190 MOUND EXPLORATIONS. 



of the level area as to require a practical investigation to determine 

 whether tliey are natural or artificial. Tliey appear to belong to two 

 classes, those used for dwelling sites and those used for burial pur- 

 poses, the former being the higher and the color of the surface layer 

 darker than that of the other class. This darker color of the surface 

 layer is probably due to the fact that immediately below it are found 

 tire-beds with burnt earth, charcoal, ashes, and the bones of animals, 

 (mostly split). There are seldom any human skeletons or entire vessels 

 of pottery in the mounds of this class though the earth is tilled with 

 fragments of broken vessels. In these tumuli, which are so close 



/ 



Fio. 10:J. — Gourd-shaped vessel Iroiii Ueckwith 6 raucli, ilissiasijipi <tmnty. Missouri. 



together as sometimes to form an almost continuous ridge, are often 

 found two or three, and sometimes even four, tire-beds in succession, at 

 different depths, ranging from 1 to 4 feet down to the natural surface. 

 The skeletons, among which were a number of clay vessels, were of. 

 medium size, lying at full length horizontally upon the back or side, 

 without any apparent regularity as to direction, except so far as was 

 necessary to avoid overlapping, which was seldom done in the same 

 layer. The vessels were invariably placed by the side of or over the 

 skull, which was often found indented or crushed. Many, and in places 

 a majority or all, of the skeletons of a layer were without an accompany- 



