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SCIENCE. 



[Vol. XV. No. 383 



which had probably formed the inner wrapping, was also 

 preserved by the copper. Upon the breast was a copper 

 gorget; by each hand were three flint lance-heads; near the 

 right hand, a small hematite celt and a stone axe. Around 

 the head, neck, and hips were about one hundred small, per- 

 forated sea-shells and some shell beads. Upon the left 

 shoulder, lying one upon another, were three sheets of mica 

 from eight to ten inches long, six to seven in width, and half 

 an inch thick. 



Further discoveries of badly decayed skeletons were made 

 in carrying the shaft downward below the vault, but noth- 

 ing with which we are at present concerned except the fact 

 that among the articles obtained was the steatite pipe shown 

 in Fig. 8. 



The significance of this mound lies in the close resem- 

 blance it hears, in some respects, to the Grave Creek mound, 

 which, according to the tradition of the Cherokees, was built 

 by their ancestors. But at present no argument is based 

 upon this part of the tradition. This latter giant tumulus is 

 in the form of a regular cone, seventy feet high, and nearly 

 three hundred in diameter at the base. A shaft sunk from 



the apex to the base disclosed two wooden vaults, — the first 

 about half way down, and the other at the bottom. In the 

 first or upper one was a single skeleton decorated with a 

 profusion of shell beads, copper bracelets, and plates of mica. 

 The lower vault, which was partly in an excavation made 

 in the natural ground, was rectangular, twelve by eight 

 feet, and seven feet high. Placed close together along each 

 side and across the ends of the excavation were upright tim- 

 bers or posts, which supported others thrown across to form 

 the roof. In this vault were two human skeletons, one of 

 which had no ornaments, while the other was surrounded 

 with hundreds of shell beads. In attempting to enlarge this 

 vault, the workmen discovered around it ten other skele- 

 tons. 



The similarity in the method of constructing the vaults is 

 marked and peculiar. Wooden vaults are not uncommon ; 

 but those partially sunk in a pit, withl'the sides and ends 

 formed of upright posts, are very rare, and are probably due 

 to some peculiar custom, and indicate tribal identity of the 

 builders. We notice also the presence, with one of the 

 skeletons in each mound, of copper bracelets and plates of 

 mica. In both a vault is built about midway the height. 



Mound 31 of the Kanawha group presents some striking 

 resemblances to the so-called sacrificial mounds of Ohio. It 

 is somewhat flattened on top, three hundred and eighteen 

 feet in circumference at the base, and twenty-five feet high. 

 After passing through the top layer of soil, some two feet 

 thick, a layer of clay and ashes one foot thick was encoun- 

 tered. Here, near the centre of the shaft, were two skele- 

 tons lying horizontally. These were probably intrusive 



burials. At the depth of thirteen feet, and a little north of 

 the centre of the mound, were two large skeletons in a sit- 

 ting posture, with their extended legs interlocked to the 

 knees. Their arms were extended and their hands slightly 

 elevated, as if they were together holding up a sandstone 

 mortar which was between their faces. At the depth of 

 twenty-five feet, and resting on the natural surface of the 

 ground, was one of the so-called "altars," precisely similar 

 to those found in some of the Ohio mounds. This, which 

 was thoroughly traced, was found to be twelve feet long and 

 a little over eight feet wide. It consisted of clay, apparently 

 slightly mixed with ashes, the middle portion basin-shaped, 

 and the margins sloping downwards and outwards; in other 

 words, it was a typical "altar," similar to that shown in 

 Fig. 32, "Ancient Monuments." The depth of the basin in 

 the centre was a little over a foot, and the thickness of the 

 bottom at this point about six inches. On this rested a com- 

 pact layer of very fine white ashes from one to two feet 

 thick, entirely covering this clay bed. Scattered through 

 them were many water-worn bowlders from three to five 

 inches in diameter, all bearing indications of exposure to in- 

 tense heat; also fragments of charred bones, some of which 

 were nearly destroyed by heat. The upper side of this clay 

 bed or "altar" was burned to a brick red. 



That this tumulus must be classed with the (so-called) 

 "sacrificial mounds" of Ohio, will, it is presumed, be ad- 

 mitted without any objection. As the custom of building 

 these clay structures, to which Messrs. Squier and Davis ap- 

 plied the name "altars," seems to have been peculiar to one 

 class of Ohio mound-builders, we have here one very strong 

 indication that the people who built the mounds of this Ka- 

 nawha group belonged to the same tribe. 



Mound 28 is of considerable size, measuring three hundred 

 and twelve feet in circumference and twenty-five in height. 

 It had never been disturbed in any way, and was the most 

 pointed and symmetrical of the group. 



As the discoveries made in it are important in this con- 

 nection, the report of the Bureau explorer is given somewhat 

 fully. 



It was examined by sinking a large central shaft to the 

 bottom. From the top to the depth of fifteen feet, the ma- 

 terial passed through was an exceedingly hard, gray mix- 

 ture, apparently of ashes and clay. At this depth casts of 

 poles and timbers of various sizes were discovered, but all 

 less than a foot in diameter, extending into the western and 

 southern sides of the shaft. These casts and rotten wood 

 and bark continued to increase in amount nearly to the 

 natural soil, which was reached at the depth of twenty-five 

 feet. The debris being removed, and the bottom of the 

 shaft enlarged to fourteeen feet in diameter, it was ascer- 

 tained that these timbers had formed a square or polygonal 

 vault, twelve feet across, and some eight or ten feet high in 

 the centre. This had been built up in the form of a pen, 

 the ends of the poles extending beyond the corners. The 

 roof must have been sloping, as the ends of the poles used 

 in making it extended downward beyond the walls on which 

 they rested. On the floor of this vault, which corre- 

 sponded with the original surface of the ground, were two 

 adult skeletons, the bones of which, though but little de- 

 cayed, were crushed and pressed out of position. No imple- 

 ment or ornament was found with them. 



