544 SOME ABORIGINAL SITES ON RED RIVER. 
No further burials were found in the body of this mound, though our explora- 
tory excavations radiating from the main, central one practically covered that part 
of the mound which lay beneath the summit-plateau. 
BURIAL NUMBER 9 (THE GREAT Pir). 
Numerous references have been made to а dark layer of soil about 11 feet below 
the summit-plateau of the mound, which we believed to mark the original surface 
of the ground on which the mound was built. When in the course of our main ex- 
cavation this layer of soil was reached, it was noticed that about centrally in it (and 
consequently nearly centrally in the base of the mound also) this layer had been 
cut through, thus denoting the presence of a pit. As small local layers in the mound 
but short distances above this disturbance of the basal layer were intact, it was evi- 
dent that a pit had been dug from the surface of the ground before the mound was 
built, and as no thin, dark layer denoting either use as a dwelling-site or decay of 
vegetable matter, as the case might be, lay above the upper surface of the pit, it is 
fair to assume that the mound, or a part of it, was reared soon after the filling of 
the pit. 
The pit was nearly oblong, the long diameter being NNW. and SSE. The 
two sides were 8 feet and 8 feet 8 inches in length respectively ; the ends each about 
6 feet across. Through the upper part of the pit its outline was clearly defined. 
After our digging in the pit had been continued from the level of the upper 
surface of the dark basal layer to a depth of 5 feet 7 inches, through mixed ma- 
terial filling the grave, which material, for a distance down, was surrounded by the 
red clay already described, we reached sand with a slight admixture of clay, giving 
but little indication of previous disturbance. However, close examination showed 
here and there small masses of clay, and at a depth of 7 feet 8 inches part of the 
lower jaw of a deer was found, showing conclusively that we were not in undisturbed, 
underlying soil. In this part of the pit its outline was rather indefinite as the red 
clay which surrounded the upper part of the pit had given place to sand. 
At a depth of 12 feet below the level of the upper surface of the basal layer a 
human skeleton was encountered. The skeleton, that of an aged male,’ lay at full 
. length on the back, the head directed toward SSE. The burial, of which the 
cranium and a few other bones were saved in fairly good condition, rested оп а 
dark layer about one inch in thickness, which clearly marked the bottom of the pit. 
This layer presumably owed its color to the decay of perishable material which had 
been placed upon the base of the pit at the time of the burial—skins, feather-work, 
wood, matting, various other fabrics, any or all. In two places on the base of the 
pit where deposits of objects were found, this layer of discolored soil extended up- 
ward a short distance against the sides of the grave as if some perishable objects 
placed on the remaining deposit had decayed there. 
The objects found with this burial were fairly numerous. Near the feet was 
an undecorated pot of good, polished, black ware, of about two quarts capacity. 
' See description of this skeleton, by Dr. Aleš Hrdlička, at the close of this report. 
