Archaeological Investigations in Jefferson County, Mo. 171 
probably has destroyed much of the formerly intact aboriginal 
strata. Animal bones were almost completely absent. The vil- 
lage is probably an early component of the Woodland pattern. 
THE BOYCE MOUND AND VILLAGE (LOCATION IV) 
FO, JSZ 
The Boyce mound J°40 and village site J¥32 lie on a low 
second terrace along the left bank of the Plattin Creek two miles 
north of Plattin. A small portion of the site to the east occupies 
bottomland, Fragments of pottery and artifacts have been 
picked up on the surface for a long time and their distribution 
tends to indicate the boundaries of the aboriginal village which 
extends 400 meters north and south and not more than 50 meters 
east and west along the low second terrace. Near the northern 
limits of this location in a field now under alfafa cultivation, 
stone box graves with extended burials and water bottles have 
been found. The mound (100-150 meters south of the ceme- 
tery) before investigation was low, being only about 50 centi- 
meters high. According to Mr. Boyce the mound was graded 
many years ago to facilitate farming operations. Most of the 
surface material has been piled up south of this mound. 
Two trenches were started at the east and west boundaries 
of the site respectively. Unusual dark humus was found down 
to a depth of 50 to 100 centimeters below the edge of the mound. 
Mr. Boyce’s statement that the mound had been graded was 
definitely demonstrated. The lensing indicating separate loads 
of dirt in the mound had almost been destroyed. It had probably 
Once been a steep sided mound of much greater height. 
Three very important formations were found at the base of 
the mound Jo40, At the northeast corner of the mound were 
the burned remains of a rectangular house with rounded cor- 
ners. At nearly the exact center of the mound were the ashes 
Of a deer, presumably sacrificed and lying over the powdered 
remnants of a slightly concave container of bark by means of 
which it had been carried from the fireplace. Two meters to 
the east of this was a deep and narrow refuse pit containing 
