664 MOUND EXPLORATIONS. 



Mr. Thing, digging into the summit of a medium-sized mound in 

 soutlieastern Missouri, where there was a slight circular depression^in 

 the toj), found at the depth of 2 feet a layer of burnt day similar to 

 those already mentioned, which he describes as follows: "In the top of 

 the mound, in a small, circular depression, I dug down about two feet, 

 when I came to a sort of platform of burnt clay. It seemed to be made 

 of irregularly slmped pieces, one side being smooth and the other rough ; 

 and, what was peculiar, the smooth side was down." It is easy to 

 account for this on the supposition that it had been the plastering of 

 an u[)riglit wall, which, when the wooden support gave way before the 

 flames, had fallen over in a broad sheet, thus carrying the smooth 

 outer side downward. In confirmation of this view we may state that 

 <lown the slope, on one side, were also found loose fragments of the 

 burnt clay which had evidently broken loose from the mass and rolled 

 down the side. 



Our next illustration is from the report of (Jol. Norris; the locality, 

 Butler county, Mo.; the group consisting of an inclosure and ditch, 

 two large outer excavations, and four mounds inside. The largest of 

 these four mounds measured about 150 feet in length, 120 in width, and 

 20 feet high at the highest point. A longitudinal section is shown 

 in the figure. 



The description by Col. Xorris, made on the ground, leaves but little 

 doubt that the poles and burnt clay which he describes were the re- 

 mains of houses, the fire having been smotliered by dirt thrown over 

 the burning heap before the timber portion was entirely consumed. 



Prof. Swallow describes a room formed by poles, lathed with split 

 cane, plastered with clay both inside and out, forming a solid mass, 

 which he found in a mound in southeastern Missouri. This plast- 

 ering was, as he says, left rough on the outside but smooth on the 

 inside, and some of it was burned as red and hard as brick, while 

 other parts were only sun dried. Some of the rafters and cane laths 

 were found decayed, some burnt to coal, and others all rotted but the 

 bark. The inner plastering was found flat on the floor of the room as 

 it had fallen in, and under it were the bones and pots.' 



The discoveries made by Prof. Swallow, Col. Norris, Mr. Thing, and 

 J)r. Palmer all harmonize and show T)eyond a reasonable doubt that 

 the layers of Ijurned clay so frequently found in southern mounds are, 

 in part at least, the i)lastering of houses which have been destroyed by 

 fire. The numerous instances of this kind which have nowbeen brought 

 to light, and the presence of skeletons under the ashes and clay, render 

 it probable that the houses were abandoned at the death of a mem- 

 ber or members of the family, burned over them after they had been 



' Eighth Rep. Peabody Mus. pp. 17-18. I may as well add here that I have examined in person one of 

 these clay beds found near the surface of ,i large mound, and that specimens of those found by three 

 Unreau assistants arc now in the National Museum, also spe^.'i]uens of the charred grass or straw of 

 which Dr. Palmer speaks. 



