NO. 6 SMITHSONIAN EXPLORATIONS. I92O I25 



the great rebellion and took refuge in the mountains to the north. 

 It is probable that further investigation will show that in this area 

 the ruins ascribed to the second period were built and inhabited by 

 refugees from Ztini and Aconia. 



ARCHEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION'S IX EASTPIRX TEXAS 



Archeological held-work was carried on in 1920 jjy the Bureau of 

 American Ethnology in co-operation with the University of Texas 

 under direction of Professor Pearce and Professor Engerrand. 

 Several localities in Texas were visited and considerable intensive 

 work done in the eastern part of the state. 



The region in eastern Texas to which most attention was given was 

 in the vicinity of the little city of Athens in TTenderson County. Judge 

 A. B. W'atkins of that city has long taken a keen interest in tlie 

 history and archeology of the region and was of great help to 

 Professor Pearce in his field-work. A number of aboriginal objects, 

 complete specimens of pottery, clay pipes, conch-shell cores, fine 

 arrowheads and human bones were obtained from an ancient burial 

 ground two miles northeast of Frankston on the De Rossett Farm. 

 One of the oljjects found was a "' turkey call " or whistle made from 

 the drumstick of a turkey. This is identical with those used not 

 many years ago by old white hunters on the frontier and Professor 

 Pearce feels sure that the white man's use of this device was borrowed 

 from the Indian. Professor Pearce finds that the east Texas region 

 ontains numerous mounds, village sites and burial places, among 

 which may be mentioned Nacogdoches, Panola, B<»wic. Wood and 

 other counties. 



Three interesting moiuids on the .M<irrall l-'arm four miles east of 

 Cherokee County were investigated. The liighcst of these moumls 

 has an altitude of about 35 feet above the level valley or field in which 

 they are all located and is about 80 feet across at the base. Tliis 

 mound is very steep and even now after long erosion its si<les rise at 

 an angle of 45*^. Mound B is iSo feet long by J-^ feet wide and rises 

 only 15 feet abr)ve the general level. Tlie other three mounds in the 

 vicinity of .\thens have been ploughed into and lia\c no regularity 

 in form. 



On the Ouate tract east of 1 )c Rossett f.-uin> tlurr arc Indirm 

 mounds which were not regarded as very ancient. ."Several mounds 

 situated in Harrison County on the farm of Mr. Lane Mitchell, of 

 Marsh.'dl. were examined and remains of earth lodges with centr.il 

 fire pits were reached. These mounds are probably mtv ancient. 



