Ohio History Journal

STONE GRAVES IN BROWN COUNTY, OHIO.

 

BY GERARD FOWKE.

On both sides of the Ohio river, from Manchester, Ohio,

to Dover, Kentucky, a distance of twenty-five miles, were for-

merly many stone graves or cairns.  A few stood at varying

intervals for some miles below Dover, and as far up the river as

Huntington, West Virginia; and some remain along North Fork

of Licking river, in Mason county, Kentucky. They were most

abundant from Manchester to Ripley on the Ohio side of the

river, and from Maysville to Dover on the Kentucky side. Be-

tween these points, almost every peak, ridge, or high elevation,

commanding an extensive view of the Ohio valley, was crowned

with at least one, and in many instances several, of these cairns.

The smallest ones contained not more than a wagon-load of

stones; the largest fully fifty times as much. Between these

extremes was every intermediate size.

For nearly a century-ever since the country was settled

by whites-desultory excavations have been carried on in them

by people who imagine that Indians concealed "gold" in all such

places. The peculiarities of structure reported by these diggers,

have led various parties to attempt a methodical investigation;

but after visiting many cairns only to find them ravaged, the

quest has usually been abandoned. Three or four which had

already been partially opened, but were still in such condition

that tolerably accurate knowledge could be gained concerning

the manner of their construction, are described in the 12th An-

nual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology.

In the extreme southeastern corner of Brown county, a

a few cairns had escaped the general destruction. They owed

their immunity chiefly to trees growing on them, whose roots

proved too formidable an obstacle to the idly curious or the

seekers for hidden treasure. Five of these were examined; in

each case all stones and earth were entirely removed, down to the

yellow clay subsoil.

(193)

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194      Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.   Two miles above Aberdeen, a narrow ridge extends directly south for about 500 feet from the rolling table land. Its top is horizontal; its sides slope steeply like the roof of a house, to a gorge on either side; the end falls precipitously to the river level.   CAIRN NUMBER ONE. The first cairn opened stood on this ridge, about 300 feet from its point. It was much the largest tumulus of this charac- ter yet discovered, measuring 34 feet from north to south, 37 feet from east to west, with its summit six feet above the southern margin. The surface on this side, however, is much lower than formerly, on account of careless cultivation. The structure had never been in any manner disturbed; relic hunters had looked upon it with longing eyes, but 27 trees grow- ing on its top had discouraged all efforts at excavation. A trench reaching to the subsoil was dug entirely around the mound, and carried inward until the imbedded rocks were

exposed; they covered an area about 26 feet north and south, by 29 feet east and west.  These measures are only ap- proximate for roots had so displaced the stones as to destroy the continuity of their out- line.  There was less disturbance at the south- east side than elsewhere. On this side, near the

top, was a grave whose bottom was paved with slabs; it measured three by six feet inside, being longest from northwest to south- east. The sides were formed of similar slabs, set on edge, with the tops sloping outward; the measurements to the top of the outside row were about 71/2 and 81/2 feet. Bones were found in the earth from three to six inches above this floor; but none were lying on the stones. The grave, as it appeared when cleared out, is shown in figure 1.

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Stone Graves in Brown County, Ohio.       195   Under this pavement was another of the same kind; the rough faces of the stones were in contact. Between the two were many fragments of human bones, mashed flat. It ap- peared that more than one body had been placed in each of these graves; but the remains were so decayed and fragmentary that not even a guess could be made as to their number or the manner of their interment. At the top of the mound, on the east side, was a small grave; it was only five feet long and three feet wide, measuring from the tops of the enclosing stones. It contained a few frag- ments of decayed bone. A foot below it was an extended skeleton, with the head east, lying just above the natural sur- face, covered and surrounded with dark earth similar to the native soil. A grave which antedated the mound was found under its margin on the southwest side; it had been dug to the yellow

clay. On its level stone floor were rotten frag- ments of human bones, with a little charcoal and some pieces of burned animal bones.   Slabs, lying at the level of the original surface, covered it and were continuous with those extending up the side of the mound. Those forming the sides enclosed a space only eighteen  by forty-eight

inches at the bottom; some of them were vertical, and it is probable all were so at the beginning, those now leaning hav- ing been pushed from their normal position by the roots which surrounded them on every side. It is shown in figure 2. Half-way between the center and the south side, on the yel- low clay subsoil, was a thin irregular layer, from four to five feet across, of charcoal containing some burned animal bones.

