Ohio History Journal

110      Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

 

 

 

REPORT OF FIELD WORK IN VARIOUS PORTIONS

OF OHIO.

 

BY WARREN KING MOOREHEAD, CURATOR AND IN

CHARGE OF EXPLORATIONS.

 

 

PREFACE.

 

April 4, 1897, I left Columbus for Farmington, New Mex-

ico. Mr. Clarence Loveberry, who had been associated with

me for nearly three years in the museum as well as in the field,

was appointed to act as Assistant Curator in my absence. Dur-

ing my stay in the West he carried on field work and attended

to the museum routine duties. August 27, when I resigned the

Curatorship, Mr. Loveberry was appointed in my stead.

The field work had been projected and routes laid out for

Mr. Loveberry before I left for New Mexico. These he fol-

lowed. I am greatly indebted to him for his faithfulness in observ-

ing the lines of investigation indicated.

In mapping out certain localities for explorations I had in

mind not so much the securing of mound specimens for the

museum as the investigation of certain peculiar mounds. These

struck me (especially those in Pickaway county) as being dif-

ferent from the average lowland or "high culture groups" of

the Scioto Valley. Explorations tended to confirm my opinion.

In addition, it was thought best to follow the Scioto to its

source and from thence down the Sandusky to the Lake. By

such means we could ascertain if mounds or other works followed

the streams from the Ohio to the Lake. Trips through sections

of the state heretofore not well represented upon the archaeologic

map were also made.

There is not sufficient space to present the names of several

hundred persons who kindly aided the survey in many ways,

who donated specimens, assisted in placing monuments upon

the map. Suffice it to say that the Society is under great obliga-

tions to each and every one of them.

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Report of Field Work.               111

 

I am particularly indebted to Miss Lucy Allen for her

cooperation in the preparation of the state map for publication

in this report and for her constant assistance in the museum.

Mr. J. S. Roof, of Asheville, and Mr. F. E. Bingham, of

Jackson, were especially interested in the survey and rendered

very considerable service.

Concerning the importance of work accomplished, the

exploration of the Snake Den group and the Baum village site

probably rank first. Our trip up the Scioto to Lake Erie was

quite necessary. The results of this expedition indicate that travel

by that route from the Ohio river to the Lake was not as exten-

sive in pre-Columbian times as during the historic period.

I am under obligations to the Trustees of the Society for

cooperation in the execution of the plans for field work.

 

 

REPORT OF FIELD WORK IN VARIOUS PORTIONS OF OHIO.*

"I got together my field outfit, and armed with a letter from

the governor requesting that land owners grant me permission

to excavate, I went to Asheville on April 14. Pending negotia-

tions I journeyed to Chillicothe and endeavored to secure per-

mission to explore several mounds, but was unsuccessful.

Returning to Asheville I saw Mr. J. S. Roof and in company with

him went to the famous Snake Den Group. On the way there

we purchased a number of old historical objects at a country

sale." Thus begin the field notes.

The Snake Den Group is well named. In early times hun-

dreds-and, if we are to believe the older farmers living near

there-thousands of reptiles dwelt beneath the large rocks

forming the mounds. In the spring of 1817 the neighboring

farmers organized to abate the nuisance and, repairing to the

place, they built a high board fence entirely around the two stone

mounds. When warm weather set in and the snakes came out

of their winter quarters they tried in vain to penetrate into the

surrounding country. Great numbers of them were stoned, shot

 

* The report contained in the following pages is made up from

Mr. Loveberry's field notes. These have been changed somewhat. All

conclusions and explanations and foot-notes not in quotation marks (and

in parentheses) are my own.                  W. K. M.

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112      Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

or clubbed. When the survey arrived and heard the tradition

it seemed to the men a gross exaggeration. But as work con-

tinued and the survey removed hundreds of vertebrae another

"verification of a tradition"-as Professor Hodge said of the

Enchanted Mesa of the Southwest-was established.

"Often we threw them out by the shovel full," says the report.

About a peck were saved and mounted in the museum as a curios-

ity of historic interest. People carried away quantities strung

upon slender twigs.

