May 23, 1884.] 
A MOUND OF THE KANAWHA VALLEY. 
A mouND recently opened by Col. P. W. 
Norris, one of the assistants of the Bureau of 
ethnology, presents some facts of more than 
ordinary interest. It is situated on the farm 
of Col. B. H. Smith, near Charleston, W. Va., 
is conical in form, about a hundred and 
seventy-five feet in diameter at the base, and 
thirty-five feet high. It appears, in fact, to be 
double; that is to say, it consists of two 
mounds, one built.on the other, the lower or 
original one being twenty feet, and the upper 
fifteen feet, high. 
The exploration was made by sinking a shaft 
twelve feet square at the top, and narrowing 
gradually to six feet square at the bottom, 
down through the centre of the structure, to, 
and a short distance below, the original surface 
of the ground. After removing aslight cover- 
ing of earth, an irregular mass of large, rough, 
flat sandstones, evidently brought from the 
bluffs half a mile distant, was encountered. 
Some of these sandstones were a good load for 
two ordinary men. 
The removal of a wagon-load or so of these 
stones brought to light a stone vault seven feet 
long and four feet deep, in the bottom of which 
was found a large and much-decayed human 
skeleton, but wanting the head, which the most 
careful examination failed to discover. -A sin- 
gle rough spear-head was the only accompany- 
ing article found in this vault. At the depth 
of six feet, in earth similar to that around the 
base of the mound, was found a second, also 
much-decayed, skeleton, an adult of ordinary 
size. At nine feet a third skeleton was ‘encoun- 
tered, in a mass of loose, dry earth, surrounded 
by the remains of a bark coffin. This was in 
a much better state of preservation than the 
other two. The skull, which was preserved, 
is of the compressed or ‘ flat-head ’ type. 
For some three or four feet below this, the 
earth was found to be mixed with ashes. At 
this depth, in his downward progress, Col. 
Norris began to encounter the remains of what 
further excavation showed to have been a tim- 
ber vault, about twelve feet square and seven 
or eight feet high. From the condition in 
which the remains of the cover were found, he 
concludes that this must have been roof-shaped, 
and, having become decayed, was crushed in 
by the weight of the addition made to the 
mound. Some of the walnut timbers of this 
vault were as much as twelve inches in diameter. 
In this vault were found five skeletons, — 
one lying prostrate on the floor at the depth of 
nineteen feet from the top of the mound, and 
SCIENCE. 
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four others, which, from the positions in which 
they were found, were supposed to have been 
placed standing in the four corners. The first 
of these was discovered at the depth of four- 
teen feet, amid a commingled mass of earth 
and decaying bark and timbers, nearly erect, 
leaning against the wall, and surrounded by the 
remains of a bark coffin. All the bones, except 
those of the left fore-arm, were too far decayed 
to be saved: these were preserved by two very 
heavy copper bracelets which yet surrounded 
them. 
The skeleton found lying in the middle of 
the floor of the vault was of unusually large 
size, ‘* measuring seven feet six inches in length, 
and nineteen inches between the shoulder-sock- 
ets.’’ It had also been enclosed in a wrapping 
or coffin of bark, remains of which were still 
distinetly visible. It lay upon the back, head 
east, legs together, and arms by the sides. 
There were siz heavy bracelets on each wrist ; 
four others were found under the head, which, 
together with a spear-point of black flint, were 
incased in a mass of mortar-like substance 
which had evidently been wrapped in some tex- 
tile fabric. On the breast was a copper gorget. 
In each hand were three spear-heads of black 
flint, and others about the head, knees, and feet. 
Near the right hand were two hematite celts ; 
and on the shoulder, three large and thick 
plates of mica. About the shoulders, waist, 
and thighs were numerous minute perforated 
shells and shell beads. 
STEATITE PIPE FOUND NEAR CHARLESTON, W. VA. 
The gorget is precisely of the pattern repre- 
sented in fig. 12, p. 100, Fifteenth report of 
the Peabody museum. The bracelets are very 
heavy, and, like the gorget, have the appear- 
ance of having been hammered out of native 
copper. 
While filling up the shaft, Col. Norris dis- 
covered, in the dirt which had been removed 
from it, a steatite pipe, represented in the ac- 
companying figure. It is worthy of note, that 
this pipe is precisely of the form of some found 
recently in the mounds of western North Caro- 
lina, and agrees exactly with the description, 
given by Adair, of pipes made by the Chero- 
kees. Cyrus THomas. 
