144- BUREAU OF AMERICAN" ETHNOLOGY [bull. 71 



uncreinated similarly prepared platform graves inclosed by logs were 

 made, and the body was placed at full length within the inclosure." 

 The objects of native origin associated with the cremated remains 

 were many cnt, polished, and perforated teeth of the bear, copper 

 ear ornaments, a platform pipe, and other objects of stone. With the 

 extended burial were masses of ashes. " This individual was placed 

 in the grave at full length, Avith him were ornaments of copper, such 

 as the ear ornaments, which can be seen at the side of the head, and a 

 great copper plate which is under the loins. The. ornaments are simi- 

 lar to those found in the cremated graves. On the right hand side of 

 the body, as it lay in the grave, was placed the incinerated remains of 

 an adult, on the left hand was a human skull, and near the head on 

 the left side of the body, was placed another cremated skeleton ; near 

 the knees on the right side of the body, was placed the skeleton of a 

 little child, and near this skeleton were two human jaws, perforated, 

 and which no doubt had been used for ornament." And so the plausi- 

 ble conclusions were reached " that this mound must be considered 

 purely as a burial mound ; that no altars occurred in the mound ; that 

 all burials had prepared graves; that for the most part cremation 

 took place at the charnel house where eight great fire places w^ere 

 found, which were perfectly devoid of ashes except in one, where a 

 small charred piece of human skull was found, thus indicating that 

 these fire places were used for the crematory." In many cases the re- 

 mains had probably been cremated in the grave, and there allowed 

 to rest. 



The prepared graves as described in the preceding account were 

 the " altars " of the earlier writers, and as such Avere often mentioned. 

 Many, discovered and examined during the latter part of the first half 

 of the last century, were described by Squier and Davis, but unfor- 

 tunately they seemed to have failed to recognize the true nature of 

 these most unusual resting places for the ashes of the dead. 



Another ruin of the greatest interest remains to be mentioned — one 

 which has revealed more clearly than any other certain customs of 

 the ancient inhabitants of the valley of the Scioto. This stood a short 

 distance from the Ohio, some 5 miles north of the present Ports- 

 mouth, near the right bank of the Scioto, and was first surveyed by 

 Whittlesey, whose description was incorporated by Squier and Davis 

 in their justly praised volume. It was then regarded as representing 

 an animal of some sort, and was referred to as an Animal Effigy, a 

 mistake, if mistake it really was, Avhich could readily have been 

 made. It later became known as the Tremper Mound, named after 

 the owner of the land ui)on which it stood. It proved a remarkable 

 work, and to quote from the account of the examination : "The mound 

 marks the site of a sacred structure, wherein its builders cremated 

 their dead, deposited the ashes in communal receptacles, made simi- 



