16 BULLETIN, PUBLIC MUSEUM, MILWAUKEE. [Vol. III. 



was undoubtedly obtained from the vicinity, our excavations show 

 that, in many instances, special earths, evidently sacrificial, were 

 brought from considerable distances, and interspersed with the 

 strata of local earths. 



The sacred earths were placed, usually under or surrounding 

 burials, and as special sacrificial strata between ceremonial fires; 

 also around altars and about animal remains buried in the mounds, 

 presumably as sacrifices. They were of four kinds : a fine, light yel- 

 low, sandy loam; a golden sand; a brick red sand; and red clay. 

 The contrasts between these highly colored strata and those of the 

 somber local earths with which they were interspersed was one of 

 the most striking features of these excavations. These contrasts 

 may be seen in plate IX, fig. 2, where a photograph of a pocket of 

 this golden sand is shown. Also plates III, IV, and VIII show the 

 stratification of three of the most important mounds of this group, 

 indicating the colors of the various materials used in their con- 

 struction. Although this use of special sacred earths or sands is 

 found in certain other sections of America it is certainly an anomaly 

 in this northern region. 



Further, the mounds show strata of fire blackened earth, charcoal 

 and ashes, as well as evidences of decomposed organic matter. 

 These point to the celebration of elaborate ceremonies in which 

 burnt sacrifices and unburned offerings of effects were placed in the 

 mound during its construction. While these strata of sacred earths, 

 unburned offerings, and fire remains form the minor portion of the 

 materials of most of the mounds they were doubtless considered to 

 be of the highest importance by these builders. In fact, in certain 

 mounds, particularly in those devoted to cremation and burial, they 

 often actually form the major part of the contents. 



CONSTRUCTION OF MOUNDS 



Although it is often popularly presumed that mounds are simply 

 piles of earth heaped up on the existing surface of the ground, 

 careful investigation will probably show that this is rarely the case 

 in Wisconsin except in very recent mounds. Our excavations in 

 the Kratz Creek group have clearly demonstrated that these mounds 

 are in most cases quite complex in their structure. 



The only exception is a class of small conical mounds, appar- 

 ently unfinished. These are very low, flat-topped mounds, contain^ 



