32 CERTAIN SAND MOUNDS OF 



Near the center of the mound, two feet from the surface, unassociated, was a 

 pin or piercing implement of copper; length 2 - 75 inches, thickness '1 to "2 of an 

 inch. A portion split from the main part indicated its manufacture by hammering 

 from sheet copper. 



Twelve feet from the center of the mound, 5 feet from the surface, was an 

 object of great interest, consisting of a sheet of copper 106 inches square, centrally 

 decorated with seven depressed concentric circles and having a figure in each corner, 

 the conventional aboriginal bird's head (Plate I). 1 



Beneath the upper plate of copper was a layer of reeds laid side by side and 

 bound together by closely woven vegetable fibre. On one side, however, the reeds 

 were replaced by twisted vegetable fibre of equal length and diameter. Behind 

 this layer was a backing of bark about "25 of an inch in thickness. Next came 

 another copper plate bent over on itself, projecting beyond the other layers on one 

 side. It was ornamented with corrugations running in different directions. Behind 

 the copper were fragments of wood one inch in thickness, probably remnants of a 

 plank serving as a final backing to the various layers. An interesting fact noted 

 in connection with the upper plate was that a broken portion had been repaired by 

 the aid of rude copper rivets. 



This object, worn as a breast plate, might seem sufficient to stop an arrow, 2 

 and probably is of the nature of the copper chest pieces seen by the huguenot 

 Laudonniere, and figured by Le Moyne. 



Immediately below this object were small fragments of a human cranium with 

 teeth, and two pearls, one with lateral perforation. In addition, covered with a 

 thin coating of sheet copper, were portions of the upper and of the lower jaw 

 of a small mammal identified by Professor Cope as the gray fox. The mandible 

 showed perforations as for suspension. In the upper portion the thin metallic 

 coating had been turned in to cover the interior of the orbit. Teeth of the deer, 

 treated in the same manner with sheet copper, have been found in an Illinois 

 mound. 3 



Six feet from the surface were ten cylindrical beads of wood, thinly covered 

 with sheet copper, averaging DOG inches in diameter and "75 of an inch in height. 

 With them were five elongated beads of a like character tapering toward each 

 extremity -; also two cylindrical beads of shell ; the crowns of two human molars, 

 and one premolar ; all bright green through contact with the metal. 



Objects of wood, copper coated, have been found in the stone graves of Tenn- 

 essee. 4 



Seven feet from the surface was the small and beautiful arrow head to which 

 reference has been made. In association with it were beads of copper, or copper- 



J The upper copper plate, greatly corroded, was unfortunately broken in transit. It is, however, capable 

 of restoration. A careful sketch on scale was made at the time of its discovery. 



2 Wonderful accounts, however, as to the power of the Indian bowmen are given by Cabecade Vaca and 

 by the chroniclers of De Soto. 



3 Bulletin of the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences, March, 1887, cited by Nadaillac 



ilt Exploration of the Aboriginal Remains of Tennessee," by Joseph Jones, M. D., page 45. 