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196       Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

This had been brought from elsewhere, there being no marks

of fire on the earth about it.

Twelve feet south of the centre, in the dark earth and at a

lower level than any graves in this portion of the mound, were

two extended skeletons with heads toward the northeast. One

was directly above the other, with nearly a foot of earth sepa-

rating them. The bones of both were very soft. Close to the head

of the upper one was a small, rudely-worked, flint implement,

having a triangular section; this may have been buried with the

body, but more likely its presence was accidental. The lower

skeleton was that of a very tall but rather slender individual;

all the molars were gone from the lower jaw and the bone was

closed up solid. The skull was mashed flat between two small

stones; near it lay a flat-stemmed pipe. East of these skulls,

and close to them, were two limestone slabs, set vertical, and

reaching down almost to the yellow clay; each was so large

as to tax the strength of three men in removing it. It was evi-

dent from the situation of these skeletons and the one previously

noted, that at least three individuals were placed here and covered

with earth, and that the cairn was built over and around their

remains. This fact, in connection with the position of the small

stone grave shown in figure 2 is fairly good evidence that the

two methods of burial were in use by the same people at or about

the same time.

A small pile of rocks on the top of the mound, was the

covering of a grave six feet from    north to south, four

feet from east to west, and sixteen inches deep-all meas-

urements made from the top of the inclined slabs. Just west of

this grave was another, almost circular, about three feet in di-

ameter.  The stones forming the adjacent walls were resting

against each other.

When the floors of these two graves were lifted, fragmen-

tary bones were found immediately under them, resting on a

similar floor; below this was another layer of bone; and so they

continued until eight layers of bone were disclosed, separated

by thin, flat stones, with no earth between them except such as

had made its way downward through the narrow spaces between

the rocks. It appeared that successive burials had taken place, and

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Stone Graves in Brown County, Ohio.        197

that each had in some measure interfered with those preceding

it;-as if a grave were uncovered, flat stones laid directly on

the bones within, and a body placed on them; or a grave par-

tially destroyed to make room for another; or the side or end

wall of one grave utilized as part of a later one. The resulting

confusion was greatest in the four layers immediately below the

two top graves; there was less disorder in the next four. The

entire area covered by these graves measured fifteen feet

east and west by eleven feet north and south. The bones varied

much in size; one jaw was massive and nearly two inches longer

than that of any one present at the time. Bones of children

were also found. None were in condition for preservation.

In the original soil, near the central portion of the earth

mound on which these graves were made, were two small shal-

low holes containing some charcoal and scraps of burned animal

bone; in one were two lumps of ochre and a copper "spool".

Though much smaller, and of a slightly different pattern, the lat-

ter resembles the so-called "ear ornaments" frequently found in the

large earth mounds. Lying loose in the dark earth, at the same

level, within an area of a square foot, were found part of an

adult's lower jaw; half the head of a child's humerus; and one

vertebra of an animal as large as a cat. Altogether, the ap-

pearance of this portion of the structure gave little evidence of

that veneration for the dead which is usually considered so char-

acteristic of the aboriginal American.

Half-way between the center and the north edge of the

mound, was a grave more carefully made and in better condi-

tion than any other discovered in the course of this work. The

floor lay below the original surface, though not so deep as the

subsoil, while the side stones forming the walls reached well up

into the body of the mound. The earth all about it was so uni-

form in appearance with the native soil and with the earthen core

of the cairn, that it was impossible to establish any conclusion as

to the relative times of their construction, the grave may have

preceded the mound, or the mound may have been opened and

re-filled. When the size of the grave is considered, the former

supposition is the more probable. Measuring from the outer

part of the enclosing slabs, its length, from east to west, was

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198       Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.   nine feet, and its breadth four feet. The south wall cut across a thin deposit of charcoal and burned bones; the part that was left

of this occupied a space of about one by two feet. The remains of one per- son lay on the rock floor, head towards the east; near the skull was a small concretion, possi- bly used as a paint cup. Figure 3 represents the grave with the covering slabs in place, except as they have been disar- ranged by falling in, or by the roots which pen- etrated between them in

every direction; figure 4 looking towards the east, and figure 5 looking to- ward the west, show it as it appeared when cleaned out. The large stone close to the east end of this grave had no connection with it, but seemed to belong with another burial, as frag- ments of skull and other bones, mashed flat, were found between it and and another, somewhat smaller, slab that lay against it. Such finds as this were noted at scores of places through- out the stone por-

