GORDON TOWN SITE 
The first sité explored was on the H. L. Gordon farm, 1 mile north- 
east of Brentwood, in Davidson County, Tenn. Here were discov- 
ered the remains of an ancient Indian walled town. These were in 
a woodland and had never been disturbed by the plow. It had long 
been known that there was a small mound at this point. Gen. G. P. 
Thruston had partially explored this mound, but no one had ever 
discovered, or at least grasped the significance of, the very faint 
saucer-shaped depressions which dotted the surrounding surface. No 
one suspected that here, a foot or so below this blue-grass sod, were 
the ruins of an ancient Indian town containing fragmentary remains 
which could bring to light many new and interesting details of 
the vanished life of a long-gone-by people. Faint traces of 87 house 
circles could be made out, and some slight indications of several 
more could be seen. 
This town (pl. 95) covered 11.2 acres and was surrounded by an 
earthen embankment which formerly had supported a palisaded wall 
equipped with semicircular towers about every 55 feet. 
The inhabitants for some unknown reason had deserted this village, 
and the site had never afterwards been occupied or disturbed. Nearly 
all the structures had been left standing. These had gradually fallen 
down, and their floors were wholly buried beneath from 14 to 20 
inches of rich black loam. In some of these circles portions of 
beautiful, smooth, hard-packed, glossy black floors were found. In 
the centers were the ancient fire bowls, still filled with the ashes of 
the last fires kindled in these homes before their owners left them. 
Near these fire bowls could be seen the metates, mullers, and other 
household utensils just as left the last time used. Underneath the 
floors were the stone-slab graves of their children. 
Near the center was a level open space which was evidently the 
town square, surrounded by important buildings. 
Within the line of walls could be distinguished 87 very faint earth 
circles with shallow saucer-shaped interiors. These were the remains 
of ancient dwellings. There was evidence showing the town had 
originally contained about 125 circular buildings, ranging from 15 to 
46 feet in diameter. A large proportion of these were 30 feet in 
diameter. 
All the buildings were circular with the exception of one, which was 
probably used both as a town house and a ceremonial house or temple. 
Also the building on the mound adjoining this town house or temple 
may not have been circular. 
495 
