THE CRUMP BURIAL CAVE. 



(BLOUNT COUNTY, ALABAMA.) 



By Frank Burns, U. S. Geological Survey. 



This cave was discovered in the summer of 1840, by Mr. James New- 

 man and some of his friends while hunting - . It is located on the 

 banks of the southern branch of the Warrior Biver, in Murpheys Val- 

 ley, Blount county, Alabama, and is in the steep limestone cliffs where 

 the river entered a gorge and left the valley. The entrance to the 

 cave was about 400 feet above the stream and 50 feet below the plateau 

 above. The opening into the cave was so small that a man could 

 scarcely crawl into it. Procuring lights, the hunters entered the cave. 

 They found it perfectly dry, the air pleasant and cool, and the rooms 

 sufficiently large to accommodate the rather large party of young men. 

 A short distance from the entrance was a room, which proved to be a 

 "burial cave" of the aborigines. They found eight or ten wooden 

 coffins of black and white walnut, hollowed or cut out of the solid, 

 after the fashion of the "dugout" canoe. The coffins were sent to the 

 Smithsonian Institution, where they have been restored as far as pos- 

 sible, and are now exhibited in the department of prehistoric anthro- 

 pology. Eight have been restored, and there are in addition many 

 parts of coffins. The coffins are about 7£ feet long, 14 to 18 inches 

 wide, 2i inches thick, and 6 or 7 inches deep. They have been hol- 

 lowed out by fire, aided by stone or copper chisels, or hatchets. Traces 

 of the use of both implements are to be seen on the inside. The ends 

 are open, as shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying plate. (PI. ui.) 



In proximity to the coffins were twelve or fifteen human skulls, and 

 also a large number of human bones. These were scattered around, 

 showing that there had been disturbance after burial, whether by 

 beasts of prey or otherwise could not be determined. If there were 

 bones of other animals, it was not observed or not reported. 



There were five or six wooden trays — one was secured and sent to the 

 Smithsonian Institution. It is 18 inches long, 12 inches wide, li inches 

 thick at the bottom, reduced to thin edges at the top, and 3 inches deep. 

 Also six small wooden bowls, a fragment of one only being secured. 

 Scattered about, but near the skeletons and coffins, were found the 



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