98 MOUND EXPLORATIONS. 



Southward, outside of this burned area, but under the core or layer, 

 were two other skeletons, which seemed to have been buried at the same 

 time as the other three. 



ROCK COTJNTT. 



In 1886 Rev. S. D. Peet explored au efBgy mound, probably repre- 

 senting a turtle, in the group near the waterworks at Beloit. The 

 results of this examination he reports in substance as follows: 



This mound was found by measurement to be 80 feet long, the length 

 of the body and tail being equal, each 40 feet ; the width of the body 

 across the middle 15 feet, and across the ends 30 feet. 



Other parties had taken off the top before his examination. Abroad 

 trench running through the middle, lengthwise, was carried down to 

 the original surface of the ground. Here he found S skeletons, bun- 

 dled, lying on the original surface of the mound. The dirt over them 

 showed evidences of fire, but was not baked. The particulars, which 

 resemble closely those observed in another efiQgy of the same kind 

 belonging to the same group opened by Prof. S. Eaton, may be summar- 

 ized as follows : First, the mound consisted of black loam ; second, the 

 earth was packed tightly about the bones ; third, no gravel was found 

 above the skeletons, but the original gravel of the bluff was immedi- 

 ately below them, indicating that the top soil had been removed before 

 burial; fourth, the bodies were laid on the surface and the material of 

 the mound, scraped from the surrounding area, thrown over them ; fifth, 

 the bodies or skeletons were evidently not interred in an extended posi- 

 tion, for the bones of each individual were folded or heaped together, 

 pieces of the skull in some instances resting upon them; they were 

 probably "bundled" skeletons, buried after the flesh had been removed; 

 sixth, there were no implements or ornaments of any kind with them; 

 seventh, some of the bones were tolerably well preserved, others much 

 decayed ; and eighth, all of the skeletons were those of adults. 



The bones of each skeleton were in a separate pile or bundle, those 

 of the lower extremities being doubled up along the trunk, but the 

 skull in most cases placed on top. It is, therefore, evident that the 

 burial had taken place after the flesh had been removed, probably by 

 exposure on platforms or scaffolds — a custom which seems to have been 

 followed by the mound-building clans of this section. Under one body 

 there was a small layer of stones. These stones wei-e burned, smoked, 

 and cracked, as if they had been subjected to great heat. Two or three 

 pieces of dirt were taken out which were flat on one side, as though 

 the dirt had been wet and packed down upon bark and then left to dry 

 out, or, possibly, a fire had been kindled upon it, so as to take the color 

 out of it. It was difficult to tell where the fire had been placed. Pieces 

 of coal were scattered through the dirt and some of the bones showed 

 signs of fire, though it was apparent that the bodies could not have 

 been cremated. 



