60 JAMES AND P(^rOMAC ARCHEOLOGY [^^ 



REAC OF 

 THNOLOGY 



Fragments of bone were nn<ler a small heap of stones 4 feet south- 

 west of the first; on the stones was the extended skeleton of an adult, 

 apparently an intrusive burial; by its side lay a bone needle. Another 

 iutrusive burial was indicated by some fragments of bones a foot above 

 the bottom and just south of the skeleton last mentioned. 



Under the highest point of the mound was the southern margin of a 

 burial i)it 10 inches in depth. It had first been dug in circular form 

 with a <liameter of 5 feet; afterward it had been extended toward 

 the west, making a pear-shape cavity 7 feet in length. In this were 

 portions of 15 skulls. In two places were a few teeth which may have 

 belonged to some of these skulls or to others which had entirely disap- 

 peared. The clay was very wet and of wax-like consistency; conse- 

 quently the bones could not be taken out except in small fragments 

 almost as soft as the nuul. They were mingled in confusion, showing 

 skeleton burials. Several of the skulls were very thin; in at least 2 of 

 them tbe teeth were very small and not at all worn, whde in some the 

 teeth were worn to the necks. 



A line perforated goiget, a bear tusk with the root half ground 

 away, and a minute quantity of wad were the only relics in the grave, 

 although a soft slate gorget with two i)erforations was found on the sur- 

 face above it. The pit was Idled with 8 or 10 wagon loads of limestone 

 slabs, each from 10 to 100 pounds in weight, whi<;h extended beyond 

 its limits on every side and reached the top of the mound. 



Four feet south of the grave were a. few bones a foot above the original 

 surface; and 4 feet farther was another stone pile that probably had 

 covered a skeleton though no bones were found under it. 



Near the southern edge of the mouiul was another skeleton protected 

 by a small pile of stones. 



It is probable that a mound 15 to 18 feet across and about 3 feet high 

 was first built over the large grave; and that afterward the other skel- 

 etons were interred, perhai)S at various times, the earth and stones 

 thrown over them destroying the symmetry of the mound and changing 

 the position of its summit. 



At I)r Eiddel's, 4 miles above the town, on the opposite side of the 

 river, is a place possessing all the features that would fullill the require- 

 ments of an Indian village; and many burned stones, unfinished imi)le- 

 ments, fire beds, and small areas of i)lack earth are found. 



A trail from South branch, across North mountain, i)assed over Fort 

 mountain (Massanutten), near Woodstock, into Page valley.' It prob- 

 ably led to the country east of the Blue ridge. 



WARREN COUNTY. 



A number of small mounds or cairns foriiierly existed in Warren 

 county, but nearly all have been destroyed and scarcely a trace of them 

 now remains. Four of the mounds were on the hill back of Front 



Kerclu'Vii], liisloiy <ii' tlie Valley, p. 51. 



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