608 MOUND EXPLORATIONS. 



warrant such a theory, what is to be the conclusion in reference to the 

 hundreds of burned clay beds of the mounds described in the preceding 

 descriptive part of this report ? Are we to suppose that all were intended 

 for sacrificial purposes ? Is it not far more probable that the iuhabi- 

 tauts of the little village iu the inclosure made use of fire for some other 

 purpose than for human sacrifices, which seems to be virtually implied 

 by the theory advanced? Nor is this said iu jest, for every evidence 

 of lire mentioned as being found in this inclosure is supposed to have 

 been connected with religious ceremonies. Even a deposit of chipped 

 Hints is supposed to be a religious or sacrificial offering. Speaking of 

 this deposit or cache, these authors say : 



IftUey were thus i)laced as an oft'eiing we can form some estimate, iu view of the 

 facts that tliey must have beeu brought from a great distauce aud fasliioued with 

 great toil, of the devotional fervor which induced the sacrifice, or the magnitude of 

 the calamity which that sacrifice was intended to divert. " * * There is little 

 doubt that the deposit was final, and was made in compliance with some religious 

 requirements. 



As caches of stone implements have been discovered in different 

 localities, sometimes where no mound has been raised over them, it is 

 more likely that iu this case the workman adopted this plan of con- 

 cealing his treasure to prevent its being disturbed. 



Sir John Lubbock' remarks as follows in regard to the opinion ex- 

 pressed by Messrs. Squier and Davis respecting these constructions: 



"This conclusion does not seem to us altogether satisfactory, and although these 

 altar-coutaiuiug mounds differ iu so manyrcspects from the above described tunuili, 

 we still feci disiioscd to regard them as sepulchral rather than sacrificial. Not having, 

 however, had the ad\iantage of examining them for ourselves, we throw this out as a 

 suggestion rather than express it as an opinion. We confess that we feel much diffi- 

 culty in underst,an<ling why altars should be covered up in this manner. We call to 

 mind no analogous case. 



Had this author beeu aware of the fact that tiiere are hundreds of 

 mounds stratified mnch after the manner of those described by Messrs. 

 Squier and Davis that are true burial mounds; many others which 

 have no altar and yet are not burial mounds ; and others that have been 

 explored as widely ajiart as Iowa and North Carolina which contained 

 true, altar-sliaped masses built of cobblestones, some of which showed 

 no indications whatever of fire, while others were covered Mith layers 

 of charcoal and ashes in which were imbedded skeletons or human 

 bones bearing no marks of heat, he would jiroliably have expres.sed a still 

 more decided dissent. 



It may not be possible, at the present day, to decide with certainty 

 as to the object and u.se of those so-called altars, but the theory that 

 they were used for sacrificial purjwses seems to be wholly gratuitous 

 and without the shadow of evidence iu its favor. There are some 

 grounds, as will appear further on, for believing that .some of these clay 

 beds were used as places for torturing prisoners of war, the chief sacrifice 

 the Indians were accustomed to make. 



' Smithson. Eept. 1862, p. 328. Al.so Prehistoric Times, 4lh eilu., 1878, p. 276. 