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Stone Graves in Brown County, Ohio.      199 tion of this burial place; and while, in a few instances the peculiar position of the remains may be due to the slipping or settling

of stones between which they  occurred, it was plain that a majority of them were so placed in- tentionally. Often there would be no more than a handful of bones so interred-as if a dismem- bered skeleton had been carried in, piece- meal, at odd times. In  clearing  off the north edge of the struc- ture, the rocks at the sur- face were found to rest on a mass of tough, waxy, yellow clay. On remov- ing this to depth of from 15 to 24 inches, a pave- ment of large flat rocks was found. This included

an area of about six by eleven feet, longest east and west. The margin was tolerably regular, but the stones in the central por- tion were in disorder. Under the latter were the remains of two skeletons, one of them quite large, extended on the natural surface of the ground, with heads toward the east. Instead of hav- ing slabs placed on edge around them as was the case in the other graves, they were enclosed by a mass of yellow clay a foot thick. Charcoal was sprinkled around the east end of the grave as far as the middle, and a row of slabs laid around the margin, as shown in figure 6 (the excavation is partly filled with water). The rocks filling the grave had either been thrown in, or, what is more probable, placed upon timbers laid from side to side, and had fallen in when the latter decayed. Yellow clay was piled over and around the whole affair. Although this grave was

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200       Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.   clearly a part of the general interments at this spot, as it was protected by the same covering of rocks that extended over the rest of the mound, it is worthy of notice that it had neither walls nor floor of flat stone as had all the others; and that this was the only one in whose construction yellow clay was used.   CAIRN NUMBER TWO. This was situated a hundred feet south of the first one opened. It measured 22 feet from north to south, and fourteen feet from east to west. A shingle-like arrangement of limestone

rocks covered the top, as shown in figure 7. These lay upon ordi- nary soil which for the first three or four inches was free from stones ex- cept the tops of some set vertically in the earth below.  The east side was much more rocky than the west, perhaps because it was closer to the bluff on that side. On the west slope bones were found within three inches of the top of the ground; although in frag- mentary condition, they were much stronger and

more solid than would be expected from their position. Some were on a disturbed pavement, others not at all in contact with rock. The central part of the cairn seemed to be made up of numerous successive, interfering burials, so much so that bones and rocks were promiscuously intermingled. Added to this the roots of several trees had brought the whole interior into such disorder that it was impossible toascertain anything definite as to the primitive methods of interment; consequently no attempt

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Stone Graves in Brown County, Ohio.       201 at photographing was made. A small celt was found among some bones. CAIRN NUMBER THREE. This is on a point one-fourth of a mile east of the first two. It is slightly below the highest point of the ridge on which it stands, and quite small, measuring only ten feet in diameter and two feet high. Many small stones were piled on it. There was no rock floor on the bottom; a body had been laid on the natural surface, with the head toward the east and fully a foot lower than the feet. The stones around the margin of the grave, instead of being placed on edge were laid flat upon one another to make a wall about as high as the body. The interior of the grave was filled with rocks whose order- or disorder-showed plainly that they had formerly been supported by timber resting on the side walls and had tumbled in when this decayed. The crowns of the teeth were worn flat. Lying across the lower leg bones of the skeleton were the corresponding bones

of another person. From their position it seemed that a body had been placed at a right angle to the first, with the head and trunk extending un- der and to the outside of the wall on the south; but no traces of the skele- ton could be found in this direction.  The grave vault, cleaned  out, is shown in figure 8.

