62 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



A peculiar feature of the Lima site is that most of the graves were 

 stoned up, but they did not resemble the stone graves of the pre- 

 Iroquois culture, being deeper and not so well constructed. The 

 poor condition of the skeletons and the broken pots were a result of 

 poorly placed top slabs, which falling in had crushed the contents of 

 the graves. 



Only twelve of the fifty-two graves contained male skeletons. The 

 few male skeletons which were found were of cripples or of aged 

 men, none being of the warrior class. The females showed evi- 

 dences of a hard life, there being broken bones and indications of 

 osseous diseases, such as rheumatism and ankylosis. Ten of the 

 skeletons lay on the right side, one of these being an infant in its 

 mother's arms. One skeleton, also that of an infant, lay face up, 

 the indications being that it had been buried in a cradle board. All 

 the other forty-one skeletons were on the left side. There seemed 

 to be no special orientation in the direction of the face or head, every 

 point of the compass being used. The position of the body was 

 uniformly (except in the case of one infant already mentioned) 

 flexed, that is on the side with the legs bent and the knees drawn 

 up toward the chest. 



The age of this site is manifestly of the early colonial period, sheet 

 brass having been found. That the period was rather early is shown 

 by the fact that there were no brass kettles ; all the European metallic 

 material had been beaten up into ornaments. There were only a few 

 glass and early trade wampum beads. 



The burial site adjoined a village stronghold on the edge of a low 

 bluff made by the intersection of two stream channels ; one an 

 ancient glacial stream or lake, now entirely filled by gravel or peat, 

 and a more modern stream which as a small brook is still running. 



The village site was only superficially examined because it is 

 covered with a clover meadow valuable to the owner. The pits 

 which were examined showed the usual bone and flint material with 

 an occasional piece of metal and the columella of a sea shell. 



By comparing the data of the graves of this site, that is those in 

 the section examined, the Archeologist concludes that the burials are 

 those of captives or slaves. Later investigations, however, may 

 modify this conclusion. 



The Archeologist and the members of the expedition are much 

 indebted to the various members of the Livingston County Historical 

 Society for assistance and other support in pursuing their investiga- 

 tions and surveys throughout the county. It is a source of much 



