REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I919 I3 



It was hoped that this important site might yield a large number 

 of interesting remains that would shed light on the Denonville period 

 of the Seneca. Our success during 1919 was sufficient to warrant 

 an additional examination during May 1920. Operations were 

 started on May 15th, the entire tract of land on the Moore farm 

 being post holed. For the first two weeks little was found, but as 

 the work started on the east side of the hill at a point that must 

 have been the old stockade line, burials were found in numbers. 

 Nearly two each day were unearthed. In all in the thirty-three 

 graves there were found about fifty skeletons. The burials at this 

 spot differed considerably from those on the west side, in that there 

 were many disassociated remains. This may be due to several 

 causes; first, the remains may be those of the slain after the battle; 

 second, they may be the remnants of the house-burials ; third, they 

 may be the remains of those " buried " in trees and later taken down 

 and thrown in burial pits. 



In the east burial site European artifacts were numerous, the 

 usual iron axes, copper and brass kettles and iron knives occurring 

 in about the same proportion as on the west side. The articles of 

 native manufacture found here include one antler spoon with a 

 forklike end, four complete bone combs and three combs with 

 broken teeth. A number of triangular arrow points were recovered, 

 these being exceedingly rare as surface finds since the inhabitants 

 had used guns for a generation before the destruction of their vil- 

 lage. Beads of many kinds were found. Where possible they were 

 restrung bead for bead as taken from the burial. In this manner 

 we have restored several of these necklaces to their original condi- 

 tion. Of exceptional interest are the two pottery vessels found in 

 graves. These were in a broken condition but it is hoped that they 

 may be restored. Very few pottery fragments have been found on 

 Boughton Hill and so far as we know none has been found in a com- 

 plete condition, or even sets of restorable fragments. The type of 

 pottery is a modified serrated or scalloped edge, of the Seneca or 

 Neutral style of 1650. One pot has four perforated knobs that were 

 evidently handles. 



The interesting history of Boughton Hill and the character of the 

 recoveries will make our two expeditions the subject of a larger and 

 more complete report. It should be noted now, however, that the 

 site was secured through lease by favor of Mrs F. F. Thompson 

 of Canandaigua, to whom the Museum is indebted for many gifts 

 and favors. The field experts this year were George E. Stevens 

 and David B. Cook, both of Albany. 