CAIRN NUMBER FOUR. This stood about thirty feet south from number three, on the edge of the steep slope toward the river. It was nearly rect- angular in shape; the north, south, and west sides were bounded by very large slabs standing almost vertical; at the east end were ten or twelve tiers of large stones sharply inclined inward, none of

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202       Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications. them having ever been upright. Nearly all the stones in the walls are more or less pushed out of their original position by the roots of trees growing among them; and it is probable that in past times other trees, which have now disappeared, aided in

this work. Many wag- on-loads of rocks have been piled on this cairn from  the  surrounding field. When these were removed and the orig- inal top of the structure revealed, it was clear that the central portion, of large and small stones mingled in confusion, had fallen into the grave on the decay of some

supporting material, probably logs or poles. They rested, now, upon a floor of thin, small, flat rocks which followed the natural slope of the ground; this was not level anywhere, and was fully a foot higher at the upper side than at the opposite, or southern,

side. The floor extend- ed over an area of nine feet north and south, by twelve feet east and west, fitting close up to the vertical slabs, reach- ing beneath the inclined rocks at the east end and terminating beyond the outside row. Fragmen- tary human bones were scattered all over this pavement; the leaning

stones seem to have been set down directly on them. Pieces of skulls were found at fourteen different points, indicating at least that number of interments. Each deposit of bones, however, was quite small; and in some places portions of skull, vertebra, pha-

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Stone Graves in Brown County, Ohio.        203 langes, ribs, etc., would be in contact within a space a few inches across.  These facts denote skeleton burials; though   the

same results might follow from depositing a corpse folded and bound into the smallest possible com- pass.  A  few bones of birds, to the size of a pheasant, and mammals as large as a fox, were found; the only relics were a small, delicately wrought, triangular flint, and the stem of a catlin-

ite platform pipe. Figure 9, looking north; and figure 10, looking a little to the north of east, show the appearance of the grave before the inclined stones at the east end were removed. When the latter were taken away, human bones, mashed flat, were found between the layers, several inches above the floor. It is difficult to understand how they got there, for the slabs were in as close contact as the unevenness of their surfaces would permit. CAIRN NUMBER FIVE. This is 200 yards from numbers 3 and 4, on another point of the same ridge. When the accumulated trash, possibly in- cluding some small stones of the original structure, was cleared away, it measured sixteen feet across, with a somewhat irregular outline. The covering rocks were in a confused mass; their orig- inal arrangement could not be made out. Underneath them, to one side of the center, were bones of an adult with the teeth nearly worn away; of a child whose molars and lateral incisors were not yet through the bone; of a deer; and of a bird the size of a turkey. Several flat stones lay under them, but not in any or- der, and not in contact with one another so as to form a floor. Other bones were found below these, partly in the earth and partly lying on a rather even and smooth pavement of thin rocks, none of them more than a foot across; this pavement measured

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204       Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

ten feet from north to south, and six feet from the east side to

where it disappeared under the trees. It is evident that inter-

ment in this cairn occurred at two periods.

 

CONCLUSION.

It is impossible to assign a date to these graves, or to deter-

mine what tribe of Indians may have constructed them. The

great diversity in their form, size, and arrangement, as shown

in the descriptions given here and in the report of the Bureau of

Ethnology, renders any attempt at classification mere guess-work.

Professor Cyrus Thomas is inclined to attribute them to the

Shawnees, who made the "box graves" in various portions of the

country; but while the Shawnee method of setting slabs on edge

around a body was largely followed in this locality, there are

also found here radical departures from any known Shawnee

graves. These may be due, however, to local customs slowly

developed during a long period of quiet, unmolested occupancy

of the limited area where these cairns are found. The copper

"spool-shaped" ornament, and the flat-stemmed pipe, are ob-

jects which are commonly considered as pertaining to the "Mound

Builders;" but this people was certainly not concerned in the

stone graves of this portion of the Ohio valley.

Very few articles were deposited with the dead; so far as may

be judged from personal exploration and from the reports of

others who have made investigations, not more than half a dozen

graves, out of several hundred opened, have yielded specimens

of any sort. This is not in accordance with Shawnee customs in

the sepulchres of Tennessee or Illinois.

So far as known, no stone graves as complicated and diverse

in structure as these exist in other localities.

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