] Page 228. - -[68] History of North America. - -[69] Page 19. - -[70] Page 324. - -[71] History of Florida, edition 1723, Lib. III, Cap. XX, p. 139, and -edition of 1605. - -[72] Jones's Antiquities of the Southern Indians, Chap. VI, Pl. 1. - -[73] Smithsonian Report 1880, p. 624. - -[74] Science, April 11, 1884. - -[75] Science, April, 1884. - -[76] The Human Species, English translation, p. 307. - -[77] Referred to on p. 71. - -[78] Translated from Relations des Jésuites, 1636, pp. 128-139, by Miss -Nora Thomas. - - - - -INDEX - - - Alexander, J. B., mounds on farm of 74 - - Allamakee County, Iowa, mounds 26 - - Altar mounds 57, 58 - - Anderson, W. G., opened Wisconsin mounds 16 - - Anderson Township, Ohio, mounds 49 - - Andrews, E. B., on Ohio mounds 47, 48 - - Appalachian mound district and mounds 10, 61-86 - - Arkansas mounds 11 - - Armstrong, Thomas, on Wisconsin mounds 16 - - Ashland County, Ohio, mounds 47 - - Athens County, Ohio, mounds 47 - - - Baldwin, J. D., on mound builders 83 - - Bartow County, Georgia, mounds 96-104 - - Bartram, William, description of Cherokee council house 87 - - Beverly on shell ornaments 92 - - Black Hawk's grave 33, 34 - - Boulware, J. N., mounds on farm of 44 - - Branson, Judge, opening of Wisconsin mounds by 18 - - Brebeuf, Jean, on burial ceremonies of the Hurons 71, 110-119 - - Brinton, D. G., on a burial mound 39 - --, on Indians as mound builders 84 - - Brown County, Illinois, mounds 39-41 - - Buffalo Creek, Worth Carolina, mounds near 68 - - Burial mounds of the northern sections of the United States, by - Cyrus Thomas 3-119 - - Burke County, North Carolina, mounds 73 - - Butler County, Ohio, archæology of 13 - - - Caldwell County, North Carolina, mounds 61-71 - - Carr, Lucien, cited 84, 87, 88, 92 - - Cartersville, Georgia, mounds near 96-104 - - Case, H. B., on Indian burial customs 47 - - Charleston, West Virginia, mounds near 51, 53, 55 - - Chattanooga, Tennessee, mounds near 77 - - Chelaque identical with Cherokee 89 - - Cherokee, the, probably mound builders 60, 87-107 - - Cherokee and Tallegwi, relation of 60 - - Chillicothe, Ohio, mounds 46 - - Clarke, F. W., analyzed iron from mounds 91 - - Clarke County, Missouri, mounds 43 - - Clifton, West Virginia, mounds 55, 58 - - Conner, Rebecca, mounds on farm of 74 - - Copper in use among Indians 93, 94, 100-106 - - Courtois group of mounds 15 - - Cowe, description of Cherokee councilhouse at 87 - - Crawford County, Wisconsin, mounds 14, 17, 18, 20 - - - Davenport, Iowa, mounds near 24 - - Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences, explorations by members of 24 - --, pipes found by members of 38 - - Davis, E. H., and Squier on mounds 12, 13, 38, 45, 48 - - De Bry on Indian burial customs 29, 39 - - Delaware Indian graves in Ashland County, Ohio 47 - - Des Moines River mounds 33, 34 - - Drake, Samuel G., advocates Indian origin of mounds 84 - - Dubuque County, Iowa, mounds 31, 32 - - Dunning, E. O., on stone grave mound in valley of the Little - Tennessee 78, 79 - - - Eagle Point, Iowa, mounds 32 - - East Dubuque, Illinois, mounds 34-38 - - Eldon, Iowa, mounds 33, 34 - - Elk River Valley, West Virginia, mounds 55 - - Emmert, John W., explorations of 74-77 - - Etowah, Georgia, mounds 96-104, 106, 107 - - - Florida mounds 12 - - Force, M. F., on distribution of Indians 59 - - Fort Defiance, North Carolina, mounds near 68 - - - Garcilasso de la Vega on Indian mounds 95, 96 - - George Connet mound, Athens County, Ohio, description of 47, 48 - - Grant County, Wisconsin, mounds 19 - - Grave Creek, West Virginia, mounds 51 - - Gulf mounds 12 - - - Hardy and Scheetz on Missouri mounds 42 - - Harris, Thaddeus M., on mound builders 82 - - Haven, S. F., quoted 82 - - Haywood, John, on location of Cherokee 89, 90 - --, on European implements among Cherokee 94 - - Heart, Captain, on mound builders 82 - - Henderson, J. G., opening of Illinois mounds by 39 - - Henderson County, North Carolina, mounds 74 - - Holston Valley, Tennessee, mounds 75-77 - - Hoy, Philip, opening of mounds by 14, 20 - - Hunt, Charles, mounds on farm of 71 - - Hurons, burial ceremonies of 110-119 - - - Illinois mounds 10, 11 - - Illinois or Upper Mississippi burial mound district 24-44 - - Indiana mounds 10 - - Iowa mounds 10, 24 - - Iowaville, Iowa, mounds 33, 34 - - Iroquois burial customs 21 - - - Jones, C. C., on Indian pipes 93 - - Jones, Joseph, on mound builders 83 - - Jones, W. D., mound on land of 66-68 - - - Kanawha Valley, explorations in 51, 53, 57 - - Kent, M. B., on Indian burial customs 20 - - Kentucky mounds 10, 11 - - Kickapoo stone graves 30 - - - Lafitau on Indian burial customs 29 - - Lane, H. P., mounds on farm of 26 - - Lapham, I. A., on Wisconsin mounds 14, 17, 21, 22 - - Lawson on shell ornaments 92 - - Lederer, John, on copper among Cherokee 91 - - Lee County, Virginia, mounds 87 - - Le Moyne de Morgues on burial mounds 39 - - Lenoir, R. T., burial pit on farm of 68-71 - - Little Tennessee Valley mounds 78, 79 - - Louisiana mounds 11 - - Lower Mississippi mounds 11 - - Lubbock, John, advocates Indian origin of mounds 84 - - - McCulloch, J. H., advocates Indian origin of mounds 84 - - MacLean, J. P., on Ohio mounds 13 - --, on mound builders 83 - - Madison, Bishop, on mound builders 82, 83 - - Madison, Wisconsin, mounds near 16 - - Madisonville, Ohio, mounds near 49 - - Metz, C. L., on burial mounds 49 - - Middle Mississippi mounds 11 - - Middleton, James D., explorations by 14 - - Middleton, Jeff, mound opened by 20 - - Mississippi mounds, Upper 10, 24-44 - Middle and Lower 11 - - Missouri, mounds in 10, 11, 41-44 - - Mohawk burial customs 21 - - Mound builders, conclusions as to who were the 9, 58, 79, 80, 86, 97 - --, probably Cherokee 87-107 - - Mounds, burial 3-119 - - - Naples, Illinois, mounds 39 - - Nelson, T. F., mounds on farm of 61-66, 90 - - New Albin, Iowa, mounds near 26 - - Newark, Ohio, mounds 46 - - New York mounds 10 - - Norris, P. W., investigations of 17, 18, 26, 27, 32, 35, 39, 40, - 52, 55 - - North Carolina, mounds in 10, 61-75 - - - Ohio mound district 45-60 - - Ohio mounds 10, 12, 13, 45-60 - - - Peru, Iowa, monnds near 31 - - Pike County, Illinois, mounds 39 - - Pike County, Missouri, mounds 43 - - Pipes, soapstone 93, 94 - - Potherie on Iroquois burial customs 21 - - Pottawattamie mounds 34 - - Powell, J. W., copper plate from Illinois mound obtained by 105 - - Powhatan, Virginia, site bought with copper 94 - - Putnam, F. W., on Ohio mounds 49-51 - - - Quatrefages on appearance of Indians in the valley of the Missouri - 109 - - - Racine, Wisconsin, mounds near 14 - - Ralls County, Missouri, mounds 42 - - Read, M. O., on mounds near Chattanooga 77, 78 - - Ripon, Wisconsin, mounds near 16 - - Rogan, J. P., explorations of 61, 71, 72, 97, 98, 104 - - - Sac and Fox, burial customs of 20, 21 - - Scheetz and Hardy on Slissouri mounds 42 - - Schoolcraft, H. R., on Indian burial customs 21 - --, advocates Indian origin of mounds 84 - - School-house mound 48, 49 - - Shawnee, stone graves of 30 - - Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, mounds 19 - - Short, John T., on mound builders 83 - - Smith, B. H., mounds on farm of 51 - - Spainhour, J. M., opening of North Carolina mounds by 61, 73 - - Spencer, J. W., on Indian burial customs 21 - - Squier and Davis on mounds 12, 38, 45, 48 - - Squier, E. G., on Indian antiquities 10 - - Sullivan County, Tennessee, mounds 75-77 - - - Tallegwi and Cherokee, relation of 60 - - Tallegwi as mound builders 84 - - Tennessee mounds 10, 11 - - Tennessee River, mounds near 77 - - Thomas, Cyrus, paper by, on burial mounds of the northern section of - the United States 3-119 - - Thomas, Nora, translation of description of burial ceremonies of - the Hurons by 110-119 - - Tuscarora, neighbors of the Cherokee 91 - - - Upper Mississippi mounds 10, 24-44 - - - Vernon County, Wisconsin, mounds 14, 20 - - Virginia mounds 10, 87 - - - Wapello County, Iowa, mounds 33 - - Waukesha, Wisconsin, mounds near 17 - - Welch, Edward, mounds on farm of 41 - - West Virginia, mounds in 10, 51-60 - - Wilkes County, North Carolina, mounds 71, 72 - - Wisconsin, mounds in 10, 14-23 - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Burial Mounds of the Northern Sections -of the United States, by Cyrus Thomas - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BURIAL MOUNDS, NORTHERN SECTIONS OF US *** - -***** This file should be named 41557-8.txt or 41557-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/1/5/5/41557/ - -Produced by Aleka McAdams, PM for Bureau of American -Ethnology, First-Hand-History and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by the -Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica) at -http://gallica.bnf.fr) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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