EEPOKT OF THE SECRETAEY. 69 



The 30 mounds on the ridge between the two rivers mark the site 

 of that portion of the old toAvn occupied by the Omahas. On a hill 

 one-half mile to the east was a group of 10 more mounds, occupied 

 by the Poncas before they split away from the Omahas. 



By following the clues furnished hj the traditions, three low 

 mounds were discovered on the tall ridge 1-| miles to the west. These 

 were said to have marked the lookouts for the main village; they 

 conmiand a view, ranging from 6 to 15 miles, on all sides. The' 

 mounds on the Split Rock site appear to have nearlj^ all been used 

 for burial. 



The exploration of mound No. 1, on the Omaha section of the town, 

 showed a beautiful little knoll on the edge of the steep, bluff-like bank 

 of Split Rock River. In its soil the Indians dug a shallow pit, about 

 12 by 6 feet, and 2 feet deep. Here were placed bones belonging to 

 five bodies, several of which appeared to have been buried after decay 

 of the flesh. One body appeared to have been closely flexed before 

 it was placed in the pit. The position of the skeleton of a horse with 

 a crushed frontal bone showed that when this body bundle had been 

 placed in the pit, a large horse, about seven years of age, had been 

 led to the knoll, and there killed. Then, over all these, a low, round- 

 topped mound, 60 feet across at the base and 5^ feet in height, had 

 Deen raised. 



Mound No. 2, the largest of the group, was round topped, 110 feet 

 across at the base, and 10 feet high. A rectangular charnel pit, 12 by 

 14 feet and 2 feet deep, had been dug in the surface of the soil near 

 the center of the town. This pit was thoroughly lined or coated with 

 a white layer about one-eighth inch in thickness, made from calcined 

 bones. The bottom and sides of the pit were then probably covered 

 with furs, now indicated by a thin layer of animal matter on the 

 white coating. Bones representing about 50 human beings had been 

 laid on the floor of this fur-lined pit. 



Traces of the thin fur layer were also found on top of this solid 

 mass of human bones. Over this fur covering a layer of bark was 

 placed, and upon this bark earth had been spread to a depth of 

 from 3 to 6 inches. The earth was then smoothed and pressed down, 

 and on this surface a white coating, similar to that on the bottom 

 and sides, had been spread. Only one small, cylindrical copper bead 

 Avas found with all this mass of bones, and no object of white man's 

 manufacture was found. There is evidence that this portion of the 

 site was occupied by the Omahas somewhere between 1725 and 17T5. 



While the Omahas and their kindred, the Poncas, lived together 

 at the Split Rock site some of the most important events in their 

 history took j)lace. The united Omahas and Poncas and their old 

 enemies, the Cheyennes and Arikaras, here made a peace which 

 was concluded with great ceremony. At the urgent request of the 



