334 THE INDIAN OCCUPANCY 



Earth-Works. 



Earth-works are reported to have been found in the early 

 days in Erie and Niagara Counties and on the Canadian side of 

 the Niagara River but no earth- work of any kind exists to day. 

 They were of two types, namely, defensive works and burial 

 mounds. 



The earth-works of the defensive type seem to have formed 

 the bases of palisades which once defended Indian villages or 

 camps. It is probable that all or many of the large villages 

 were thus defended. There is historic evidence that the vil- 

 lages of the Iroquois, the Eries and the Hurons were palisaded, 

 and it can be safely said that the villages in this region were 

 similarly defended. 



A palisade was made of the trunks of trees cut into suitable 

 lengths and set upright in the ground. To support these logs 

 and to hold them more firmly in place, dirt was piled about their 

 bases. The earth thus thrown up formed a ridge coincident 

 with the palisade. When, because of the abandonment or de- 

 struction of the village, the palisade was burned, or slowly 

 decomposed, the ridge remained. This constituted an earth- 

 work of the defensive type. 



The best known examples of this type of earth-work on the 

 Niagara Frontier were found at the site on Buffum Street, 

 Buffalo, (No. 7, Buffalo), and on the site of "Kienuka", (No. 

 39, Lewiston). 



At Falkirk, in Erie County, and a few miles to the west, 

 on the Vandeventer Farm, (No. i and No. 2, Newstead), were 

 two others which may have surrounded small villages. 



Two other groups occurred in Erie County, one in the town 

 of Elma, the other in Clarence. Both were plotted and de- 

 scribed by Mr. Squier. (See list following). These do not 

 seem to have defended villages. The sites enclosed by them 

 have no marks of long occupancy. No refuse heaps can be seen. 

 Some few articles have been found on them, but no pottery. 



They seem to have been fortified camps, or the temporary 

 tarrying places of large groups of people in migration. 



