CORRESPONDENCE. 431 



from which these objects were procured ; from this point to the line of 

 high water of the Ohio there are a great number of mounds and 

 burial places of the original inhabitants of the country, as well as 

 other mounds erected by these people, in which no bodies are found. 



The mound from which the remains in my possession were taken is 

 about two or three feet higli above the surrounding earth, eighteen 

 feet in its shorter and twenty-one feet in its longer diameter. It is 

 situated at the north end of a flat point or ridge of land. The mate- 

 rial taken to cover tlie bodies which it contains is a fine silicious 

 earth of a recent deposit of this country, (For geological position see 

 map of Union county, Sec. 31, T. 1 S., R. 2 W., near the location of 

 Mr, Leonard Robinson.) 



The bodies were laid upon the left side, the heads toward the centre 

 of a circle, and the feet outward. At the head of each was placed one 

 of the earthen vessels, of Avhich there are a great variety of forms and 

 sizes; the largest vessels always being placed at the heads of the 

 adults, smaller ones at those of the younger persons, and the smallest 

 at the heads of the children. Judging Irom the size of the bodies and 

 condition of the teeth, this burial place contained infants of a very 

 tender age, from six to ten months, and persons of various ages, from 

 childrens to adults of fifty or sixty years of age. 



In all cases, rvithout exception, the bodies loere laid on the left side, 

 the heads toivard the centre of the circle. In some of the vases was 

 ibund a blackened carbonaceous (?) matter, probably the remains of 

 food, or an offering to the gods of the dead. In addition to the vase, 

 many of the bodies had one valve of one of the unios of the Ohio 

 river placed upon the forehead, the internal side of the shell turned 

 toward the head. In a few cases the larger vases contained a valve of 

 an unio, and all the small vases had a shell within or upon them. 

 Many of the shells accompanying the small vases and those found on 

 the foreheads of the children were carved and ornamented. 



The bodies appear to have been laid upon the original surface and 

 covered to the depth of two feet or more ; at the heads of some of them 

 the earth is now from twenty-eight to thirty-four inches deep. In all 

 cases where there are bodies in these mounds the surface of the earth 

 has been discolored by fire. The heads of many of the adults appear 

 to have been compressed artificially. 



llie folloioing is a list of the articles. 



1st. Two specimens of extreme cases of comi)ression of the skull, 



2d. One round pot with four arms, 4{- inches across the mouth, 4f 

 inches deep. 



3d, One round pot, 3^ inches across the mouth and 3^ inches deep. 

 This is rudely ornamented around the top of the swelled part below 

 the rim, 



4th, One bowl, 5 inches wide, 2-| deep, with four prominent points 

 at right angles around the rim, 



5th, One bowl, (|iiite well formed, rudely notched around the rioi, 

 6-^- inches across the top, 3| inches deep. 



