678 MOUND EXPLORATIONS. 



lu severiil inouuds opened by Col. Xorris auil Mr. IMiddletoii in south- 

 western Wisconsin and the adjoining sections of Iowa and Illinois, there 

 were abundant cvidcuces that after the body or bodies had been buried 

 and a layer, usually of a mortar-like substance, siiread over them, a fire 

 was kindled ou this layer. Sometimes this was so fierce and the layer 

 so thin and defective that the bones l)eueath were more or less cl'arred. 

 Hundreds of similar cases have been observed, showing that while tire 

 was connected in some way with the burial ceremonies, there is very 

 little evidence to be found indicating that there was an intentional cre- 

 mation. A few instances possibly have been found to wai-rant this con- 

 clusion, but in the great majority of cases where charred or partially 

 consumed human bones have been found, the explanation is easily given 

 without recourse to the theory of cremation or sacrifice. 



The following account of an Indian burial by Mr. Robert H. I'oynter 

 of De Sha county, Arkansas, as given in the Smithsonian report for 

 1882, page 828, is exactly in point in this connection. He says that 

 Wal-ka-ma-tu-ba, an old Indian, was buried in 1834 in the following 

 manner : 



Tbe bouse in which the family lived was built of round lo^'s, covered with bark, 

 and daubed with mud. In the middle of tbe house a board was driven about 3 feet 

 into tbe ground, and the old man was lashed to this with thongs, in a sitting pos- 

 ture, with his knees drawn up in front of his chin and bis hands crossed and fastened 

 under his knees. The body was then entirely incased in mud, built up like a round 

 mound, and smoothed over. A fire was kindled over the pile and the clay burnt to 

 a crisp. Six months afterward the family were moved away and tbe mound opened. 

 Tbe body was well preserved. 



The following statement by I'rof E. B. Andrews ' in regard to a 

 mound ojiened by him in Athens county, Ohio, may throw some light 

 on this STibject: 



A trencli 5 feet wide was dug through the center. On tbe east side much burnt 

 yellow clay was fouud, while on the west end of the trench considerable black earth 

 appeared, wbicli I took to be kitchen refuse. About .5 feet below the top we came 

 upon large (juautities of charcoal, especially on the western side. Underneath tbe 

 charcoal was found a skeleton with the bead to the east. The body had evidently 

 been inclosed in some wooden stru<-ture. First there was a platform of wood placed 

 upon the ground, on tbe original level of tbe plain. On this wooden tioor timbers 

 or logs were jdaced ou each side of the body longitudinally, and over tlu'Se timbers 

 there were laid other pieces of wood, forming an inclosed Ijox or cofiBn. A ]iart of this 

 wood was only charred ; the rest was burnt to ashes. The middle i)art of the body 

 was in the hottest tire, and many of the vertebrie, ribs, and other bones were burnt 

 to a black cinder, and at this point the iuclosingtimbers were burnt to ashes. The 

 timbers inclosing the lower extremities were only charred. 



lam led to think that before any fire was kindled a layer of dirt was thrown over 

 the wooden structure, making a sort of burial. On this dirt a fire was built, Iiut 

 by some misplacement of the dirt the tire reached the timbers below, and at such 

 points as the air could ]>euetrate there was an active combustion, but at others 

 where the dirt still remained there was only a smothered fire like that in a charcoal 



I loth Reiit.TVabmly Mu».. vol. ii, pp. 59,60. 



