3-6 ^iiW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



depth of 12 inches, lying on the left side heading west and facing 

 north, folded up in the characteristic position shown in the picture 

 (plate 104). .Near the top of the grave was a distinct layer of 

 ashes. The bones w^re in fair condition, although badly cracked by 

 the plow, especially the skull which fell entirely to pieces. Nothing 

 had been buried with the dead, unless a few grains of charred corn 

 may be considered, or the lower mandible of some squirrel found 

 lyng on the right side of the crumbling bones. The skeleton in pit 

 51 was similar except that it headed west-southwest and lay at about 

 26 inches deep, well out of reach of the plow. This seemed to be 

 the remains of a woman, while the skeleton in pit 9 was evidently 

 that of a man. 



Eleven of the skeletons found (about one-third of the total num- 

 ber) were those of children. These, so far as could be traced from 

 the badly decayed bones, lay in the typical folded position. 



In five cases the remains of two individuals were found in a single 

 grave, in two instances both adults, in three an adult and a child 

 (see plate 105). Little can be said about these skeletons except to 

 note that of the two in pit 21, "A'' had a skull of relatively high 

 type while that of " B " was unusually low, with high brow ridges 

 and considerable prognathism. 



In pit 59 we have a good example of a child and an adult buried 

 together. It is interesting to note the irregular decay of the bones, 

 probably due to the disintegrating action of roots and similar causes. 

 The head, shoulders and upper body of the adult are well preserved, 

 while in the lower part and in the child's skeleton decay has nearly 

 destroyed even the largest of the bones. 



On the whole the bones are nuich worse as to preservation than 

 those previously found in New York State by the museum expedi- 

 tions — due partly perhaps to greater age and partly to local condi- 

 tions. ]\Iany of the bones lay directly upon the clayey hardpan below 

 the layer of sandy soil, which niade them liable to long-continued 

 soaking in and after ever\' spell of wet weather. 



As to orientation of the burials, little order stems to have \wen 

 practised. Out of twent\-nine observations, eleven skeletons headed 

 \\est or nearly so, seven east, one north, live south, three northwest 

 and two southwest. It will be noticed here that there seems to be a 

 preference for heading the bodies west, which became more ajipar- 

 ent when we consider that the three heading northwest and the two 

 southwest may have been intended to head west. It also seems to 

 have been something of an object to let the faces of the dead turn 



