PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES 



OF 



PHILADELPHIA 



1866. 



January Id. 



The President. Dr. Isaac Hays, in the Chair. 

 Twenty-two members present. 



Dr. Leidy called the attention of the members to the greater part of a human 

 skull, and a shell medallion, presented this evening by Col. A. W. Putnam, of 

 Nashville, Tenn. The specimens were obtained frcm one of the so-called pigmy 

 graves of an ancient aboriginal cemetery near the mouth of Stone River, 

 Davidson Co., Tenn. 



The part of the skull consists of nearly the entire cranial portion, and does 

 Dot differ in general form, proportions and size, from that of the usual North 

 American Indian skulls. The occipital region is high, somewhat compressed, 

 and laterally deformed. The medallion is a circular piece of shell, about two 

 inches in diameter, and is much eroded. It appears to have been covered with 

 some pigment. One side is plain ; the other is marked with cross bars con- 

 tained within a linear circle. The upper edge is perforated with two holes. 



Dr. L. read an extract fiom an article by Col. Putnam, in relation to the 

 specimens and the so-called pigmy race of Tennessee, published in the Nash- 

 ville Dispatch, Dec. 12, 1865. The substance of the extract is as follows : 



The ancient cemeteries in middle Tennessee are peculiar from the construc- 

 tion and small size of the graves, which have given rise to the idea that they 

 belonged to a people of small stature. The graves are near the surface, and 

 so far as examined by Col. Putnam, or observed by the owners of lands on 

 which they are situated, and where the plow has uncovered them, are of quite 

 uniform structure. A few flat stones at the bottom, generally a single one at 

 the bead and foot, and a variable number at the sides. The grave thus pre- 

 pared, after receiving the human remains, was filled wi'h earth to the depth of 

 one or two feet, and was then covered with one or more flat stones, though 

 not in all instances. Col. Putnam supposes that recent dead bodies were not 

 deposited in their graves, but were exposed, according to the custom of some 

 of the later Indian tribes, on high scaffolds, or suspended to trees, in the open 

 air, until the soft parts had decayed, after which the bones were collected and 

 deposited in the stone graves. This would explain the reason of the small 

 size of the latter in comparison with the length of the entire skeletons con- 

 tained therein, and appears to receive confirmation from the fact that these 

 graves, notwiihstanding their very superficial position, never appear to have 

 been disturbed by wild animals, which they likely would have been had the 

 bodies been buried in the fresh condition. 



1866.] 1 



