pip. No^' 2^5T' JOHl^ ^' KERR RESERVOIR BASIN — MILLER 213 



foot. Although it resembles a post hole, we must designate its pur- 

 pose and function unknown. Presumably, this small hole was dug at 

 the same time as the grave. 



A similar hole was found at the bottom of Burial No. 58. This 

 time the feature occurred between the outstretched arms and in front 

 of the belly region. Since the holes did not appear in the same position 

 in the two graves, we may assume that this was just some erratic 

 practice not conforming to the general cultural picture. 



We carefully investigated each of these holes but found only clean 



sand in each. 



Burial No. 53. — This burial is that of a female, age 20-24, 

 who was buried lying on her back, arms bent at the elbows and hands 

 resting together at the base of the neck. The thighs were extended 

 but the knees were bent so that the lower portion of the legs lay be- 

 neath the thighs, and the buttock region rested upon the inturned 

 feet. The grave was filled with village midden material. Alongside 

 the upper right arm was a splinter awl. In direct association with the 

 skeleton were a number of snail shells, Triodopsis alboldbns (Say). 

 These animals probably worked their way into the grave to feast upon 

 the calcium of the human bones. Dr. Morrison, of the U.S. National 

 Museum, informed the writer that these snails are not carnivorous and 

 hence would not feed upon decaying flesh. Miscellaneous objects were 

 found scattered throughout the grave fill. The human bones were in 

 poor condition. The presence of the snails seems to indicate that the 

 grave was partially filled, thus allowing the snails to gain access easily 

 to the partially exposed bones. Later the grave received its com- 

 plete fill as the midden accumulated over it. 



Burial No. 55. — Again we found Triodopsis aXboldbris (Say) re- 

 mains in direct association with the bones of a flexed adult female. 

 She was resting upon her back, a hand on each shoulder, and knees 

 bent over and to the left. The grave was filled with fairly clean sand 

 and there were no grave offerings present. 



Burial No. 56. — A necklace of small disk-shaped shell beads, to- 

 gether with similar beads covering the area from the wrists halfway 

 up to the elbow indicating shell-covered wrist bands, a bone awl, some 

 red paint to the left of the neck, a stone drill on the right side of the 

 neck, a necklace made from the perforated canines of a carnivorous 

 animal, and a number of unperforated carnivore canines formed the 

 burial accouterments of a young male. The body was extended, 

 with hands at its side and the head to the south end of the grave. 

 The base of the grave was 4.0 feet beneath the present surface. Al- 

 though the bones were badly disintegrated, the epiphyses indicated 

 the approximate age of 16 years. 



Burial No. 57. — ^An exceedingly large turtle carapace, 1.0 foot long 

 by 0.7 foot wide, lay in front of the face of a badly decomposed semi- 



