STARR SUMMARY OF THE ARCHEOLOGY OF IOWA. Ill 



Scott County — Continued. 



No. 2. One hundred feet south-west of (i); like it extern- 

 ally. Inside, no layers of shells, but several layers of stone, with 

 a few scattered shells ; at 5 feet eight skulls and some fragments 

 of bones ; these were lying in a semicircle of five feet diameter 

 and each skull was surrounded by a circle of stones the size of a 

 small fist. The bodies had apparently been buried in a sitting 

 position. Two copper axes; two small copper hemispheres; also 

 one of silver; one bear canine; an arrow-head; red pigment; 

 (bones of small snake, intrusive,); two skull fragments. 



No. J. One hundred and twenty feet south-west of the last. 

 Largest of series. No layers of shells or stones. At i^ feet, 

 two adult skeletons, horizontal, covered with oak wood; with 

 glass beads, fire steel, clay pipe, silver ear-ring, femur and tibia 

 injured by some sharp instrument. These intrusive. Beneath them 

 at 6 feet, under thin layer of ashes, bones of two adults and of 

 one young infant, the latter covered with copper beads of several 

 sizes and shapes and dyed deep green, and surrounded by a circle 

 of small red stones arranged like the rays of the sun ; five copper 

 axes, all more or less cloth-covered; two stone pipes — one plain 

 and one groundhog ; teeth drilled and polished, several bear ca- 

 nines, incisors of gnawers, etc., one beaver incisor, fragment arrow- 

 head; three broken pots with bones of river turtle adhering to 

 in'side; two pieces of galena; yellow pigment. 



In the second excavation of this mound by Mr. Gass in 1877 

 two tablets of bituminous slate bearing engraved designs were 

 found. These have caused much bitter discussion. Farquhar- 

 son 56 carefully described them in an interesting article. Other 

 writers, as Rust '49 and Seyffarth '56 discuss the meaning of the 

 inscriptions they bear. Their authenticity has been questioned 

 by Thomas in various articles, notably in his final report on 

 mound exploration. 221 This is no place for a discussion of the 

 matter, but it is proper to state that the members of the Academy 

 generally have confidence in the genuineness of the specimens. 

 A third tablet, of limestone, bearing curious designs, was found 

 in Mound 11 of the group and has been described by Harrison. 73 



No. 4. Two hundred and fifty feet south-west of last; of 

 simple construction. At 6 feet, under a layer of 6 inches of 

 ashes, four adult skeletons lying close together; one copper axe. 



