338 ABORIGINAL SITES ON TENNESSEE RIVER. 
these sites had but little depth and presumably were without burials. A frag- 
ment of pottery bearing a complicated-stamp decoration was picked up on the 
surface. 
HarE's Bar, Dam AND Lock. 
Next in our investigation along the Tennessee we reach the dam and lock 
(shown on the map) which recently has been constructed about 33 miles by 
water below the city of Chattanooga and which has transformed Tennessee 
river for about 35 miles up, by water, into a kind of pool, navigable the entire 
year, and furnishing power for various public and private utilities in Chattanooga 
and beyond. = 
The permanent rise in the river above this dam, while of great benefit in 
various ways, has submerged a number of aboriginal sites which our agent, 
descending the river before the dam was operative, had discovered for us, though 
some places in this region, fortunately for us, were on ground not affected by 
the water. 
MOUNDS ON THE BENNETT PLACE, Marton COUNTY. 
On the left-hand side of the river, going up, is a large property belonging to 
Mr. Samuel Bennett, who lives somewhat back from the river, on the hills. 
The lower-lying part of this great estate, abreast of which in the past was an 
island noted for aboriginal relics discovered there, has been submerged in common 
with the island since the completion of the great dam. 
At the time of our visit (November, 1914) unusually low water prevailed in 
Tennessee river, and in consequence several small islands were noticeable in 
this submerged area, all in full view one from another, and two at least of which 
owed to aboriginal occupancy their height above the general level of the sub- 
merged ground. 
MOUND A. 
Mound A, that nearest the river, stood, when we were there, on ground 
oblong in outline with rounded corners, whose extent out of water was about 
120 feet by 75 feet. The maximum height of this area was 4.5 feet above the 
level of the river at that time. 
As it was impossible to decide from the exterior just what part of this area 
constituted the mound, preliminary excavations were made which soon showed 
we had to do with an aboriginal earthwork of a most unusual kind, in whose 
making the ceremonial use of fire had been accorded a prominent part. 
An excavation 47 feet by 65 feet, including the highest part of the area above 
water, was then made, which showed that a part of this area, about 34 feet by 
61 feet, had been devoted to burials and to ceremonies connected with fire, as 
may be seen on the plan of the mound (Fig. 71) made by Doctor Miller on the 
spot. It will also be noted that a few scattered burials were present outside the 
burnt area. 
