2o8 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 93 



remains had been placed and then mounded over with earth. In 

 addition, 60 different prehistoric bundle burials of a similar type are 

 reported from both sides of the Missouri in this vicinity, and a skele- 

 ton associated with iron artifacts was also found under a burned 

 clay area more than 3 feet below the surface near Ponca Creek 

 (Gilder, 1908). The latter is said to have been an Omaha Indian. 

 Gilder also reports many mounds associated with house pits near 

 Child's Point and states that mounds occur from that place at approxi- 

 mately loo-yard intervals all the way to Omaha (1909). In the same 

 report 20 burial mounds a mile south of Child's Point are said to 

 have yielded, among other things, a considerable number of Spanish 

 coins. Gilder regards these as being of Oto origin, presumably on the 

 basis of Lewis and Clark's mention of an old Oto site in the general 

 vicinity. Associated with the prehistoric house pits on Child's Point 

 were five long narrow mounds, each 75 feet long and 25 feet wide, 

 placed end to end. A trench across one of these revealed artifacts 

 [of the Nebraska culture type] and human remains. About 300 yards 

 distant was another low tumulus from which three mixed-up and 

 calcined skeletons were recovered. The Wallace " mound " near 

 Bellevue is also described as being 40 feet long by 15-20 feet in 

 width and marked by a slight elevation on a ridge. Many dissociated 

 and partly calcined bundle burials, 56 skulls (in three strata), and 

 potsherds [apparently of the Nebraska culture type] were taken from 

 this place (Gilder, 1909). Sterns, who was present during part of 

 the excavation here, states that this was not a mound but rather a 

 large number of intrusive burials on the side of a hill ( 191 5 a). Gilder 

 ( 1909) also mentions house mounds occurring at the site of the historic 

 Omaha village in the forks of Papillion Creek, but, as previously 

 mentioned, when I visited the site with him in 1930 we were unable 

 to find either mounds or any definite traces of occupation. 



Taken en masse, the above evidence would seem conclusive as to 

 the erection of numerous artificial burial mounds in the Omaha region 

 in both historic and prehistoric times. Personally, I am convinced 

 that in many cases Gilder's conclusions are sound. Unfortunately, 

 however, most of these extremely important investigations are re- 

 corded by a bare statement which, without detailed corroborative data, 

 photographs, or diagrams, it is impossible to substantiate except by 

 further work in the same area. 



Blackman has also made certain mound investigations in Nebraska. 

 He examined a reputed mound near Ruby, Nebr., in 1905 and de- 

 cided that it was entirely natural in origin (1906). In the same re- 

 port he speaks of numerous sharp conical elevations on the Iowa 



