THOMAS.] THE TENNESSEE DISTRICT. 585 



more recent than the box-sliaped cists, but this is doubtful. Others 

 somewhat similar luivc been observed in southern Ohio. 



Graves of a peculiar eliaracter liave been discovered on the brow of 

 a hill near Pageville, in Barren county, Kentucky. These were circular 

 in form, between 4 and 5 feet in diameter and 3 feet deep. Slabs of 

 limestone about 3 feet long and from 1 to '2 feet wide, brought from some 

 distance, had been i)laced on end around this pit and the bottom cov- 

 ered with thin shale brought from the creek a quarter of a mile away. 

 Bodies of adults were placed in a sitting posture against the upright 

 slabs. Earth had been thrown over all and a few flat stones jdaced on 

 the top. A few bones of children were also found, but their position 

 could not be determined. The bodies were evidently all placed in this 

 grave at the same time. There were about thirty graves of this kind 

 at this point. 



Besides these variations there are a few minor ditteiences, such as 

 graves lined with large pieces of broken i^ottery neatly iitted together; 

 a pottery burial case made in two sections, or a case with a cover; 

 rectangular cists large enough to contain several bodies, etc. 



HtIT RINGS. 



Hut rings are frequent adjuncts of mound groujis, and are often 

 found inside the inclosures and also scattered about outside the earthen 

 walls. Floors of hard-burned earth are sometimes found in the center 

 of these rings, underneath which are human bones and sometimes 

 stone graves. 



RELICS. 



Of the relics found in the numnds and graves of this district, the 

 most characteristic is the pottery, which is found in greater abundance 

 here than in any other section of the United States, exce^it southeastern 

 Missouri and Arkansas. Like that of the last-mentioned two areas, 

 which it resembles very closely, the chief types are the narrow-necked 

 water bottles and the image pottery. Another distinguishing feature 

 is found in the engraved shells, some of which are peculiar to this dis- 

 trict, while other types are found elsewhere only in the Appalachian 

 section. Engraved or stamped copper plates of a peculiar type have 

 also been found in limited niimbers. These are important, not only 

 because of the figures they bear, but also because they appear to be 

 limited exclusively to the stone grave area. 



Other articles not confined exclusively to the district, but occurring 

 more frequently here than elsewhere, arc the copper spool siipposed to 

 have been worn in the ear, and wooden ornaments probably used as 

 ear pendants, covered with thin plates of copper. The latter, however, 

 are comparatively rare, having been found only in southern Illinois 

 and in the vicinity of Nashville. A few stone idols have also been 

 found in this district, and, what is strange, they have been discovered 

 at the extreme eastern and westein ends of it — in northern Georgia 

 and southern Illinois. 



