24 Transactions Tennessee Academy of Science 



Pearls from Castalian Springs Mound. 



I show you herewith several beautiful pearls taken by me from 

 the grave of an Indian in a great burial mound at Castalian Springs, 

 Tennessee. These pearls were fitted around the edge of a beautiful 

 sacred gorget, which he wore suspended from his neck. I also show 

 the gorget. Imagine this beautiful engraved shell gorget, with its 

 rich roseate pink edge studded with these lustrous pearls. This 

 pearl-studded gorget is probably the finest article of adornment ever 

 taken from the grave of a mound builder. 



I spent two summers exploring this old mound-builder town at 

 Castalian Springs. Its story is very interesting. No scientist ever 

 had the good fortune to discover and explore more interesting re- 

 mains of the unknown past, situated in one of the most beautiful 

 sections of the South, inhabited by such splendidly hospitable 

 people. 



The Imperial Pearl Set of Empress Eugenie. 



I show you herewith one of the most beautiful specimens of 

 artistic pearl jewelry human ingenuity has ever produced. It is the 

 Imperial Pearl Set of Empress Eugenie. It contains over one thou- 

 sand oriental pearls. Its value is about $20,000.00. The mounting 

 and arrangement of these pearls required all the time of one man 

 for over three months. This historic pearl set of the Empress Eu- 

 genie is the property of my brother, Mr. Herman Myer, of New 

 York City. Many of the other pearls and shells I have shown you 

 also belong to him. He helped me by arranging the display cases 

 and giving me much needed information. My heartv thanks are due 

 him. 



This quainl pearl set, in its old and worn case, has a history in 

 which is interwoven some of the brightest and some of the saddest 

 things of the last hundred years. Eugenie, whose mother was a 

 citizen of the United States and whose father was a blue-blooded 

 grandee of old Spain, married the Emperor Napoleon III. It was 

 one of the few royal marriages for love. Great pressure was brought 

 on Napoleon not to marry her, but to marry a woman of a reigning 

 house who could help him politically. Napoleon, to his credit, told 

 them he preferred love lo increase in power. This pearl set, con- 

 sisting of tiara, brooch, ear drops, necklace and bracelets, was one 



