!\I)/.\\S or l/.l \7/.17'7M.V fSL.WI) 15 



\ati()ii ol" the sites, aic iicai- at hand. SixMaiiiciis ly|)ical of iIkoc loiiiid 

 ill the sludl-hcaj) nw also exhibited. 



Of all the t laci's K^ft !)>' the ahorijiines aloii«i the New ^'oik seacoiist, 

 the most ahimdanl and familiar are thoshell-heai)s. These aic \h>i\s of 

 refuse markinti; tlu^ sites of ancient \illa<>;(^s, eamps, and isolated wigwams. 

 WluMX^HM' tlu^ fi-esh water joins the salt, (\s])eeially wheic open water for 

 fishinii; and a spring' for drinkini>; come to^'cthei' in haj)])y comhination, 

 there is generally to ho found some such evidence of Indian occuj)ati()n. 



The typical "shell-heaj)" is not a heap at all, for leaf mold, the wash 

 fiom neij>hl)orin<»;hi^h <!;r()und,and often cultivation have generally made 

 it level with its surroundings (page 14). Very often, unless the land be 

 plowed, no shells whatever show on the surface, and the onty way of find- 

 ing out the condition of things below^ the sod is to test with a spade or a 

 crowbar. If shells are present, their crunching soon gives notice of the 

 fact. Sometimes shell-heaps have been located by shells thrown from 

 animal burrows, or w^ashed out by the rain, or in banks broken down by 

 the surf. Some have been found fronting on the open Sound, but such 

 cases are rare. These deposits consist of large quantities of decayed 

 oyster, clam, and other marine shells mixed with stained earth, with 

 ashes, charcoal, and fire-cracked stones to mark the spots where ancient 

 camp fires blazed. Among the shells are usually scattered antlers of deer, 

 bones of animals, fishes, and birds, quantities of pottery fragments, and 

 broken implements; in short, the imperishable part of the camp refuse 

 left by the Indians. Now and then, perfect implements and ornaments 

 that had been carelessly lost in the rubbish or hidden for safe-keeping are 

 discovered. 



Shell-heaps vary from a few inches to four feet in depth, and in 

 area from a few^ square yards to several acres — all depending on the 

 length of time the settlement w^as occupied and the number of dwellings 

 comprising it. Deep shell-heaps are often divided into layers, the lowest 

 of which are, of course, the oldest . Under and near most of these deposits 

 may be found scattered ''pits" or fire holes, which are bowl-shaped 

 depressions in the ground filled with layers of stained earth, shells, and 

 other refuse, with an occasional layer of ashes. Some pits are as large 

 as ten feet wide by six feet deep, but the average is four feet deep by 

 three feet wide. It is supposed that they w^re used as ovens or steam- 

 ing holes and afterwards filled up with refuse. Some contain human 

 skeletons, which may have been interred in them during the winter season 

 when grave digging w^as impossible. These pits generally contain more of 

 interest than the ordinarj^ shell-heap. The closely packed regular masses 



