8 ANTIQUITIES IN TENNESSEE. 



A graveyard is located on tlie same bank of the Cumberland Kiver, about a mile 

 and a half lower down ; anotlier at Cockrill's Spring, tAvo and a half miles from 

 the sulphur spring ; another six miles from Nashville, on the Charlotte Turnpike ; 

 another about eight miles above, near the mouth of Stone's River; and still 

 another at Haysborough. I opened a number of stone graves on the farm of Col. 

 W. D. Gale, about three miles from Nashville. At the foot of the hill upon 

 which the residence is situated flows a never-failing spring. The Indians used the 

 hill above the spring as a burying-ground. I exhumed from one grave a small 

 black idol, from another copper ornaments, and from other graves upon the same 

 hill vases of various forms. Many other localities miglit be enumerated iii the 

 immediate vicinity of Nashville. 



Numerous stone graves are also found on White's Creek ; on the Dickinson 

 Turnpike, nine miles fi-om Nashville; at Sycamore, twenty-two miles from this city, 

 in Cheatham County ; on the plantation of Col. Overton, nine miles from Sycamore; 

 in and around Brentwood; at the Boiling Springs; and on the plantation of Mr. 

 Scales. 



Extensive Indian burying-grounds are also found in Wliite County, near Sparta, 

 and along the various streams flowing into the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers, 

 as Harpeth, Duck, Elk, and Stone Rivers. 



At the plantation of Gen. De Graflfenreid, two and a half miles above Franklin, 

 numerous stone graves are found within and around an extensive earthwork, which 

 appears to have surrounded a considerable Indian town. One large mound, pyra- 

 midal in shape and two hundred and thirty feet in diameter, togetlier with a chain 

 of small conical mounds, is found within the ancient fortification. Several of the 

 smaller mounds contain numerous stone graves ; some are also scattered about at 

 the base of several of the larger mounds. An extensive burying-ground is also 

 situated on the slope of the hill overlooking the mounds and earthwork. 



One of the most extensive and remarkable collections of stone graves is on the 

 Avest fork of Big Ilarpeth, six and a half miles from Franklin, at a place called 

 Old-Town, the property of Mr. Thomas Brown. 



Extensive graveyards are also found at various localities along the banks of the 

 Harpeth River down to its junction with the Cumberland. 



These graves, although justly considered as rude fabrics, nevertheless exhibit 

 considerable skill in their construction, and are standing memorials of the regard 

 in which this ancient race held the memory of the dead. 



The manner of burial seems to have been as follows : An excavation of a size 

 agreeing with that of the body of the dead was made in the ground, and the 

 bottom carefully paved with flat stones. Flat stones or slabs of limestone and 

 slaty sandstone were placed along the sides and at the head and foot of the grave. 

 Tlie body Avas then placed within this rude coffin, and with it were deposited 

 vases, small ornaments, pearls, beads, bands of wampum, large sea-shells, idols, 

 warlike implements, stone hatchets and chisels, spear-heads, arrow-heads, stone 

 swords, paint bowls, and even copper ornaments. Tlie top of the grave Avas then 

 covered Avith one or more flat stones. The upper slabs covering the graves Averc 

 generally on a level Avith the surface of the ground. In some localities, hoAvever, 