The Snake Den Group lies upon the point of a high plateau

and is surrounded by low, level bottoms save towards the

south and east. The land below must have originally been

prairie, judging from its appearance and character. There being

few hills in this portion of Pickaway county, the elevation of

between one hundred and fifty and two hundred feet is quite

a prominent landmark. The group lies in Walnut township,

seven miles north of Circleville and one-half mile north of East

Ringgold.

Mr. D. Snyder, the owner, gave permission for exploration,

but imposed peculiar conditions, and these finally compelled the

survey to end its labors before the exploration of the group was

complete. The field notes on this point state: "He gave per-

mission to dig the mounds on condition we would stop work

when he requested us. All gold and silver were to be turned

over to him. I readily agreed to this, as I had never heard of

gold or silver being found in the mounds, save some modern

silver bands that were of French or English origin, being traded

to the Indians by the early explorers."

Upon Friday, April 16, the party located upon Mr. Snyder's

farm. From this high table land, upon which the group is located,

one obtains a commanding view of the surrounding country.

Approaching enemies could be easily detected. To the west-

ward, perhaps six or seven miles, heavy timber bordering upon

the Scioto can be seen. Towards the southeast the plateau widens

out, but there appear to be no monuments in that direction, at

least none within a mile or more of the group. Evidences of

occupation as a village site are scant, being confined to a piece

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Report of Field Work.              113 of pottery here and there, or arrow heads or flint chips in no more profusion than are found upon hunting sites. Beginning at the western point of the hill, or, at least, but a few yards from the slope, we find a large stone mound. It can be said to form the northwest extension of the group and is marked A upon the ground plan, Figure 1. The boulders and spalls of which it is composed are about as large as a can could conveniently handle. It is twelve feet high and one hundred and

twenty-five feet in diameter, and is covered with numerous large trees. Just east of the stone mound A is a long, wide platform some three feet in height and one hundred and ten feet east and west, and ninety feet north and south. Upon this platform (or mound site) stands a stone mound one hundred and fifty feet in diameter. The stone of which it is composed is much burnt, and on that account Mr. Loveberry called it a "crematory." He observes that the east side of this "crematory" is composed of clay and the west side of stone. In Figure I the platform will Vol. VII-8.

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114      Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications. be found to be marked C and the mound B. This mound is shown in Figure 1a. Continuing east, the hill still narrow, but curving slightly, perhaps not more than two hundred feet wide, we find a clay mound. It is one hundred and four feet in diameter east and west and ninety-one feet north and south and is eleven feet high. (See D on map of the Snake Den Group.) On top of it is the

stump of an oak tree, perhaps two hundred years old. Contin- uing to the east twenty feet we find a circle of clay one hundred and fifty feet in diameter, ten feet wide and two feet high. The moat within the circle is two feet deep. Letter E. on the map shows this circle. Passing to Mr. Henry May's farm, the adjoining property, we find another circle, two hundred feet distant from the last men- tioned. It is one hundred and fifty feet in diameter, twelve feet across and two and one-half feet high. There is a slight moat within. Letter F upon the map indicates its position. Five hun-

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Report of Field Work.                115

 

dred feet directly south of this circle stands a clay mound twelve

feet high and one hundred and thirty feet across the base, and

is marked G upon the map. There is a fair-sized tree growing

near its summit. Immediately beyond the mound and circle the

plateau widens (towards the southeast). A deep hole, dug by

farmers while burying stock, revealed nothing of interest. As

the excavation was large, the survey did not attempt further

exploration.

Work was begun upon the earth mound (D). A trench ten

feet wide was run from the west side. Various small patches

of colored earth were noticed which showed plainly the "dumps"

or loads carried up by the builders. Most of the material was

yellowish sandy clay. Continuing, a few feet from the outer edge

several large rocks were found, also ashes and charcoal. These

latter seem scattered through a majority of the ancient remains

in America and have been noticed by all archaeologists. No

importance is to be attached to them unless found in beds or

deposits. Numerous black spots were found and these may, or

may not, have resulted from the decay of certain perishable

materials. Three feet from the surface the ground was very dry.

