CERTAIN ABORIGINAL MOUNDS OF THE GEORGIA COAST. 43 



the bottom, and considerably higher around it. Oyster shells had then been poured 

 in, forming a mass 3 feet 10 inches in depth, and 6 feet across where the pit was 

 covered by the layer of shell belonging to that portion of the mound. This inter- 

 esting grave is shown in section in Fig. 25. 



REMARKS. 



The mound on Creighton Island, the largest of its type investigated by us, is 

 full of interest to the student of archaeology. Absolutely nothing in any way 

 indicating white contact was discovered, and we fail to see how, knowing the wide 

 distribution of objects through aboriginal barter, it could have been in use after the 

 coming of the whites and yet contain no object derived from them. 



Within view of the landing at Creighton Island was a low mound containing 

 irregular strata of shell, which, though not thoroughly demolished, had a number 

 of trenches dug into it by us, and a portion of the center 

 excavated. Human remains in a layer, some cremated and 

 jsome unaffected by fire, were encountered at the center of the 

 mound. No artifacts were found with them. In other parts 

 of the mound were many sherds with incised and with com- 

 plicated decoration. In addition was what remained of a 

 curious little earthenware effigy of a woman, without head, 

 arms or legs (Fig. 26). 



Another effigy of a woman, in a like state of mutilation, 



was shown us by a gentleman living on the mainland a few 



miles from Creighton Island, who stated it had been washed 



Fig 'oTf7maie the Lrr o Sd from a she11 bluff 011 Cedar creek, fronting his residence. 



(Tun slze^ 011 Island ' This figure tapered gracefully at the waist and bore incised 



ornamentation front and back. 



Hopkins Mound, Belleville, McIntosh County. 



Belleville, on the south side of the Sapelo river, is the landing of the settle- 

 ment of Crescent about 1.5 miles inland. 



In woods, though formerly cultivated land, about 1 mile in a westerly direction 

 from Belleville, is a mound on the property of C. H. Hopkins, Esq., of Meridian, 

 near Darien, Ga., who cordially placed it at our disposition. 



The mound had been considerably dug into previously, but no sustained inves- 

 tigation had been carried on. Its height was 13 feet 2 inches ; its diameter of base, 

 76 feet. The ascent of the most uniform side was at an angle of 26°. Investiga- 

 tion showed the mound to begin at about the commencement of its upward slope. 

 A section 50 feet in breadth at the margin of the base, including the S. by W. to 

 the S. E. by E. portion, with fairly oblique sides converging toward the center, was 

 dug into along the base. The mound was made of yellow sand of a lightish color 

 with but little discoloration from organic or foreign matter of any sort. In the 

 central portion were five or six layers of oyster shells each about 4 inches thick, 



