PAPERS RELATING TO ANTHROPOLOGY. 



693 



the writer, with six hiborers began work od mound jSI^o. 3 of the plat. In 

 187G, we had started a trench on the northeast side of the mound, about 2 

 feet wide, intending to carry it to the center, but the hardness of the mate- 

 rialand wantof time compelled us to desist. A part of our men were put to 

 work in this trench, and the others began to sink a shaft about 8 feet square 

 in the center of the mound. The earth was so hard that it was impossible 

 to use a spade or shovel except for throwing it out after loosening with the 

 pick. When within about 18 inches of the original surface a whitish 

 substance was encountered resembling ashes. This substance was in a 

 layer several inches thick, about 2 feet wide, and 10 or 12 feet in length 

 north and south. The workmen in the center of the excavation reached 

 the red sand of the original surface and then began carefully to enlarge 

 the hole to the size of our shaft. Shortly, ui)ou the west side, the pick 

 struck the elbow of a skeleton. The arm, slightly bent, was resting in 

 a natural j)osition by the side. Carefully removing the earth the whole 

 length of the skeleton, we found that the bones were those of an aged 

 man about 5 feet 8 inches in height. The body had been placed at full 

 length on a small elevation of sand, the head a little to the west of south, 



f Q C 



Fig. 8. Diafrram of monnd Xo. 3, near Xaples, Til. 

 a, male skeleton, b, female, e. twolnrge, dark, chert nodules, d, circularplate with hand engraved 

 «n it. f, piece of galena. /, circularplate of mica. £f, arrow-points and knives. A, copper ax. i, skele- 

 ton of woman (?). j, skeletons. 



both arms in a natural position, resting by his side. The bones were 

 greatly decayed. The skull had been mashed flat and broken into a 

 great many pieces by the weight of the earth above, so that several 

 were lost. The porous ends of the leg bones were completely decayed 

 so that they crumbled to dust on exposure to the air. The processes for 



