1919] BARRETT AND HAWKES, KRATZ CREEK MOUNDS. 23 



equal intervals along the top of a mound. Detached pockets of 

 ceremonial earths were found in several of the mounds, though no 

 circle or line of such pockets was observed. 



At frequent intervals throughout the mound strata are inter- 

 spersed thin layers of discolored earths which indicate the presence 

 of decomposed organic matter. These are probably the remains of 

 considerable sacrifices of goods which were deposited directly as 

 offerings among the strata of sacrificial earths and fire layers. The 

 fact that the goods deposited are now indicated by only this thin 

 layer of discolored earth can not be taken as a criterion of their orig- 

 inal quantity or value. Even to a greater extent is this true of the 

 fire strata which doubtless represent the burning of great quan- 

 tities of wood and large numbers of offerings. 



One may well imagine the elaborate ceremonial procedure which 

 accompanied the burning and deposition of these offerings, espe- 

 cially in connection with the great final fire overspreading the 

 mound as a crowning ceremony celebrating its completion. 



The extent of these fires in some mounds was phenomenal. In 

 the case of the panther mound shown in fig. 5, the final fire covered 

 a large part of the body, and extended throughout the length of 

 the tail, a distance of about one hundred and eighty feet. Another 

 panther mound, shown in fig. 17, was three hundred and sixty feet 

 in length and had a fire extending for two hundred feet back over 

 its body and along the tail. The eagle mound had a thick fire 

 stratum covering its entire surface. The body was about fifty by 

 twenty feet while its wings spread one hundred and twenty-five 

 feet from tip to tip. 



From these facts we must conclude that in building these 

 mounds sacrifices played a most important role. They were fre- 

 quently used from the very foundation of the mound to the crown- 

 ing fire celebrating its completion. Also, the considerable num- 

 ber of types of sacrifices is unusual and the evidently great quan- 

 tities in which they were employed are often extraordinary. 



DISPOSITION OF THE DEAD 



The most easily obtainable evidence concerning the disposition 

 of the dead is of course found in the burials. It must not be as- 

 sumed, however, that this was the predominant custom. The pres- 



