170 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters. 



proving the religious character of the works, we may men- 

 tion the existence of two massive burial mounds. These are 

 situated on the low land below the bluff and between the 

 bluff and the river. They are massive, and may have been 

 the place where the bones of those who had been residents of 

 the villages were borne after death and deposited. The altar 

 mound was so situated that it could be seen from a great 

 distance. If there were fires lighted on it they would gleam 

 not only upon the waters and the river below, but they could 

 be seen for miles away. There is no doubt that this was the 

 place where sacrifices were offered and where religious cere- 

 monies were observed. The group furnishes a most distin- 

 guishing peculiarity of village life. 



One point additional which we have not mentioned 

 is the line of communication of their villages in the 

 same region. The trails which communicated between 

 the villages of the Indians may prove an'additional feature. 

 These trails are known, and have been identified and traced 

 by the author. The situation of the village on a well known 

 route is at least worthy of study. 



It was situated on the line of the dividing ridge, which has 

 been used from time immemorial for a route from Lake Mich- 

 igan to the Mississippi river. The route leads from Milwaukee 

 through Muskegon lake, on through the Great Bend, crossing 

 the Fox river; then at this point passes across the prairies 

 to the west until it reaches the Rock river. Here it divides, 

 one route turning south towards Beloit and Rockton and an- 

 other towards Lake Koshkonong and the Four lake region 

 where Madison now is. Passing from here the route crosses 

 the dividing ridge between the Wisconsin river and the west- 

 ern branshes of the Rock river, until it reaches the Blue 

 Mounds. From the Blue Mounds it crosses prairies to the 

 Platte Mounds and reaches the Mississippi river among the 

 bluffs somewhere about Cassville. At each of these local- 

 ities there are extensive works, showing that the same pop- 

 ulation and the same thoroughfares prevailed in prehistoric 

 times which prevailed in the historic, the modern villages 

 and cities having been placed on the "very same sites where 

 the ancient villages were. 



