640 MOUND EXPLORATIONS. 



ing with those found in couuectiou with the skeletons. "Associated 

 with the.'^e bones," says Mr. Gass, "wliich, like those on tlie other side 

 of the mound, were doubtless of modern times, we found a few glass 

 beads and fniyiuents of a brass ring." Below tlie second layer of shells 

 and within the pit or grave B "was a stratum of loose, black soil or 

 vegetable mold of IS or 20 inches. * * * In this soil were discov- 

 ered fragments of human bones and small pieces of coal slate or bitu- 

 minous shale." 



In this grave there was no entire skeleton, but "south of the tablets, 

 i. e., in the southwest corner of the grave, were found a few pieces of 

 skull bones, one piece of which was saturated with the green carbonate 

 of copper. Also, several i>ieces of human cervical vertebrse. * * * 

 In this grave were a great number of bones of the body, and also in the 

 northeast corner, as in the southwest corner above mentioned, some 

 pieces of skull and bones of the neck. It seems jirobalile that here had 

 been two skeletons, tying one with the head to the west and the other 

 to the east, but this can not positively be determined." 



It is diflicult to account for this condition of aft'airs on the supposition 

 that there had been no disturbance subsequent to burial, more espe- 

 cially as it contrasts so strongly with the condition of grave A. The 

 copiier ax found in B bore no indication of having been wrapjied in 

 cloth; here were also crystals of "dog-tooth spar." In all parts of- the 

 grave were many pieces of rotten wood. 



The tablets were not discovered until " about 5 o'clock in the after- 

 noon" (January 10). " They were covered on both sides irith ehiy, on 

 removal of icliich the markings vere for the first time discovered.'''' Yet 

 we are informed which side of each lay upward. Possibly this may have 

 been determined in the case of the one by the spade mark ; but how it 

 <'Ould have been ascertained in reference to the other is an enigma. 



Attention is called to these things because they indicate a want of 

 proper care in the observation, or an unintentional weaving of theory 

 into the description, and, though doubtless made in good faith, tend to 

 lessen in the opinion of archeologists the value of the statements of the 

 discoverers. 



An inspection of the albertypes of the "Calendar tablet" (PI. in, 

 Vol. II) is sufficient to satisfy anyone that it is based upon the idea of 

 dividing the year into twelve parts or months and the four seasons. 

 This is admitted by Dr. Farquharson, who says: 



If, again, we consider it as zodiacal, the signs in llie onter circle being symbols of 

 the constellations along tlio sun's path, then, though the signs are different, yet the 

 resemblance to the common zodiac is so great as to suggest contact witli one of the 

 many nations or races which have adopted that very ancient delineation of the sun's 

 pathway through the heavens. ' 



Dr. S. Seyfifarth, who seems to have full faith in it, has no hesitancy in 

 expressing the same opinion. " This," he says, " is, no doubt, the most 



I Proc. Davenport Acad. Nat. Sci., vol. It, p. 109. 



