90 A N CM E N T M O N U M E N T S . 



A singular work of art occurs on the top of a high hill, standing in the rear of 

 the town of Piketon, and overlooking it, which it may not be out of place to 

 mention here. It consists of a perfectly circular excavation, thirty feet in dia- 

 meter, and twelve feet deep, terminating in a point at the bottom. It contains 

 water for the greater part of the j'ear. A slight and regular wall is thrown up 

 around its edge. A full and very distinct view of the graded way just described 

 is commanded from this point. 



PLATE XXXI. Nos. 2, 3, AND 4. 



The works here presented possess few characteristics of works of defence, and 

 yet have little of the regularity, and but few of the features, which distinguish the 

 sacred enclosures. 



Number 2 is situated near Sommerville, Butler county, Ohio, on S. 3 and 10, 

 T. 5, R. 2, E. M. It occupies the second terrace between Pleasant run and 

 Seven Mile creek, and seems to have been encroached upon by both these streams. 

 This terrace is about twenty-five feet higher than the first terrace, and is bounded 

 by steep banks. The wall of the work is about four feet high, the ditch of 

 proportionate depth. Near the centre is an exceedingly regular mound, one 

 hundred feet in diameter at the base, and thirteen feet in altitude. It is now 

 covered with a fine growth of maple-trees. At the north-east corner of the work, 

 in the embankment, there is a quantity of stones placed with some degree of 

 regularity, — probably originally constituting a sort of wall. At the opposite 

 extremity of the work is a dug hole or " well." 



Number 3 is situated nine miles north of the town of Hamilton, Butler county, 

 Ohio, on a rich alluvial bottom, between Seven Mile and Nine Mile creeks, the 

 latter of which seems to have encroached upon the work. The large oblong 

 moimd in the centre was partiajly excavated in constructing the Hamilton and 

 Eaton turnpike. A quantity of bones were discovered; but nothing is known of 

 the position in which they were found. 



Ni'MBER 4 is situated on the east bank of the Great Miami rixer. four miles below 

 the toAvn of Hamilton, Butler county, Ohio, and is indicated by the letter D, in the 

 map of a section of the Miami valley. Probably not more than half the original work 

 now exists, the remainder having been destroyed by the encroachments of the 

 river. The w;ill and ditch are slight ; the former not exceeding three feet in height, 

 and the latter Iwo feet in depth. At the bank of the river, however, the original 

 depth of the ditch, as also the amount of the vegetable and other matter with 

 which it is filled up, are distinctly visible. The ditch, which had been sunk into the 



