CERTAIN ABORIGINAL MOUNDS OF THE GEORGIA COAST. 25 



Within sight of a road at " The Thicket," on the property of Mr. H. S. Ravenel, 

 of Darien, was a symmetrical little mound of brownish sand, 3 feet 5 inches' in 

 height and 30 feet across the base. 



It was totally demolished. 



In the northwestern margin, 33 inches below the surface which was there just 

 above the surrounding level, was a layer 4 feet by 3 feet by 10 inches thick, of 

 oyster shells and sand completely blackened by an admixture of charcoal. With 

 this blackened sand was considerable other sand dyed red with hematite. This 

 curious layer formed the bottom of a pit as was clearly shown by undisturbed sand 

 of a different color on either side. Closest scrutiny failed to reveal human remains 

 or artifacts in this peculiar pit. 



About the center of the mound, 2 feet from the surface, was a bunched burial 

 with two crania and a variety of other bones. In association was a great quantity 

 of powdered hematite scattered among many oyster shells. 



Four feet down beneath the central plateau, directly beneath the burial already 

 referred to, was a confused mass of human bones including 27 crania, about 5 feet 

 by 6 feet by 10 inches thick. The oyster shells and hematite lying beneath the 

 bunched burial formed a covering for this mass of bones. With the bones was a 

 small discoidal shell bead and a tubular bead of shell about .75 of an inch in length. 



A few sherds lay loose in the sand throughout the mound. 



On Mr. Mansfield's property at " The Thicket," about one-half mile in a 

 westerly direction from the landing, on the edge of the road and opposite the 

 church, was a symmetrical mound 2 feet 9 inches in height and 30 feet across the 

 base. No previous investigation was apparent. 



It was totally demolished. 



The mound, which was composed of yellowish-brown sand, contained no oyster 

 shells. Scattered bits of charcoal and one local layer of charcoal were present. 



Human remains were in the last stage of decay. Apparently in all but three 

 cases the bunched burial was represented. One skeleton lay in anatomical order 

 and two pockets of calcined human bones were centrally situated 4 feet from the 

 surface, immediately on a layer of sand blackened by fire and by intermixture with 

 charcoal. In all, fragments of 13 crania were noted in the mound. 



Nine inches down apparently near no human remains, were, the shaft of a 

 bone of a lower animal, longitudinally grooved ; a number of fragments of columella? 

 of marine univalves, and a mass of stone of volcanic origin about 2 inches by 1.5 

 inches by .5 of an inch, deeply grooved on one side and grooved to a certain extent 

 on the other. This stone had, in addition, been used as a hammer as a portion 

 involving the groove, had been split off. 



With a skeleton at length, to which reference has been made, near the cranium, 

 was a portion of a disc of copper carbonated through and through. Immediately 

 beneath the cranium were 246 small chips of chert. This skeleton lay 3 feet from 

 the surface. 



