MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS RELATING TO ANTHROPOLOGY. Gil 



MOUNDS ON FLYNN'S CREEK, JACKSON COUNTY, TEN- 

 NESSEE. 



By Joshua Haite, S.r., of Jaclson Counfy, Tenn. 



The valley in which these mounds are situated is on the east bank of 

 Flyun's Creek, which empties into the Cumberland River, and is 3 miles 

 above the mouth of the creek and 1 mile south of the river. The valley 

 is 4 miles west of Gainesboro', the county seat, and near the center of a 

 section of country that abounds in mounds and graves. This valley 

 which is full of these graves, contains near 100 acres, and is the site of 

 the village called Flynn's Lick. There are five limestone springs, one 

 sulphur spring, and a salt spring. From the number of mounds of earth, 

 stone, and shell, it is evident that it has been a large town and a place 

 of note among the inhabitants of that day. A further reason is that 

 the valley is easily approached from every direction. The valley is full 

 of graves, placed as close as they can be in the ground. It has been 

 in cultivation sixty-five years. Before it was cleared it was covered 

 with a dense forest of trees, some of which are from 4 to C feet in diame- 

 ter. Even on the tops of these mounds trees were standing (of the oak 

 and poplar species) measuring 4 and 5 feet in diameter. At the time 

 the valley was cleared it was not known that there were any graves 

 there. 



The graves are of all sizes, varying from 18 inches to 6 feet in length 

 and the usual size in width. The cofQns are made of slate-rock slabs 

 (which now seems to be plentiful 4 miles up the creek, where there is a 

 large quarry), and are generally neatly polished. The bones and pot- 

 tery are now found from 18 to 20 inches below the surfiice of the ground. 

 The coffins are co;!Structed in the following manner: They first placeel 

 on the bottom of the grave one or two slabs of slate- work neatly polished 

 and jointed closely together in the middle .when they had to use two 

 of them; they next placed one at the head and one at the foot of the 

 grave; then they set up one or two, as the case required, on edge 

 on both sides, neatly fitted together in the middle aid at the ends, which 

 forms a box. They next took one or two i)ieces, as the size of the coffin 

 demanded, neatly polished and jointed together in the middle and at the 

 ends, and placed them on for the lid, projecting on all sides from 2 to 4 

 inches. Occasionally we find a grave where they have used limestone 

 instead of slate rock. 



On the east side of the creek, about 100 yards from its bank, is the 

 grand earthen mound, which is larger and higher than any of the others 

 in the valley. All tlie graves as a general rnle face this grand nu)und ; 

 but occasionally, owing to the rock in the ground, this rule is varied and 

 the direction changed, showing that closeness or compactness was their 

 leading idea. 



The mounds referred to in this valley and vicinity are composed both 

 of earth and stone, and are found on both sides of the creek. The 



