1876.] Exploration of a Mound in Utah. 411 
probably wattled, supporting a roof made of slender poles, which 
sustained a grass thatch covered with mud for the outer layer. 
Others had a stone wall or foundation, laid up with elay mortar. 
The included space was square, shown by a well-defined line of 
ashes where the walls had been burned down, with bits of charcoal 
seattered over the surface which were derived from the poles of the 
roof, while over all was an almost continuous layer of clay, burned 
to the hardness of soft brick, which had covered the roof. These 
brick-like masses still preserved the impress of the wood upon 
which the clay had been plastered. The amount of ashes in each 
little inclosure differed somewhat, in proportion to the thickness 
of the roof, and the quantity of household implements or provisions 
which it may have contained at the time of the conflagration. 
The location of the domestic hearth seemed to be distinctly shown 
by the accumulation of a mass of ashes, semicircular in form, and 
ten or twelve inches deep. In several instances large flat stones 
were found neatly arranged around these fire-places, as if to retain 
the fire in its proper limits. Other inclosures or pens of slabs of 
rock were noticed, and were interpreted to be storing places for 
Provisions. All the rock material used in and about the build- 
mgs was brought from a distance, probably by water-carriage 
on the river, there being no stone quarry near the place. There 
could not be discovered any regular disposition of the buildings 
1n rows, circles, or around a square, but their location seemed to 
have been determined by some such event as the burning down 
of one dwelling, and the necessity of erecting another in some 
quarter at a distance, for the occupancy of the survivors. 
ome portion of the skeleton of the cremated Indian was 
always found within the inclosure marked out by the lines of 
ashes. The effect of the fire had been to destroy the body, and 
What remained of the bones crumbled on exposure to the air; 
* portion of one or two crania being all that could be brought 
away. Many other objects were also found, such for instance as 
stone mortars, metates, pestles, grinding-stones, flint arrow and 
“pear heads, earthenware jars, and such other Indian implements 
i property as could not be destroyed by the fire. 
Adjacent to the skeletons was found what was judged to be 
r atended provision of water and food, arranged in appropriate 
"a those for water being generally of the same globular 
be. The vessels were of hard-burnt earthenware, for the most 
of a grayish color and ornamented inside with parallel black 
> With occasional triangular or quadrangular black spots. 
