30 CERTAIN SAND MOUNDS OF 



Coppei'. — In every portion of the mound, superficially and almost on the base 

 where the mound was of the greatest height, were various objects wrought from or 

 coated with, sheet copper. This sheet copper had the appearance of being an Indian 

 product, reduced to the desired thickness by hammering, while the design, appar- 

 ently produced by pressure, seemed to indicate aboriginal work, an opinion shared 

 by Dr. Dall to whom a specimen of the workmanship in copper has been referred, 

 and by Professor Holmes who has examined the entire collection. 



Two feet from the surface was a concavo-convex disc of sheet copper centrally 

 perforated. Its diameter was 1 inch. Such discs are reported from various sections, 

 and somewhat similar ones are figured by Squier and Davis. 1 In one of the mounds 

 they found a block of compact sandstone with circular depressions and suggest the 

 probability (page 207) that these depressions were used as moulds to give the discs 

 convexity through the medium of pressure. Other copper discs closely resembling 

 the Mt. Royal specimens are reported from Tennessee, 2 and described as probably 

 " relics of De Soto," an opinion which we do not share. 



Copper and copper coated beads in various forms were found throughout the 

 mound. 



One form consisted of a section of a reed thinly coated with copper, forming 

 a tubular bead. Rau in " The Archaeological Collection of the United States 

 National Museum," page 62, describes similar ornaments, though somewhat longer, 

 from an Indian grave near Newport, R. I. " These tubular ornaments, however," 

 he says " though covered with verdigris, cannot be very old, considering that each 

 of them encloses a tightly fitting piece of reed of equal length, evidently stuck into 

 the cylinders for diminishing the width of the holes, and even remnants of a narrow 

 thong by which they were connected or attached, have been preserved. It is prob- 

 able that the tubes are of Indian (not European) workmanship, and their appear- 

 ance bears witness to a comparatively recent origin." 



We are inclined to believe that a conclusion as to a comparatively modern 

 origin can hardly be based upon the preservation of the reeds and of the thong. 

 The preservative action of the salts of copper is well known. 



Beads of sheet copper were found in Ohio by Mr. Moorehead. 3 



Three feet down was a piece of sheet copper, 4 inches by 2*12 inches pressed 

 to form a central protuberance or boss 125 inches in diameter at the base. It was 

 centrally perforated. 



Five feet below the surface was an oblong sheet of copper 2*4 by 1"9 inches. 

 The thickly corroded surface was subsequently cleared by the use of dilute acid, 

 showing the plate to be of irregular thickness, varying from "16 of an inch to 

 almost a cutting edge and revealing an interesting design made, we believe, 

 through pressure, as striae were plainly visible on the indented surface (Fig. 14). 



Three feet beneath the summit plateau were two objects of sheet copper which 

 apparently had been attached to wood, particles being still adherent. One, 1*5 inches 



1 Op. cit., page 206. 



2 " Antiquities of Tennessee." G- P. Thruston, 1890, page 303. 



3 " Primitive Man in Ohio," page 169. 



