ANCIENT MOUNDS IN UNION COUNTY, KENTUCKY. 



39^ 





Scale 300 feet to the inclu 



100 » 



This group consists of three 

 sub-groups. Tiie one most 

 eastwardly is coruj)osed of 

 two mounds. ]^o. 1 is 80 feet 

 in diameter and 10 feet Ligh; 

 No. 2 is 40 feet in diameter 

 and 4 feet high. The middle 

 sub-group consists of four 

 mounds 171 feet* distantfrom 

 Nos. 1 and 2; Nos. 4, 5, 

 and 6 are severally 45, 45, and 40 feet distant from JSTo. 3, which is GO 

 feet diameter and 8 feet high ; Nos. 4, 5, and 6 are 33 feet diameter -, 

 Nos. 4 and 5 are 3 feet high ; ]^o. G is 5^- feet high. 



The most westwardly sub-group consists of seven mounds. iSTo. 7 is 

 a large one, about 70 feet diameter and 10 feet high ; ISTos. 10 and 11 are 

 4 feet high; Nos. 8, 9, 12, and 13 are 3 feet high; Xos. 8, 9, and 10 are 

 60 feet from No. 7 ; Nos. 11, 12, and 13 are from 33 to 35 feet from the 

 bases of Nos. 8, 9, and 10 severally. 



This remarkable group of mounds is situated in Union County, Ken- 

 tucky, about two miles from the ferry-landing opposite Shawneetown, 

 and about half a mile south of the "foot-print rocks." Mounds Nos. 1, 

 3, 6, and 7 were opened near the center many years since by Dr. Gieger. 

 I could not learn if anything had been taken from them. The appear- 

 ance of disturbance left by the excavation of Dr. Gieger indicates that 

 the openings made by him were not sufficient to develop the full con- 

 tents of the mounds. 



I opened mounds Nos. 2 and 4 by digging a ditch about 5 feet wide 

 from the margin of the mounds to the middle of each, expanding the 

 opening at the center to a circle of 8 feet. The ditch and center of the 

 mounds were excavated to the original soil ; nothing was found in either. 

 The mounds 2 and 4 were begun on the soil and composed of a loose 

 sandj^ loam, probably obtained in the neighborhood. 

 Nos. 1, 3, and 7 are large mounds, the others are low and flat and have 



the appearance 

 mounds. 



of the mounds which I consider as common burial 



DiagranL^\\l|/M% 



No. 2 ^p>«%^^-| 



,J^///;/A' 



is 



'%^^ 



All the mounds of Diagram No. 1 are on 

 a flat, low ridge, about 40 feet above high- 

 water of the Ohio Eiver. 



This group of four mounds (Diagram No. 2) 

 was visited with the intention of excavating 

 No. 3, but it was not possible to get men to 

 walk so far. My attention was called to this 

 group of mounds by Mr. Eichardson, of Un- 

 iontown, who had knowledge of the opening 

 of mound No. 3 for the purpose of interring a 



* Tlie measurements above are from base to base of the mounds and not from center 

 to. center. 



