142 



MOUND EXPLORATIONS. 



surrounded before being burued. The chief interest -whicli attaches to 

 this rude specimen 'shown in Fig. 71) is its close resemblance in form 

 and material to an undoubted specimen of Iroquois pottery in the 

 National Museum and its marked contrast with the pottery usually 

 found in this part of the immediate valley of the Mississippi. One 

 other vessel of similar character and closely resembhng it was obtained 

 by Mr. Perrine from a mound in Union county, and anotli^r similar in 



form but of better quality was found 

 by Dr. I'almer in eastern Arkan- 

 sas; it is believed that these are 

 the only ones of this tyi)e which 

 have been found in the immediate 

 valley of the JMississippi. The two 

 found in southern Illinois are made 

 of dark-colored clay, very slightly 

 mixed with pulverized shells. 



On the surface of the mound 

 were many small pieces of pottery 

 which had probably been turned 

 up by the plow, some of them 

 undoubtedly attributable to the 

 mound-builders. These were of 

 much better quality than those 

 touud near the skeletons, showing 



FlQ. 71. — Pot fioiii Jackaun county, Illinois. „„,^^,^ r.f*-««-»-.v^- r.4- ^-.^»..i.*^ri..*-.-.4^;^.^ . 



■' some attempt at ornamentation; 



some bearing traces of the red coloring often observed in southern 

 mound pottery. 



Arrowheads, fragments of flint and greenstone implements, nodules 

 of red and yellow paint, two bone awls, part of the carapace of a tor- 

 toise, Unio shi'lls common in the streams of this section, and fragments 

 of deer's horn, were also found. 



MOUNDS NEAR AVA. 



Two of these, small and circular, were discovered on the land of Mr. 

 Henry Thompson, 5 miles southeast of Ava. One of them, about 3 

 feet high and 20 feet in diameter, contained two empty box-shaped 

 stone graves of the usual form, but without cover or bottom. They 

 measured 3 feet in length and 2^ in width. In the other mounds nothing 

 was found except a jiile of stones thrown together without order or 

 arrangement. They probably formed a stone grave which had been 

 disturbed, as the mound had jireviously been opened. 



On the bank of Kattlesnake creek, a short distance from the preced- 

 ing, another small conical mound, which was thoroughly explored, 

 revealed nothing except a small piece of charcoal. Au ancient grave 

 close by was excavated with a similar result. 



Three small circular mounds on Mr. Dempsey Williamson's place were 



