14 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 76 



In plate 5, D, we can also see two crania buried in a shallow grave. 

 The upper cranium (pi. 6, 5) is surrounded by long bones buried 

 four inches below the surface; the lower (pi. 6, B, C) resting on top 

 of the lower " stratum." The crania of both A and B, plate 7, rest 

 on the same layer. 



The relationship of the skulls of the lower layer to those of the 

 upper stratum is shown in plate 6, B, and plate 7, A, shows a skull 

 before it was removed from the earth. Mr. Reichard is shown 

 wiping ofif the superfluous sand with a small paint brush. When first 

 exposed each cranium has a reddish color which becomes whiter 

 as the skull dries by exposure. When the sand clinging to it is 

 removed it dries faster. This particular skull (pi. 7, B) lies on top 

 of the lower layer, three feet below the surface. The white surface 

 is the natural sand below the lower layer. Plate 6, B, C, D, shows 

 the vertical bank with the human crania protruding from the side. 

 The different burials on the several layers are shown and the crania 

 indicate the level of separation of these layers. 



Plate 8, A, shows the customary group of visitors at the exca- 

 vation. They numbered several hundred daily and on Sunday over 

 a thousand.^ Plate 8, C, shows one of the few human skeletons that 

 were found extended or with a well-preserved vertebral column.'' 

 Plate 8, D, shows leg bones that projected from the ground before 

 excavation. 



POTTERY 



Three of the figures on plate 4 show the position of a capacious 

 black food bowl in the lower layer before it was removed from the 

 earth, and in a fourth (5) a workman is repairing it. Another figure 

 (C) shows a boy digging out a human skeleton found near the bowl. 

 Although this food bowl was broken into many fragments most of 

 the parts were gathered together and a complete bowl restored. Unlike 

 the majority of vessels found in the cemetery this specimen was not 

 " killed," although broken into many fragments. 



The decorative pottery (pis. 9 and 10) excavated at Weeden Island 

 was mainly found reversed in the upper layer, or that immediately 

 below the superficial layer of modern or historic time. This pottery 

 is of the finest character and compares well with that from other 

 areas in North America. It takes various forms, as large food 

 bowls, platters, spherical bowls, vases, elongated jars (pi. 11), and 

 cups. As a rule the paste of which it is made is coarse and rough. 



^ It was found necessary to rope in the trenches and not allow visitors to 

 enter, but from the dump they had a good view of the work as it progressed. 

 * Also pi. 2, fig. 2. 



