34 MUMMIES. 



of growth in these northern regions, attested by numerous Arctic travelers, 

 the antiquity of the remains becomes evident." 



It seems beyond doubt that in the majority of cases, especially as 

 regards the caves of the Western States and Territories, the interments were 

 primary ones, and this is likewise true of many of the caverns of Ohio, 

 Indiana, and Kentucky, for in the three States mentioned many mummies 

 have been found, but it is also likely that such receptacles were largely 

 used as places of secondary deposits. The many fragmentary skeletons and 

 loose bones found seem to strengthen this view. 



MUMMIES. 



In connection with cave burial, the subject of mummifying or embalm- 

 ing the dead may be taken up, as most specimens of the kind have gen- 

 erally been found in such repositories. 



It might be both interesting: and instructive to search out and discuss 

 the causes which have led many nations or tribes to adopt certain processes 

 with a view to prevent that return to dust which all flesh must sooner 

 or later experience, but the necessarily limited scope of this preliminary work 

 precludes more than a brief mention of certain theories advanced by writers 

 of note, and which relate to the ancient Egyptians. Possibly at the time 

 the Indians of America sought to preserve their dead from decomposition 

 some such ideas may have animated them, but on this point no definite 

 information has been procured. In the final volume an effort will be made 

 to trace out the origin of mummification among the Indians and aborigines 

 of this continent. 



The Egyptians embalmed, according to Cassien, because during the 

 time of the annual inundation no interments could take place, but it is 

 more than likely that this hypothesis is entirely fanciful. It is said by others 

 they believed that so long as the body was preserved from corruption the 

 soul remained in it. Herodotus states that it was to prevent bodies from 

 becoming a prey to animal voracity. " They did not inter them," says he, 

 "for fear of their being eaten by worms ; nor did they burn, considering 

 fire as a ferocious beast, devouring everything which it touched " Accord- 

 ing to Diodorus of Sicily, embalmment originated in filial piety and 



