SKELETONS EXCAVATED IN NORTH KURGAN. 485 
The material of the kurgan was so closely packed as to make fine work 
extremely difficult, and nearly all the skeletons were so delicate that exposure 
to wind and sun destroyed them. I found that a soft brush and a fine knife- 
blade were often none too nice for the work. When air-dried bricks appeared, 
often the only way of detecting them was by the faint outlined contours in the 
cutting, for they were as easy to work in as the material of the hill itself. The 
layers of ashes and charcoal that so often occurred under the skeletons as well 
as in other places came as a pleasant relief to the workers. 
The human remains were uncovered from above and drawn and photographed 
while still embedded enough to be supported. When this was done the upper 
bones were removed and the position of the hidden portions carefully noted. 
Then the earth for some distance around was thoroughly searched for burial 
objects. In taking out the minute beads found with some of the skeletons, notably 
No. 9, it was found that even a very close sieve could not be trusted and that 
the fingers were more sensitive and sure. In this way many square feet of earth 
passed through my hands, and though the work was delayed it proved well worth 
while, for from that burial alone we took 1,066 drilled beads, each scarcely larger 
than a pin-head (see plate 4o, fig. 5). 
The three highest skeletons were excavated by Dr. Schmidt :* 7 at +36 feet 
in terrace IV; d at +34 feet in terrace v, and ¢ in terrace v, at +30 feet 2 inches 
above datum. 
Skeleton No. 1 (¢).—For the description of the latter, I quote from his notes: 
This child’s skeleton is 62 cm. long, with its head to the south lying on the right side, but disturbed 
and partly destroyed by the pick. The trunk is on its back, inclined to the right,the left arm on the left 
side with that hand by the pelvis. The right arm is destroyed. The pelvis bones are spread to the left 
and right. The right leg, bent at the knee, is on the left side. The right leg is ill preserved, with the 
upper part drawn up and to the right; the lower bones of it are lacking. 
Skeleton No. 5 (a4).—The next skeleton in order of altitude was one I have 
called ‘‘No. 5’’ (see fig. 534). It lay at an altitude of +30 feet in terrace 1. The 
bones were those of a young child, for the cranial sutures gaped wide and the 
epiphyses separated off the long bones. The body was placed on its right side, 
lying in a contracted position, with the head toward the southeast. The left arm 

* Das beruht auf Missverstandnissen. Ich finde in.meinem Tagebuch folgende Notizen: 
*“Sonnabend d.2. April. * * * 
“Terrasse IV. Es wird wieder das Skelett (7. e., y) eines Kindes in der Lage der liegenden Hocker auf 
der rechten Seite von Herrn Warner freigelegt und photographiert. Beigaben fehlen. 
“Terrasse V. * * * Neben dem Topf (z.¢., +34.5 feet) etwas unter dem Niveau, auf dem er 
steht, werden Skelette aufgedeckt und unter diesen die Spuren eines tieferen Topfes (7. e., 
+33 feet) * * * Herr Warner legt die Skelette frei; es ist ein unentwirrbarer Haufen von 
mehreren Kinderskeletten (7. e., 0), der von ihm beseitigt wird. * 
**Dienstag den 5. April. * * * 
““Terrasse V, ca. 20 cm. unter dem Niveau der Kalkschicht, siidwestlich davon, neben der aufgedeck- 
ten Mauer, die Reste eines zerst6rten Kinderskelettes (7.e., ¢). * * * Das Kinderskelett ist 
62cm.lang. Kopf nach Stiden auf der rechten Seite, aber verschoben und durch die Hacke z. T. 
zerstért. Rumpf auf dem Riicken mit einer Wendung nach rechts, linker Arm auf der linken 
Seite, linke Hand in Beckenhohe, rechter Arm zerstért; linkes Bein an der linken Seite und im 
Knie gebogen, rechtes Bein nur unvollstandig erhalten, rechter Oberschenkel nach rechts und 
nach oben gezogen, rechter Unterschenkel fehlt.”’ 
Also nur Skelett ¢ habe ich herausgenommen und zwar weil Herr Warner gerade in Terrasse II be- 
schafligt war. 
Dr. HUBERT SCHMIDT. 
BERLIN, d. 29. Marz, 1908. 
