SCULPTURES. 243 



The interesting inquiry here involved vs^ill be more appropriately made in another 

 place, after an examination of the relics themselves. 



It is a singular fact that no relics which were obviously designed as idols or 

 objects of worship have been obtained from the mounds. Such are occasionally 

 discovered on the surface, but none, so far as known, within the enclosures deemed 

 sacred or defensive. Those which have been found are all of exceedingly rude 

 workmanship, quite unlike any of the authenticated mound remains. They are 

 more abundant in the region towards the Gulf than upon the Ohio, though not of 

 ft-equent occurrence there. It is perhaps not to be wondered at that we discover 

 none of these in the mounds, if our estimate of the purposes to which those 

 structures were appropriated is a correct one. 



In presenting the following illustrations of this branch of our subject, it will 

 not be out of place to repeat the observation already once made, that, in the con- 

 struction and ornament of their pipes, the mound-builders seem to have expended 

 their utmost skill in sculpture. Accordingly most of the objects represented will 

 be found to have subserved the purposes of pipes ; but as the peculiarities of these 

 implements have been sufficiently explained under the appropriate head, their bases 

 and unessential parts have sometimes been omitted in the engravings. In many 

 instances, the remains were so much broken up by the action of the fire, that it has 

 been found impossible fully to restore them, although the utmost care was expended 

 in collecting the fragments. This will account for the imperfect character of some 

 of the illustrations. It would have been an easy matter to have restored many of 

 these relics with the pencil, but it has been prefeiTcd to present an actual fragment 

 rather than a fanciful whole. All the remains which follow, unless otherwise 

 specially noted, were taken from the mounds by the authors in person, and are at 

 present deposited in their collection. They comprise, however, but a limited selec- 

 tion from the whole number ; no more being presented than are deemed sufficient 

 to give the reader a clear conception of their general character and great variety. 

 The scale upon which they are drawn is, generally, full size ; when this is not the 

 case, the dimensions are specially given. 



Sculptures of the Human Head. — Few sculptures of the human head have 

 been found in the mounds, though several have been discovered under such 

 circumstances as to leave little doubt that they belong to the mound era. Four 

 specimens were taken from the remarkable altar mound. No. 8, " Mound City," 

 three of which constitute the bowls of pipes. Front and profile views of each of 

 these are herewith presented, of the size of the originals. 



Fig. 142 is composed of a hard, compact, black stone, and is distinguished from 

 the others by the hardness and severity of its outline. It has a singular head-dress, 

 falling in a broad fold over the back of the head, as far down as the middle of the 

 neck. Upon each side of the top of the head this head-dress, which may repre- 

 sent some particular style of platting the hair, rises into |)rotul)erauces or knots. 



