6 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 89 



is believed to have been the burial place belonging to the Saponi vil- 

 lage, Monasukapanough, which occupied the level ground on both 

 sides of the Rivanna, as described in " The Five Monacan Towns ", 

 but which must again be mentioned. Although the mound may have 

 disappeared by the beginning of the last century, it had been remem- 

 bered and was clearly indicated on the map of the State of Virginia 

 that accompanied the 1801 edition of Jefferson's Notes. A small 

 section of the map is reproduced in figure i. The " Indian Grave " 

 is placed near the right bank of the Rivanna, a little west of north of 

 Charlottesville, on the site of the ancient settlement. A view look- 

 ing northward from the cliffs south of the right bank of the river, 

 over a section of the village site, is shown in plate i. The course of 

 the Rivanna is indicated by the line of trees beyond the cultivated 



Fig. 2. — Pipe made of greenish steatite, found in contact with human re- 

 mains on the site of ancient Monasukapanough, on the right bank of the 

 Rivanna, near where the " Indian Grave " formerly stood. Natural size. 

 (U.S.N.M. No. 364594-) 



field on the extreme right in the picture. The mound stood within 

 this cultivated area, but its exact position is not known. The rising 

 ground in the distance is on the left bank of the Rivanna and was 

 occupied by part of the native village. 



Some years ago the owner of the land, while plowing the low 

 ground bordering the right bank of the stream, encountered a single 

 burial, and, although very near the surface, the bones were in a good 

 state of preservation. Associated with the remains was a small 

 soapstone pipe, figure 2, but no other object was noticed. The 

 burial had been made in the stratum of sand and clay that had been 

 deposited on the site after the abandonment of the village and 

 should, therefore, be attributed to some of the wandering parties of 

 Indians who visited the spot during the early part of the eighteenth 

 century or even later. 



