354 MOUND EXPLORATIONS. 



Fig. 235. a a denote the surface level; 1, soil to the depth of 8 inches; 

 2, red clay 2 feet thick ; 3, black earth, charcoal, and ashes 3 inches thick. 



A longitudinal section of the other, or No. 2, shows that the layers 

 were the same in character and about the same in thickness as those 

 of No. 1, but the extent of the pit in this case was much less than the 

 pile of stones over it, the length being only 8 feet and the width in pro- 

 portion. No indications of burial were found in either, and had it not 

 been for the layer of black earth, charcoal, and ashes at the bottom, 

 and the fact that flint chips were found in this layer, we might con- 

 clude that no pit had been dug here, especially as its outline was not 

 distinctly marked. The layer of surface soil under the piles of stone 

 indicates that these were placed there long after the pits were filled up. 



The graves at d, one-fourth of a mile below those at e, were found to 

 be similar in covering, size, and character to the latter, except some 

 slight peculiarities in one of them, which is designated as grave No. 3. 

 In this the stones were not only piled over the surface, but extended 

 down some distance into the grave, as shown in Fig. 236. These must 



Fig. 233. — Stone pipe from mound, Sulli^■au county. Teuueasee. 



have l)eeu pounded in, as they were so tightly packed that it was diffi- 

 cult to remove them. It was limited at the sides by natural ledges of 

 limestone, which sloped towards each other, as shown in the figure. The 

 usual layer of dark earth, charcoal, and ashes was at the bottom. In 

 this were found some sheets of mica, fourteen arrowheads, one stone 

 gorget, and one small copper rod ov awl about 4 inches long, some frag- 

 ments of a soapstone vessel, and a lumj) of red paint. 



Nos. 4 and 5 were precisely sinular to No. 1 at e. Some arrowheads, 



flint chips, and lumps of black ore were found in the coal bed of No. 4. 



As there was nothing in either of these graves or pits indicating 



-burial, it is difficult to imagine the object in view in digging them. 



Other similar graves not opened are on the opposite side of the river, 



marked /on the plat. 



CARTER COUNTY. 



There is an ancient cemetery on the north bank of Watauga river 

 just above the mouth of Buffalo creek. In 1886 a skeleton was found 

 partially exposed, the river having washed away a part of the bank. 



