CERTAIN RIVER MOUNDS OF DUVAL COUNTY, FLORIDA. 467 



The enamel coverings of four teeth of the man-eating shark, were found during 

 the investigation. Two of these lay together, three feet from the surface, associated 

 with human remains. 



Upon the surface of the mound were bits of concrete indicating its occupation 

 as a place of abode at a period previous to that of the existence of the frame house 

 of the present owner, Mr. Shields, destroyed by fire some years since. Nails, bits 

 of glass and the like, were found at a certain depth. in the mound in excavations 

 made and filled by ourselves the year previous. In addition, in excavations of limited 

 area, possibly post-holes, and in one case, perhaps the foundation of a chimney, 

 filled with disturbed material and debris, were bits of rusty iron, buttons, a glass 

 bottle, bits of china, a brass bolt, a half-penny of William IV of England, and 

 other articles of White origin. These relics of a late occupation of the mound were 

 sometimes not far removed from purely aboriginal objects and brought forcibly to 

 our mind how readily a careless or inexperienced investigator, or one drawing con- 

 clusions from incomplete reports, might formulate erroneous deductions as to the 

 period of the origin of the mound. 



REMARKS. 



Before proceeding to base conclusions upon the results of the somewhat incom- 

 plete investigation of the Shields mound, several facts must be borne in mind, 

 which, though previously noted, for emphasis are referred to here. 



The few burials discovered toward the margin of the mound were at no great 

 depth, the maximum being about three feet. The great bulk of sand beneath the 

 eastern slope, lying between the point at which some of these burials were discovered 

 and the margin of the summit plateau, contained no interments whatever. In this 

 mass of material, as we have stated, Avere strata of midden refuse with oj^ster 

 shells, bones of lower animals, fire places and all the marks of prolonged occupa- 

 tion. It is probable that these strata extend through the mound. In fact, a large 

 bed of oyster shells was discovered in a central position about seven feet from the 

 surface of the summit plateau. In this bed was a circular hole 8 to 10 inches in 

 diameter, and about 4.5 feet in depth, which may have contained a pole or post 

 during a period when that level was used for domiciliary purposes. 



No burials were found in that part of the mound dug down by us at a greater 

 depth than six feet, and those at that depth were very exceptional. While we 

 freely admit the slight dependence to be placed upon conclusions in respect to a 

 mound which has not been totally demolished, we are inclined to believe that the 

 great Shields platform mound was gradually built, and during this period used as a 

 place of domicile ; subsequently being utilized on the summit plateau for mortuary 

 purposes. 



That the burials in the summit plateau were not intrusive was clearly shown 

 by the unbroken layer of colored sand above. 



