HEYE— NORTH CAROLINA MOUNDS 



The next indication of human remains was part of a lower jaw, 

 found near the surface, one of the condyles protruding from the soil. 

 It was impossible to determine where the burial had been, as this 

 fragment, like the one just mentioned, had been carried from its origi- 

 nal position by the plow. James Plott, the owner of the mound, 

 stated that he had not noticed human bones in his plowing, but there 

 is no doubt that, owing to cultivation and to natural causes, the sur- 

 face of the mound has been greatly reduced and that many burials 

 have been upturned and the bones scattered. 



Directly west of the center of the mound a stone grave was found, 

 one of the upright stones of which protruded slightly above the surface 

 (pi. iv). The grave measured six feet eleven inches in length by three 

 feet three inches in width. It was directed north and south, the 

 rounded or head end being toward the latter point. The stones form- 

 ing the sides of the grave were roughly shaped, the ends that extended 

 downward into the ground being tapered. The sides and northern 

 end of the grave were so placed that the stones touched, while those 

 forming the semicircle at the head were set slightly apart. The bot- 

 tom, or floor, was formed of two layers of large flat water-worn stones. 

 In the lower layer, near the center of the grave, a large thick potsherd 

 was found, and near it a piece of mica. 



The stones that covered the grave had been placed on the earth 

 which filled it, and did not rest on the upright side or end stones. 

 The stones that lined the bottom of the grave rested on a stratum of 

 yellow river sand. 



The only part of a skeleton found in this grave was a fragment 

 of skull. Three feet east of the grave the femora were found, but no 

 other parts of the burial were visible. Aside from the potsherd and 

 the piece of mica already mentioned, nothing was found with the 

 remains. From the condition of the grave, and because the leg-bones 

 were found beyond its limits, it is probable that this interment had 

 been opened either by early settlers in the region or had been de- 

 spoiled by the Cherokee or by other Indians who occupied the region 

 after the departure of the original inhabitants. 



The fourth burial was represented by a fragment of the skull of 

 an adult, found seven feet beneath the surface. Not far from this 

 fragment another was found, resting at about the same level, and 

 beneath it was a layer of water-worn pebbles. Near the second frag- 

 ment of cranium a portion of the pelvis and particles of the femora 

 were found. No other bones were in evidence, and those mentioned 

 were greatly decayed. The general direction of the disturbed earth 

 was east and west, which was probably the trend of the grave, in 



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