TI-IK AUCI1 K( )!.<)( i I CAL HISTORY OF NEW YORK 629 



List of Sites 1 



1 Village site and shell heap in the Inwood section at the northern 

 end of Manhattan island. This is at the foot of Dykeman street 

 and along the shore of the Hudson river. Pottery and arrowheads 

 were found scattered through the refuse. The shell heap and other 

 evidences of occupation have recently been nearly destroyed by 

 blasting and grading. 



2 Shell heap at 22Oth street and Kingsbridge road, destroyed when 

 the canal was dug. The shells were in a compact mass. 



3 Village site and shell heap on Dykeman hill along the Harlem 

 river from 2O9th street to 2iith street. The deposit is comparatively 

 extensive and contains cracked stones, animal bones, fragments of 

 pottery, and in certain portions small pieces of glass have been found. 

 The soil and the shell deposit have been plow torn. 



In January 1895, Mr Calver found two interesting " dog burials." 

 The first burial was unearthed at the summit of a ridge of soft earth 

 at 2O9th street, near the Harlem river. The ridge, which was about 

 12 feet high, had been partly cut away for the grading of Ninth 

 avenue. It was at the highest part of the hillock that a pocket of 

 oyster and clam shells was noticed, from which a few fragments of 

 Indian pottery which lay on the face of the bank had evidently fallen. 

 The shells, upon inspection, were found to have served as a covering 

 for the skeleton of a dog or wolf. Another burial was found on 

 May 1 8th within 50 yards of the first burial. It had been covered 

 with shells just as the first one, but had been disturbed by workmen. 

 Mr Calver says: " The two canine burials were situated at a point 

 just without the borders of the Harlem river shell heap and were 

 distinct from it. The shells were found to be matched, hence it was 

 concluded that they were thrown in unopened or eaten on the spot. 

 As the skeletons were intact and the bones uninjured, all probability 

 of the animals having been eaten is disposed of." These burials are 

 common in this vicinity. No satisfactory explanation of them has 

 been given ; but Mr Calver thinks they were for some religious pur- 

 pose, and suggests a relation to the " White Dog feast " of the 

 Onondagas of this State. 2 It is certain that the pockets were in 

 many cases used as fireplaces. 



1 Information supplied mostly by Reginald Pelham Bolton and Alansori 

 Skinner. 



2 New York Herald, May 26, 1895. 



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