THE ST. JOHN'S RIVER, FLORIDA. 



173 



near Tomoka Creek, to which reference has been made, eight beautiful ceremonial 

 implements of this type, some of which he has figured and described. 1 



Another feature, worthy of remark, is the absence in these mounds of other 

 implements of stone. One would at least expect hatchets and projectile points. 



The most noteworthy point of the entire investigation was the total absence of 

 vessels of earthenware, whole or fragmentary, and the virtual absence of sherds. 

 During our first investigation of the larger mound at Thornhill Lake, though 

 each spadeful of material was closely watched, not one sherd was encountered, 

 save superficially. During the demolition of the mound the question of presence 



Fig. 42. Ceremonial of phosphate rock, 

 Thornhill Lake. (Full size.) 



Fig. 43. Ceremonial of serpentine, Thorn hi 

 Lake. (Full size.) 



or absence of earthenware was carefully kept in mind. About four feet from the 

 surface were two sherds with the ordinary stamped decoration. We were present 

 at their discovery, and are convinced as to their position as stated. They were 

 doubtless of accidental introduction, since the entire mound yielded no other 

 earthenware. 



In the smaller mound no pottery was met with. 



This almost total absence of sherds and earthenware, fragmentary or otherwise, 

 is entirely novel in our investigation of Indian mounds devoted to purposes of 

 sepulture, and it is evident that, with the makers of the mounds at Thornhill Lake, 

 the custom of interring earthenware with the dead did not obtain — an unlooked 

 for departure. 



1 Proceedings of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Vol. XXXI, Montreal 

 Meeting, Aug. 1882. 



