Archaeological Explorations near Madisonville, Ohio. 51 



to their preservation, are found numerous animal bones, itnio shells, 

 and fine bone implements, which retain, in a remarkable degree, their 

 polish, notwithstanding their long burial in these deposits. 



Fi'OTR one of the pits opened this da}- was taken the first of the 

 curious grooved boue implements which have excited so much interest 

 and speculation as to their probable use, and are pronounced by our 

 most experienced collectors to be unique. 



The}' are usually made from the leg bones of the deer or elk, grooved 

 in a peculiar manner, and beveled on the inner surface of the walls of 

 the bone; the outer edges are quite smooth and polished from use, 

 while the marks and scratches of the tool employed in their manufac- 

 ture, or perhaps in the use of the implement, run the whole length of 

 the groove, but contract to a curved point at each extremity. 



The implement was probably in use until the walls of the bone had 

 been worn down on each side, wdiich so weakened the implement that 

 the}^ were broken and thrown aside. Fragments of these implements 

 are the most common of the numerous boue relics found in these ash 

 pits, but whole or unbroken ones are quite rare, only three or four hav- 

 ing been found. Illustrations are given of the largest and best pre- 

 served one 3'et found. See Plate I. 



This implement is made from the right femur of an elk, and is fig- 

 ured in two positions, two- thirds natural size. Fig. 1, a front view, 

 shows the peculiar bevel; fig. 2, the irregular curve in the implement, 

 the probable result of use; fig. 3 represents a smaller and more com- 

 mon implement, made from the third metacarpal bone of a deer; and 

 figs. 1 and 2 of Plate II. show fragments of these implements. 



On Wednesday, April 23, a second ash pit was explored, but onl}' a 

 few fragments of pottery were found. Close by this pit, a large skele- 

 ton, 6 feet 2 inches in length was uncovered. These remains were in a 

 horizontal position, and badly decayed, but a portion of the cranium 

 was preserved as an interesting pathological specimen. In the right 

 parietal was a perforation, -the eff'ect of a blow which had crushed the 

 skull, and which had been repaired and almost obliterated by an inter- 

 nal deposit of new bone. 



Another ash pit was opened on the following da}', and several bone 

 implements, together with animal remains and sherds of potter}^ were 

 found. One skeleton, in a sitting position, and two in horizontal, with 

 heads toward the south, were also removed. With these two latter 

 skeletons were found small vessels, one at the head of each, — one of 

 which is here represented (fig. 9). Fragments of two other vessels 

 were found in the same excavation. 



