20 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 118 



this assumption will appear later, as the evidence from the other 

 sites is presented. 



After the investigation, the surface of this rectangular block was 

 sliced down in 1-foot levels, as shown in plate 8. This process was 

 continued until the level of the primary floor was reached. At this 

 level a floor bounded by the post molds which had been noted previ- 

 ously was revealed. Covering the entire surface of the primary floor 

 were the burned remains of a collapsed structure. Plate 9 shows a 

 portion of this structure before it was removed from the floor. 

 These burned remnants consisted of charred remains of logs, split 

 cane, and grass thatching which had been attached to the log posts. 



Plate 4, &, is a close-up showing the cane matting covering a fallen 

 post. This matting, to which the grass thatching was attached, had 

 been woven of split cane and bark. The removal of this fallen struc- 

 ture revealed a thoroughly prepared clay floor, upon which rested an 

 altar and a clay seat. These two features were the only objects on 

 or above the prepared clay floor. These were designated "Features 

 No. 8 and No. 9", and are shown in figure 5. 



Feature No. 8. — The fireplace or "altar" is shown in plate 132, a. 

 It consisted of a nearly square clay platform 6 feet 10 inches in length 

 and 6 feet 8 inches in width, raised 6 inches above the floor level. In 

 the center of this platform was a pit, oblong in shape and running 

 from the center of the altar to its western edge. This pit was filled 

 with ashes to a depth of 33 inches. Near each corner of the altar 

 was a circular concave depression which was very smooth on the 

 interior surface. Each was 9 inches in diameter and nearly 2 inches 

 deep, and was nonsymmetrical^ placed, as shown in figure 5. Rest- 

 ing on this altar was a soft clay bowl, 12 inches by 14 inches by 

 6% inches on the outside and 4 inches in depth on the inside. It 

 was unburned and quite soft, and when exposed to the air rapidly 

 disintegrated. 



Feature No. 9. — Against the southeast wall of the structure a clay 

 seat of three steps was discovered (pi. 10). The seat faced northwest 

 and was made of clay hardened by the action of fire. It was in line 

 with the center of the structure. It was placed so closely against 

 the southeast wall of the building that several of the posts of the 

 southeast wall had been set in a portion of the lowest step which ex- 

 tended 14 inches behind the rear of the two upper steps, as shown 

 in figure 4. In cutting down the clay between the primary and the 

 secondary floor levels workmen damaged the surface of the seat before 

 its nature was discovered. The damaged portion was restored and 

 the seat was then photographed, as shown in plate 128, a. The 

 dimensions and orientation of this feature are shown in figure 4. 



