392 MOUND EXPLORATIONS. 



consisted of dark earth similar to tliat of the top layer. The central, 

 circular core consisted of a series of burned clay beds or hearths, alter- 

 nating with layers of coals and ashes. These extended downward from 

 the layer of yellow sand to the bottom of the mound. A few charred 

 animal bones occurred in some of the layers of ashes; nothing else of 

 interest was observed. 



On the east side of the river, directly opposite this mound, is an 

 ancient village site where the soil is very dark and has scattered through 

 it in abundance specimens of broken pottery, flint chips, and other evi- 

 dences of occupancy. In several places little circles of burnt stones 

 may be seen lying on beds of ashes. 



On mound 2, 44 feet in diameter and 10 feet high, stood a black-oak 

 tree 3 feet in diameter. It was composed throughout of hard red clay. 

 At the depth of 3i feet was the skeleton of an adult in a horizontal 

 position, with the head east and the arms close by the sides. The earth 

 immediately about the bones was of a dark greenish color and about 

 the breast were two metal buckles, one of them having a fragment of 

 leather or hide still adhering to it. On the leg bones were still to be 

 seen fragments of buckskin and a metal button, the latter sticking fast 

 to the bone. 



Whether or not this was an intrusive burial could not be determined, 

 though the uniform (-omposition of the mound and the size of the oak 

 growing above seems to be against this supposition ; nevertheless, the 

 further discoveries made show that it was subsequent to the original 

 burials and not in accordance with the original plan. 



At a depth of a little over 4 feet, and immediately under this skele- 

 ton, the top of a stone wall was reached; this was found by further 

 excavation to be a vault 8 feet square, built up of rough, flat limestone 

 rocks to the height of 5 feet above the original soil ou which it rested. 

 On the inside, about halfway down, were seven skeletons, numbered, 

 for convenience, 2, 3, 4, 5, G, 7, and 8. No. 2 was the skeleton of a 

 child, horizontal, with the head to the east; Nos. 3 and 4 lying together 

 with the head north, one of which was a child's skeleton, with small 

 beads about the head; Nos. 5 and G were iu a sitting posture in the 

 northeast corner, and around the neck of one were many small shells 

 and large shell beads; Nos. 7 and 8 were lying in the center with the 

 heads close together and crushed by lai'ge flat stones which lay on 

 them. Nothing more was found in this vault until the bottom was 

 reached, where nine more skeletons were discovered, much decayed, and 

 lying in all directions, seemingly thrown in without any care- 

 Mound 3 was of small size, measuring but 28 feet in diameter and 5 

 feet in height. Some large sassafras trees were standing on it, and the 

 owner, Mr. Tipton, stated that he had cut trees from it forty years ago, 

 and that it had been covered by a cluster of trees and grapevines as 

 long ago as the oldest settler in the locality could recollect. At the 

 time the excavation was made there was an old rotten stump yet on 



