CERTAIN ABORIGINAL MOUNDS OF THE GEORGIA COAST. 29 



surface. Its height, 1 which attained its maximum at the central part, was 34 inches. 

 Disturbed sand at this point extended 38 inches beneath the general level, as we 

 afterwards learned on the total demolition of the mound, which was carefully sliced 

 down and much adjacent level territory dug through. The diagram (Fig. 14) 

 shows the outline of the mound, the outlying territory dug through and the area in 

 which burials were met with, which included, we believe, all having any connec- 

 tion with the mound. 



There had been no previous investigation, the nature of the mound being- 

 unknown even to the owner. 



COMPOSITION OF MOUND. 



The mound was composed of yellowish-brown sand lying upon undisturbed 

 sand of a bright yellow color. The usual fire places and fragments of charcoal 

 were present at various points. A dark band ran, off and on, through the mound 

 at about the level of the surrounding territory. It presumably marked the base, 

 but was so broken and so irregular that but little could be determined from it. 



Oyster shells in layers and in pockets were locally present but so irregular 

 were the deposits that none but a general description of them can be given. The 

 southern half of the mound proper showed no shell save in small local pockets 

 until at a distance of 23 feet from the center in a southerly direction, where a 

 deposit of considerable extent began, continuing about to the center. This deposit 

 was somewhat undulating in shape, at times almost reaching the surface, and again 

 dipping one or two feet below it. Sixteen feet from the center the deposit divided 

 abruptly leaving a space 8 feet broad filled with sand. Shell continued 18 feet 

 to the west and 7 feet to the east of this interruption. The western deposit, 

 reaching to just beneath the surface loam, was 3 feet thick. Its side adjoining the 

 sand was perpendicular. The eastern deposit had an average thickness of 1.5 feet, 

 its western margin, however, contained a considerable pocket of sand extending 

 down from the surface. This division of the shell layer was doubtless caused by a 

 pit dug through it, as several burials were present in the sand. A few feet farther 

 in, the layer reunited, having then a total length of 34 feet. This layer, disap- 

 pearing toward the center of the mound, gave place to two others in the eastern and 

 western portion of the mound, each of considerable length, which ran out after 

 continuing a few feet toward the north. Other layers of shell in the northern 

 portion of the mound were local and restricted as to size. 



About the center of the mound was a pit (see section, Fig. 15), about 5 feet 

 8 inches in diameter, of the type prevalent among the sea-islands and u2Don the 

 neighboring mainland. Upon its base, 6 feet 10 inches from the surface (it may be 

 as well to describe the burial in connection with the pit), was a layer of fragments 

 of calcined human bones, 6 inches in thickness, with many large shell beads. 

 Upon this layer were about 2 feet 8 inches of dark yellow sand surmounted by 

 about 3 feet 8 inches of oyster shells. At the western upper extremity of the pit 

 1 Long continued cultivation must have considerably impaired the original height. 



4 JOUEN. A. N. S. PHILA., VOL. XI. 



