96 DAVENPORT ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 



human bones were found, scattered through the soil ; also, a num- 

 ber of stones, which, as was afterwards observed, were more numer- 

 ous over the middle of the grave B. Associated with these bones, which, 

 like those on the other side of the mound, were doubtless of modem 

 times, we found a few glass beads and fragments of a brass ring. This 

 layer of shells rested upon a stratum of earth from twelve to fifteen 

 inches in thickness, and beneath this was a second layer of shells (d'). This 

 layer was from three to four inches thick, and in a sloping position nearly 

 parallel with the upper layer. These indications caused us to continue 

 our excavation in this direction, and so we reached the northwest corner 

 of the grave B. Here the shell layer was live inches thick. Below this 

 layer was a stratum of loose black soil or vegetable mould of eighteen or 

 twenty inches, resting on the firm, undisturbed clay. In this soil were 

 discovered fragments of human bones, and small pieces of " coal slate" 

 or bituminous shale. 



DISCOVERY OF INSCRIBED TABLETS. 



These circumstances arrested particular attention, and caused me to 

 proceed with more caution, until soon after, — about five o'clock in the 

 afternoon, — we discovered the two inscribed tablets of coal slate, 

 (Plates I, II and III) which, with other relics from the mound, are now 

 in the Museum of the Academy. The two tablets were lying close to- 

 gether on the hard clay, in the northwest corner of the grave, about 

 five and one-half feet below the surface of the mound, the larger one to 

 the southward and the smaller one north of it (f). The smaller one is 

 engraved on one side only, and the larger on both sides. The larger one was 

 lying with that side upward which was somewhat injured by a stroke of 

 the spade (Plate I), and the smaller with the engraved side upward 

 (Plate III). Both were closely encircled by a single row of limestones. 

 They were covered on both sides with clay, on removal of which the 

 markings were for the first time discovered. A number of fragments of 

 the coal slate lay in the immediate vicinity of the tablets. It should also 

 be remarked that I did not leave the mound after penetrating through 

 the frost until the tablets were discovered and taken from their resting- 

 place with my own hands. 



South of the tablets, i. e. in the south-west corner of the gi'ave, were 

 found a few pieces of skull bones, of which one piece was saturated with 

 the green carbonate of copper. Also, several pieces, of human cervical 

 vertebrse, a small bit of copper, and an artificially wrought bone. In this 

 grave were a great number of bones of the body, and also in the north- 

 east corner, as in the south-west corner above mentioned, some pieces of 

 kull and Iwines of the neck. It seems probable that here had been two 

 skeletons, lying one with the head to the west and the other to the east, 

 but this cannot be positively determined. 



About two and one-half feet east of the west end, at the south side of 

 the grave and about three inches from the bottom, we found a copper axe, 

 No. 21, which exhibited no indication of having been wrapped in cloth, 

 and two feet still farther east, on the same side of the grave, a few cop- 



