72 ANTIQUITIES IN TENNESSEE. 



of different stone graves, and in accordance apparently with the age of the bones. 

 In those bones which crumble readily, the amount is small, although, as far as 

 my examinations extended, it was always sufficient to give a black carbonaceous 

 appearance to the bones during the earlier stages of incineration in crucibles. 

 When acted on by dilute hydrochloric acid, many of the oldest bones dissolved, 

 leavino- a mere trace of organic matter or gelatine, whilst the more recent bones 

 thus treated yielded a firm elastic organic matrix of gelatine, possessing the form 

 of the bones. The diseased bones which I collected from the stone graves of 

 Tennessee are probably the most ancient sypMlitic hones in the world ; and this 

 discovery appears to be of great importance in the history of specific contagious 

 diseases, in that it confirms the view held by some pathologists that syphilis 

 originated in the Western Hemisphere. 



The fact that the existence of syphilis was not noted by the early explorers 

 amongst the nomadic tribes of North America cannot be adduced to prove that 

 the aboriginal stone grave race of Tennessee and Kentucky contracted the disease 

 by intercourse with Europeans. This is evident from the following considerations 

 established by my explorations : — 



a. The stone grave race of Tennessee and Kentucky were more advanced than 

 the nomadic and hunter tribes of North America in certain arts. Thus they lived 

 in compact, fortified towns and villages; they fashioned superior stone implements; 

 they understood the art of sculpture, not only ornamenting their well-constructed 

 vases with tlie heads of animals and man, but also carving images from blocks of 

 stone, and fashioning them from a mixture of clay and crushed shells. 



h. The features of the images or idols fashioned by the stone grave race of Ten- 

 nessee and Kentucky were entirely difi'erent from those of the nomadic tribes. 

 The head-dress and ornaments also were difi'erent, and in many cases resembled 

 those employed by the Chinese and Mexicans in their idols. 



c. Whilst the crania of the stone grave and mound-building race of Tennessee 

 and Kentucky possess in a marked degree those characteristics which distinguish 

 the American race from all others; at the same time they appear to belong to the 

 Toltecan division of the American nations, being characterized in common with 

 those of the Inca Peruvians and the Toltecs of Mexico by the quadrangular form, 

 compressed and almost vertical occiput, lateral swelling out of the sides, and ele- 

 vated but retreating forehead. As in the case of the crania of the Inca Peruvians 

 these skulls are remarkable for their irregularity of form, for, among the whole 

 number examined, scarcely one coidd be called symmetrical ; and in many of the 

 crania the Os Incge, characteristic of the Peruvian skulls, was observed. 



The fact that syphilis had committed ravages amongst this race was deemed of 

 such importance as to arrest our attention in the midst of the explorations, and 

 unavoidably led to a consideration of the time and place of the origin of this 

 loathsome and singular disease, wliich transmits its eftects from generation to 

 generation, and leaves a record which outlives death, and is as imperishable as 

 the bony skeleton itself. 



A small grave lying on the east of the first grave described, in the burial mound 

 now under consideration, contained only some decayed bones of a child. 



