CERTAIN ABORIGINAL MOUNDS OF THE GEORGIA COAST. 57 



Though certain other pits were unmistakably present, with two or three excep- 

 tions in the marginal portion, we noticed none extending into undisturbed sand 

 below the base, and though, owing to a rainy season, the base of the mound was 

 just above water-level which induced the caving of sand and made exact scrutiny 

 difficult, we believe few, if any, graves escaped us. In such parts of the body of 

 the mound as were made up of yellow sand, burials were not present though many, 

 apparently not in pits, lay in the dark sand. Manj^ more seemed to be just beneath 

 a thickening in the superficial layer of midden refuse while, in numerous cases, 

 grave-pits extending into the dark sand were filled with shell debris from the 

 surface layer. 



HUMAN EEMAINS. 



In the mound, human remains were encountered at 192 points and others, it 

 must be borne in mind, must have been removed by previous digging and by the 

 use of the plow on the lower portions of the mound. 



The 192 burials present in the mound, at the time of its demolition by us, may 

 be classified as follows : 



115 Skeletons. 8 Calcined deposits. 



11 Aboriginal disturbances. 3 Skeletons in urns. 



15 Late disturbances. 3 Calcined remains in urns. 



31 Decayed and crushed remains. 4 Not noted. 



2 Layers of uncremated bones. 

 Skeletons. — Of those successfully removed there were : 



43 Males. 5 Adolescents. 



40 Females. 11 Children. 1 



12 Uncertain. 4 Infants. 1 



Many of the skeletons lay between decayed wood or bark. Skeletons were as 

 to position as follows : 





Flexed on 

 right side. 



Flexed on 

 left side. 



At length. 



Special. 



Male 



27 



5 



6 



5 



Female 2 



28 



4 



2 



5 



Uncertain 



8 



1 



1 



2 



Adolescent 



3 







2 



Children * 



8 







2 



Infants 



3 







1 



The skeletons at length were face down and all were below the base, on it, or 

 well down in the body of the mound. 

 Special positions were as follows : 

 Burial No. 10, child of about 10 years, flexed with trunk on back. 



1 Eight additional skeletons, badly crushed and decayed, two certainly of children and six of 

 infants, are included with the crushed and decayed remains. 



2 Data as to the side of one flexed female skeleton and of one child are omitted in the field notes. 



