THOMAS.] 



NORTH CAROLINA.. 



345 



ANCIENT CEMETKRV. 



On the fai'Di of Mr. Cbiirles Hunt in tbe f-entral part of Wilkes 

 county, is what appears to be a small, ancient cemetery, and probably 

 the site of a camp or temporary village. It is about 3J miles east of 

 Wilkesboro on the second bottom or terrace of the Yadkin liver and 

 dififei'S from the burial iihices just described in having- no large pit, the 

 graves being separate and independent of each other. The diagram 

 given in Fig. 223 shows the relative positions of the graves and small 

 pits. 



No. 1, a grave or oval-shaped pit 2 feet long and 18 inches wide, the 

 top within S inches of the surface of the ground, the bottom 2i feet 



jf 



1 









Jirst 



J.O 



TJottoin^' 



Fin. 223.— Ancient burial ground, Wilkes odunty, North Carolinii. 



below it. This contained the remains of a doubled skeleton, which 

 were surrounded by charcoal; some of the bones were considerably 

 charred. In the pit were some fragments of pottery, a few flint chips, 

 and a decayed tortoise shell. 



No. 2, a grave 2 feet wide, (J feet long, and 5 feet deep. It con- 

 tained quite a quantity of animal bones, some of them evidently those 

 of a bear, also charcoal, mussel shells, and one bone implement, but no 

 human skeleton. 



No. 3, a grave of the same size and depth as No. 2, containing ani- 

 mal bones, broken pottery, and some charcoal. 



No. 4, a grave, the size, depth, and contents the same as the preceding. 



