r)88 MOUND EXPLORATIONS. 



elm) were observed. Stone graves seem to be entirely viuknowu in this 

 section. 



The eastern portion of Arkansas is noted for the nniuber and size of 

 its pj^ramidal luonuds, many of which are terraced and very regnlar in 

 form, as maybe seen by reference to tlie tignres in this volume, part 1. 

 Others, precisely of the same form, are fonnd in all of the Gulf states, 

 but not so numerous as here, unless possibly in the central x)art of 

 Alabama, a region that has been but partially explored. The oblong 

 is the prevailing form, the square pyramid being comparatively rare. 



In addition to the oblong and square truncated pyramids, there are 

 fonnd here and there truncated mounds of several difterent forms. For 

 example, the " Eogers mound," Phillips county, Arkansas, figured in 

 the first part of this volume, which is oval in outline, the longer diam- 

 eter at the base 247 feet, the shorter nearly 200 feet, height 20 feet. On 

 top of this is a small hemispherical mound 50 feet in diameter and 5 feet 

 high. Excavating the small tumulus, Col. Norris found near the sur- 

 face a very heavy fire-bed. Other similar beds were found at various 

 points near the surface of the terrace or main mound. 



Another found near Osceola, Mississippi county, same state, is of the 

 form shown in Fig. 132.' The dimensions of this somewhat unusual, 

 th(mgh not unique, structure are as follows: "Altitude of the first ter- 

 ra('e 11 feet, width 129 feet, length 158 feet; altitude of the second ter- 

 race 3 feet 7 inches, width 60 feet, length 93 feet; altitude of the third 

 terrace (i feet, width 63 feet, length 78 feet." As the writer makes the 

 whole length 375 feet, it is probable the measurements given apply to 

 the upper levels. Excavations brought to light, near the . surface, a 

 layer of burnt clay, broken, as usual, into fragments, which Mr. Evans 

 denominates brick. At the depth of 8 feet some hunmn bones were 

 found in an advanced state of decay, but no skulls were observed. 



Messi's. Squier and Davis ^ make the statement that the principal 

 mound of the gronj) at the junction of the Washita, Tenzas, and Cata- 

 houhi rivers (now Troyville), Louisiana, has a spiral pathway winding 

 around it from bottom to top. An examination of it was made by a 

 Bureau assistant in ISSS, at which time no indication of such a path- 

 way was visible. It is true much of the top had been removed and the 

 mound much defaced during the late war, but sufficient remained 

 to indicate such a pathway if it existed. A description and figure 

 of these works will be found in the preceding pai't of this volume. 

 They also state, in a note on the page of their work above referred to, 

 that "mounds with spiral pathways are frequent at the south and are 

 occasionally found at the north." Later investigations have failed to 

 confirm this assertion ; in fact, they prove it to be entirely erroneous, as 

 not one such has been discovered. 



There is no intention of entering at this point into a discussion of 

 the object and uses of these pyramidal and truncated mounds, yet we 



I S. B. Evans, in Chicago Times. April 9, 1881. ' Anc. Mon. p. 117. 



