690 MOUND EXPLORATIONS. 



found in tne coniiTry, its solid contents being not less tliau 4,000,000 

 cubic feet. Tlii.s is corroborated, as will hereafter be shown, by the 

 fact that one of the thi-ee prominent mounds of the group was found, 

 when excavated, to contain burials iu box-shaped stone cists of the 

 form so common in middle Tennessee. 



As stone cists or graves have been meutioned, it may be as well to 

 direct attention at this point to this class of works which form a con- 

 necting liuk between the prehistoric and historic times. 



STOXK GRAVES. 



In order that the reader may understand cleai'ly the argument based 

 upon these works it is necessary to give here a brief explauatiou. 



There are several forms and \ arieties of stoue graves, or cists, found 

 in the mound area embraced in this discussion, some being of cobble- 

 stone, others of slabs, some round, others polygonal, some roof-shaped, 

 others square, and others box-shaped, or parallelograms. The refer- 

 ence at jiresent is only to the last mentioned — the box-shaped type, made 

 of stone slabs, as heretofore described. If the evidence shows that 

 this variety is found only iu certain districts, pertains to a certain class 

 of works, and is usually accomi)anied by certain types of art, we are 

 warranted in using it as an ethnic characteristic, or as indicating the 

 presence of particular tribes. If it can be further shown that graves of 

 this foinn are found in mounds attributed to tlie so-called mound- 

 builders, and that certain tribes of Indians of historic times were also 

 accustomed to bury in them, we are warranted in assuming a continuity 

 of custom from the mound-building age to historic times, or, in other 

 words, that those graves found in the mounds are attributable to the 

 same people (or allied tribes) found using them at a later date. This 

 conclusion will be strengthened by finding that certain peculiar types 

 of art are limited to tbeVegions where these graves exist, and are found 

 almost exclusively in connection with them. 



This will indicate the line of argument propose<l and the character 

 of the proofs to be presented. If the result jirove satisfactory it is 

 evident that we will have an index pointing to particular tribes known 

 to historic times, wlio were mound-builders in the numnd-building age. 

 It is scarcely possible that any tribe was so isolated as to leave no 

 marks of connection with others, hence it is more than likely that hav- 

 ing identified one we shall obtain clews to another. We should also 

 observe that while our evidence is pointing in one direction, it is at 

 the same time eliminating the supposed possibilities iu another. 



These graves, as is well known, are formed of rough unhewn slabs 

 or flat i)ieces of stone, thus: First — in a pit some 2 or 3 feet dee]), and 

 of the desired dimensions, dug for the purpose — a layer is placed to 

 form the floor; next, similar pieces are set on edge for the sides an<l 

 ends, over which other slabs are laid flat, forming the covering, the 

 whole, when finished, making a rude, box-shaped coffin or sepulcher. 



