MOUND NO. 4 AT DUNLEITH. 



115 



was cast up. Over that portion below the waist and tlie dislocated 

 right arm, which was drawn below the waist, were placed flat stones 

 so arranged by leaning as to support each other and prevent pressure 

 on the body; no traces of fire wei-e on them, yet when the upper por- 

 tions were reached, although extended in a natural position, they were 

 but charred remains, scarcely traceable amid the charcoal and ashes 

 of a fire that had nearly consumed them. 



It was apparent that a grave had first been dug, the right arm of the 

 skeleton dislocated and placed beside it below the waist, and this part 

 covered ; then the remainder burned to a cinder and over all a mound 

 raised, which covered, in addition thereto, a pile of charred human 

 bones, charcoal and ashes. The mound, vault, and drain are repre- 

 sented in Fig. 55. (1, outline of the mound ; 2, the vault, and 3, the 

 drain.) 



A partial examination was made of mound 'No. 13 in 1857, showing it 

 to be similar to the preceding, so far as then explored. Further explo- 

 ration brought to liglit a circle of stone slabs 10 feet in diameter, set on 



Fig 55.— Vault in Mound No. 4, Dunldth, Illinois. 



edge at the natural surface of tlie ground. Within this circle, at the 

 depth of 3 feet, were five skeletons, two of adults, two of children, and 

 one of an infant. They were all lying horizontally side by side, heads 

 south, the atlults at the outside and the children between them. 



No. 15, except a roof or arched stratum 2 feet thick of prepared earth 

 or mortar, so firm as to retain its form for several feet unsupported, 

 was found to be an ossuary or heap of human bones in a promiscuous 

 mass, many of them decayed. Only an ankle bone which had reunited 

 after being broken was saved. 



The most interesting feature of the group was found in Xo. 16, a. 

 symmetrical mound 05 feet in diameter and 10 feet high. 



The first G feet from the top consisted of hard gray earth, seemingly 

 a mortar-like composition, which required the use of the pick. This 

 covered a vault built in part of stone and in part of round logs. When 

 ftdly uncovered this was found to be a rectangular crypt, inside meas- 

 urement showing it to be 13 feet long and 7 feet wide. The four 

 straight, surrounding waUs were built of small unhewn stones to the 



