74 PAVEXPORT ACAPEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 



pected light upon the rehoion, civilization and science of the primitive 

 American Indians. 



Let us examine the single plates and the antiquities found in the 

 respective mounds.* 



In the mound No. 3, near the surface, too human skeletons, a fire 

 steel, a common clay pipe, a number cjf shell and glass beads, and a 

 silver ear-ring, associated with the skeletons, were discovered. From 

 the preservation of the latter, and the said rather modern antiquities, 

 it was concluded that " they belonged to our century." 



About five and one-half feet lielow the surface three other skele- 

 tons came to light, near which a large lunnber of copper beads, two 

 copper axes, again three other ones wrapped in cloth, a number of 

 small red stones arranged in the form of a star, two carved stone 

 pipes, several canine teeth of the bear, one arrow head, a l)roken pot, 

 two pieces of galena, and a lump of yellow ochre were rejjosed. 



Again, two years later, a new excavation, abtmt fifteen feet north- 

 west of the former was undertaken, where the following objects were 

 found, again near the surface: A few glass beads and a fragment of 

 a brass ring. On this occasion I remember that very similar sepulchral 

 mounds still exist in the whole of Germany, from Thuringia to the 

 boundaries of Polonia and Russia, and that the same extend thence 

 to the midst of Asia. These hills, ascribed to Slavonic nations, and 

 built jirior to the introduction of Christianity in Germany, — probably, 

 as is commonly presumed, 1000 years B. C, — contain similar antiqui- 

 ties. I myself, in exacvating a number of such hills, near Herzberg, 

 in Saxony, discovered, besides nvnnberless ash-urns and other vases 

 of all descriptions, a clumsy ring fit for a common finger, two ear- 

 rings, an arrow head and an ornamented knife, all of copper, or 

 rather bronze^ changed, however, into malachite.f 



The same Davenport diggings being continued, the following relics 

 were obtained : A small bit of copper, an artificially wrought bone, 

 a copper axe, copper beads, fragments of pottery, a piece of yellow 

 pigment, a piece of mica, two crystals of dog-tooth spar, some flakes 

 of selenite, a flint arrow head, and, what is the most important of all. 



* We refer to the pamphlet, "Account of the Discovery of Inscribed Tab- 

 lets, by Rev. J. Gass. With a descrii)tion by Dr. R. J. Fartiuharson." B'rom 

 these Proceedings, Vol. ii, Davenport, Iowa, 1H77. 



f See f^cifffarili, Bemerknnjren fiber die sogenannten Hiinengriiber in 

 Deutschlaud, nebst einer Tafel. < Scluiften der Deutsclien Gesellschaft 

 zu Erforscliuug und Bewahrung vaterliindischer Alterthumer. Band 1. 

 Leipzig, 1825. 



