402 ABORIGINAL SITES ON TENNESSEE RIVER. 
On the upper part of the grave, somewhat above its base, at one side, was a 
deposit of charcoal, and a small amount of the same material was at one end of 
the grave, also near its upper surface. In neither instance did the clay near the 
charcoal show any mark of fire. 
The entire contents of the grave were removed by hand with a trowel, the 
material being carefully sliced away under critical examination. Near the 
middle of the grave was the faintest trace of what may have been a small part 
of a single bone. No artifact was present. 
Mound G, 10 feet 3 inches high, 65 feet across the circular base. A sur- 
prisingly symmetrical mound, and especially so in view of the fact that it has 
been under cultivation. No previous digging was apparent. 
Mound H, 138 feet ESE. from Mound G, 7 feet high, 50 feet in diameter 
of base. No former digging was noticeable. 
A hole 12 feet by 12 feet was put down. The mound differed from others 
at this place in that, especially in the lower parts, it contained many irregular 
local deposits of material of a darker color than was that of the rest of the mound. 
These deposits were not in layers, but seemed to have been brought from a place 
other than where the rest of the soil had been taken, perhaps from a swamp which 
is nearby. In digging from above these deposits of dark material were mis- 
leading, as they seemed to indicate the presence of graves. 
Burial No. 1. In a grave apparently was a burial 32 inches down, at full 
length on the back, head W. by S. At the left of the pelvis was a flint knife 
with shoulders, a considerable part of whose pointed end had been broken off. 
The margin of the fracture had been chipped to confer a cutting edge. Five 
fragments of the columella of a conch, much decayed, were at the neck, two at 
the left elbow, one at the left hand. 
Burial No. 2. A skeleton closely flexed on the left, head S., was 5 feet 10 
inches down, seemingly in a grave. 
Burial No. 3, a skeleton partly flexed to the left, the head WNW.; depth 
7 feet. 
Burial No. 4, at one corner of the excavation, partly flexed to the left, the 
head SW. by W., very badly decayed. At the pelvis of the skeleton was a small 
arrowhead of flint. This burial lay at a depth of about 8 feet, and probably 
was on the original surface, but when it was discovered heavy rain was falling 
and had been for some time. The base of the excavation was a mass of mud 
and remained so during the time our work in the mound continued. Conse- 
quently determination as to the exact base-line of the mound was not possible. 
Incidentally, it may be asked why digging is not postponed in mounds when 
conditions arise interfering with thorough investigation. Postponement in 
investigation of mounds in a region where visitors are numerous 18 inadvisable, 
especially when the work is nearing the base, as outsiders are likely to finish the 
digging in one’s absence. 
Burial No. 5, partly flexed to the right, the head SW.; depth, 8 feet. 
