16 THE rUOIJLEM OF THE OHIO MOUNDS. 



twig.s sliowcd tliat it had been .streii,i;tliciic(l by this admixture; the 

 impressions left on the iuuer face of these himps of biiiiit phisteriiig 

 ie\eak'd the character of the hithiiiij;', which was in some cases branches 

 and t\vij;s, but in others s[)lit cane. The roof was thatched witli 4;rass 

 or matting", the cliarred remains of wliich were found in more than one 

 instance. In i)robably nine cases out of ten it was ai)i)arent these 

 dwellings had been burned. This was found to be due to the custom 

 of burying' the dead in the lloor and burning tlie dwelling over them, 

 covering the remains with dirt often before the fire had ceased burning. 



As Ui general rule the strata are found in this order: (1) a top layer 

 of soil from 1 foot to 2 feet thick; (2) a layer of buri't clay from o to 115 

 inches thick (though usually varying from 4 to 8 inches) and broken 

 into lumps, never in a uniform, unbroken layer; immediately below 

 this (3) a thin layer of hardened muck or dark clay, though this does 

 not always seem to be distinct. At this depth in the mounds of the 

 eastern part of Arkansas are usually found one or more skeletons. 



Take, for example, the following statement by Dr. Edward Talmer 

 in regtird to these beds: 



As a general and almost universal rule, after reuioviiig a foot or two of top soil, a 

 layer of burut clay in a broken or fragmentary^ condition would be found, some' imi\s 

 with impressions of grass or twigs, and easily crumbled, but often luird, and stanii)e(l, 

 api)arentlj', with an implement made of split reeds of comparatively large size. This 

 layer was often a foot thick, and frequently burned to a brick-red or even to clinkers. 

 Below this would be found more or less ashes, and often 6 inches of charred grass 

 immediately over the skeletons. These skeletons were found lying in all directions, 

 some with the fare up, otiiers with it down, and others on the side. With each of 

 these were one or more vessels of clay. 



lv,emains of rectangular houses were also discovered, though much 

 less frequent than other forms. These consisted of three rooms, two in 

 front and one in rear. For example, Dr, Palmer found in a broad [)lat- 

 formlike elevation not more than 3 feet high the remains of a house of 

 this form which he traced by the l)urnt clay. The lines of the ui)right 

 walls were very apparent, as also the clay which nuist have fallen from 

 them, and which raised the outer marginal lines considerably higher 

 than the inner area. Dr. Palmer remarks: 



Tlie lire must have been very ficree, aid tlie clay around the cilges was evi<leuHy 

 at some height above tlie lloo^-, as I judgt^ from the irregular way in wliieh it is scat- 

 tered around the margins. 



f]xcavations in the areas sliowed that they were covered with a layer 

 of burnt clay, uneven and broken; immediat(;ly below this a layer of 

 ashes G inches thick, ;ind below this bhick loam. On these areas large 

 trees were growing, one a p()i)lar 3 feet in diatnetei'. Below one of these 

 floors were found a skeleton, some pottery, and a. pipe. A large oak 

 formerly stood at this }K)int, but it 1ms been blown down. 



Subsequently the remains of anotlier dwelling of ])i-ecisjL'ly tlie same 

 form, that is, two square rooms Joined and a third of the same size 

 iuunediately behind these two, were discovered in the same region by 



