MOUNDS IN BUTLER COUNTY, OHIO. 847 



the year 1S20 a shaft was sunk into this mound by treasure-seekers, in 

 hopes to find a chest of money. The tunnel was started on the north 

 side about half way up the slope, and ran downwards at an angle of 

 thirty-five degrees for a distance of 30 feet, when the center was reached, 

 from which point it was carried eastwardly several feet. It was related 

 at the time of the excavation that the center gave the appearance of 

 having once been a hut formed of leaning timbers. Within this vault 

 were found a stone back-wall, coals, ashes, and human bones. The 

 mound is now being removed in order to make fills in the field. The 

 material is being taken from the east side. At this point is a perpen- 

 dicular side of 10 feet. The explored earth shows a large percentage 

 of ashes, the face having a whitish color. 



After taking a complete survey of the mounds we concluded to open 

 mound c. Into it we dug a trench 32 teet long and 3 feet wide, and sink- 

 ing it to the original surface or undisturbed earth. We commenced at 

 the east side and ran the drift west, bearing a little to the south. Six 

 inches below the surface of the mound we struck a bed of fine ashes. 

 At the southwest side we came upon a circular bed of ashes 41 inches 

 in depth. Within this bed and irregularly distributed were small 

 pieces of charcoal and occasional small burned limestone pebbles. Near 

 the bottom of the bed, or 50 inches below the apex of the mound, were 

 two separate pieces of fire-baked clay, both of which appeared to be 

 regular in shape but were destroyed by the pick. One of them had 

 been regularly bored, the aperture not extending through, and point- 



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Fig. 1. — Group of Mounds, Ross Towuship, Ohio. 



ing at the bottom as though bored by some large gimlet. Near by was 

 a burnt limestone inches wide, 7 long, and one-half thick. No other 

 stones, save pebbles, were seen. That this mound had never been 

 opened before was witnessed by the innumerable traces of roots which 

 we saw everywhere in the trench. 



The mounds (j and h presented evidence that they had been recently 

 opened. Upon inquiry we learned that they had been excavated dur- 

 ing the fall of 1882. No relics were taken from either mound. Below 

 the apex, and upon the original surface of the ground, occurred in each 

 an altar, composed of stone, 3 feet in diameter and circular in form, 

 with a depression in the center. In the center of the altar of g was a 



