184 ANCIENT M O N U M E N T S . 



STONE HEAPS. 



Rude heaps of stone, occasionally displaying some degree of regularity, are not 

 uncommon at the West, though by no means peculiar to that section of country. 

 It is exceedingly questionable whether any of them belong to the same era Avith 

 the other works here treated of, although they are usually ascribed to the mound- 

 builders. The stone mounds, of which mention has already been made, are very 

 different structures, and should not be confounded with these rude accumulations. 



One of the most remarkable stone-heaps observed in the course of these 

 investigations, is situated upon the dividing ridge between Indian and Crooked 

 creeks, about ten miles south-west of Chillicothe, Ohio. It is immediately 

 by the side of the old Indian trail which led from the Shawanoe towns, in 

 the vicinity of Chillicothe, to the mouth of the Scioto river ; and consists of a 

 simple heap of stones, rectangular in form, and measuring one hundred and 

 six feet in length by sixty in width, and between three and four in height. The 

 stones are of all sizes, from those not larger than a man's head, to those which 

 can hardly be lifted. They are such as are found in great abundance on the hill 

 slopes, — the fragments or debris of the outcropping sandstone layers. Some are 

 water-worn, showing that they were brought up from the creek, nearly half a mile 

 distant ; and although they were disposed with no regularity in respect to each 

 other, the heap was originally quite symmetrical in outline. The stones have been 

 thrown out from the centre, and an excavation of considerable depth made in the 

 earth beneath, liut without results. The heap is situated upon the highest point 

 of land traversed by the Indian trail ; upon the water-shed, or dividing ridge, 

 between the streams which flow into Brush creek on the one side, and the Scioto 

 river on the other. 



Another heap of stones of like character, but somewhat less in size, is situated 

 upon the top of a high, narrow hill, overlooking the small valley of Salt creek, near 

 Tarlton, Pickaway county, Ohio. It is remarkable as having large numbers of 

 crumbling human bones — to say nothing of living black snakes — intermingled, 

 apparently without order, with the stones. A very extensive prospect is had from 

 this point. Upon the slope of a lower hill near by, appears to have been formerly 

 an Indian village. Many rude relics are uncovered on the spot, by the plough. 



Smaller and very irregular heaps are frequent amongst the hills. They do not 

 generally embrace more than a couple of cartloads of stone, and almost invariably 

 cover a skeleton. Occasionally the amount of stones is much greater. Rude 

 implements are sometimes found with the skeletons. A number of such graves 

 have been observed near Sinking Springs, Highland county, Ohio ; also in Adams 

 county in the same State, and in Greenup county, Kentucky, at a point nearly 

 opposite the town of Portsmouth on the Ohio. 



Heaps of similar ciiaracter are found in tiio Atlantic States, where they were 



