340 MOUNDVILLE REVISITED. 
fifty show йе usual conditions found in bone- syphilis, such as periosteal nodes, 
especially along the crest of the tibia, irregular erosions, scleroses and necroses of 
long bones, erosions of calvarium as from gummata; many bones of the same 
skeleton being affected. I do not think there can be any doubt that these bones 
are from cases of syphilis. 
“ Some other bones of the lot show exostoses of uncertain origin; the remain- 
der are either normal or show fractures more or less healed. 
“ Very respectfully usd obedient servant, 
D. S. Lamb, Pathologist.” 
Among hundreds of objects found by us during both our visits to Mound ville, 
not one, either as to material or in method of treatment, gave any indication of 
other than purely aboriginal provenance, and it is our belief, as well as that of 
eminent archxologists who have examined the artifacts from Moundville, that the 
occupancy of the site was prehistoric. 
The art of Moundville is homogeneous. Тһе same classes of objects were 
found there with human remains whose only trace was a black line in the soil, as 
were encountered with better-preserved skeletons. Not only, as we have said, did 
we fail to find at Moundville a single object denoting European contact, but there 
is no report of any such having been met with there throughout years of cultivation. 
It is well known to mound-investigators what importance is attached by inhabit- 
ants of a place to the discovery of any object of intrinsic value, be that value 
ever so small. Тһе finding of a bead of gold or of a cross of silver causes more 
talk than would a whole collection of aboriginal objects of stone. At Moundville, 
among whites or blacks, no rumor as to precious metals is current, though on all 
sides one hears reports of the discovery of pipes of stone, of objects of shell and the 
like—reports which in justiee to the tactful and intelligent people of Moundville 
we must say almost invariably proved correct. 
HUMAN REMAINS. 
Near MOUND A. 
At the time of our former visit, some work was done in the level ground near 
the western side of Mound A, resulting in the finding of a number of skeletons 
not associated with artifacts of any sort. 
This time, there being no interference on account of growing crops, as was the 
case before, we devoted eight hours to the locality, with an average of fifteen men, 
making trenches and trial-holes. Ten burials were encountered, consisting of eight 
skeletons at full length upon the back; an aboriginal disturbance; and a single 
skull. The burials, which were from one to three and one-half feet in depth, had 
no accompanying artifacts, with the exception of one skeleton with which were a 
bowl and a water-bottle. 
