40 ABORIGINAL SITES IN LOUISIANA AND IN ARKANSAS. 
the depth of these layers varied somewhat locally), in which were quantities of 
broken mussel-shells, some fragments of potterv and of bones of lower animals, 
and a few fireplaces. It was clear that this lower layer, which rested upon 
undisturbed clay, had been a dwelling-site to which an addition had been made. 
Burials were present in both layers, but no signs of pits were apparent, and 
if any had been made from the present surface of the mound into the lower layer, 
they would have been filled with a mixture containing shells and other débris. 
A number of burials lay immediately on top of the lower layer, so that it 
seems likely that those living on the original, or under, layer buried in it for a 
period, and that at some time the contents of the bone-house had been spread 
over the surface of the original mound and the upper layer of clay had been 
placed upon them. By far the greater number of burials, however, seemed to 
be in the lower part of the mound, which probably had been built up throughout 
a long period of occupancy. 
Judging from the three excavations made by us, the lower part of the mound 
had been buried into to such an extent that in places it had become a complete 
entanglement of bones. The burials found, none of which was deeper than about 
3 feet, included sixty-six skulls, thirteen of which had belonged to children or 
infants. i 
The form of burial, in the main, had been at full length on the back (one 
skeleton lay extended, face down), but to such an extent had grave cut through 
grave in this mound that only parts of many extended burials remained, the 
rest of the skeletons being mixed in the contents of the disturbing graves. 
Also in this mound it had been the custom, when interring a skeleton the 
bones of which probably were held together by ligaments at the time, to gather 
up and put with this burial a quantity of loose bones belonging probably to 
some who had died at an earlier period. For example, one extended burial in 
the mound had beside it and above it a mingling of bones belonging to skeletons 
of two adults and of one child. 
With all the skeletal remains removed by us from this mound was not an 
artifact of any kind. Scattered in the midden débris were a few small fragments 
of pottery, several bearing decoration of incised, parallel lines and two having a 
uniform coating of red pigment. 
For some reason, stone of any kind was, so far as our investigation went, 
of extreme rarity in the mound; only in one instance (a fractured pebble) was 
any encountered. 
A mound on the bank of the Tensas, about in line with the preceding one, 
3 feet high and 60 feet in diameter, proved to be of clay and contained no burials 
so far as could be determined. 
MOUNDS NEAR INDIAN Bayou, MADISON PARISH. 
: Part of the extensive property on Tensas river, belonging to Mr. A. E. 
Hinds, who lives near Indian bayou, is bounded on the north by that stream 