Scattered along the bottom, some distance from the starting point,

were found fifteen or twenty masses of ashes or mouldy sub-

stance, and in two of these the survey discovered skeletons. The

field notes state: "The first one was about ten feet deep and

ten feet west of the center of the mound. It lay ten inches above

the bottom and was covered with the ashes or mouldy substance.

All that remained were a few ribs, a bit of humerus, pieces of

other long bones and fragments of skull. Two feet northeast

of this was another skeleton a few inches above the bottom. It

headed north. Excepting the pelvis and the skull, it was well

preserved. The teeth indicated a person some thirty years old.

No relics were with the remains. We found flint chips and blocks

of flint scattered through the dirt. They appear to be Flint

Ridge material."

The last burial is interesting because it presents a rare form

of burial - face downward. The discovery of Flint Ridge material

is also of importance. In many of the sites indicating higher

culture in the lower Scioto Valley no Flint Ridge material is

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116       Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications. found. This brings up interesting questions: Are the quarries representative of an old culture? Are those sites where no Flint Ridge material is found later or earlier? Possibly a careful tabu- lation of all localities in the state where implements of this par- ticular stone are found will aid in the solution of the problem. As excavation in the trench proceeded it was found neces- sary to work the mound in two benches. It is extremely difficult

to pitch dirt out of a pit eleven or twelve feet deep. By throw- ing the top section out on either side and the lower one imme- diately to the rear, time and labor were both saved. "Saturday, April 17th, we worked out the lower bench in our trench. Skeleton No. 3 was found lying a little beyond No. 2 and parallel to it, headed north. Neither was it well preserved nor were there objects with it. No. 4 and No. 5 were found upon the base line; No. 4 being much decayed and No. 5 somewhat better preserved. The latter may have been a person thirty-five years of age and was headed southeast. No. 8 was found eight

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Report of Field Work.               117

 

feet southwest of the center nearly on the bottom.  It was

bunched and did not cover a space to exceed two feet each way.

The bones appeared to have been placed in a neat pile. Nothing

was with either of these bodies."

Bones placed in heaps are rarely found in prehistoric burial

mounds, graves and glacial kame deposits in central or southern

Ohio. They are more common in the Iroquois country, Canada

and the Northwest, and also in the South. Sometimes the bones

are painted or decorated. Dr. A. Herdlicka, of the American

Museum of Natural History, New York, has made a study of

these conditions and his forthcoming report will be welcomed

by all archaeologists. It seems that the long bones are usually

placed by themselves, the small ones piled in a neat heap. Such

a burial denotes the removal of the bones from field of battle, or

that they were carried from a considerable distance. It would

be impossible to transport the body. Some villages did not bury

the entire body but placed the deceased upon the ground in an

open graveyard, or on a scaffold, or in a charnel house. When

the flesh had decayed, the bones were collected, arranged and

buried. An instance of this occurred in 1676, when the Kiska-

lon Ottawas removed the pious Marquette from his grave, washed

and dried his bones, placed them in a birch box, and, "in a pro-

cession of thirty canoes, they bore it, singing their funeral songs,

to St. Ignace of Michillimackinac.^"*

On Mr. Barger's farm, three miles above Waverly, a dis-

covery of a painted skeleton was made in 1886, and it is referred

to and described in the "Report of Field Work" for last year

(page 219). Dr. Herdlicka will speak of this find and also of

similar ones made in Ross County, in the northern part of the

state, in the Southwest and other portions of America. It is,

therefore, not necessary to go into further details here.

"Skeleton No .7 was fairly well preserved, headed west and

near the center. Some one had dug a hole in the center and

we found traces of the old excavation down to within two feet

of the bottom. No. 7 was just below this old hole. No. 8 was

a child and lay just north of the feet of No. 7. It must have been

* La Salle and the Discovery of the Great West, Parkman, p. 71.

Boston, 1889.

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118       Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications. five or seven years old. It lay with head to the east. By it we found the first relics. Near the sternum was a bone awl six inches long, highly polished and well made, also a piece of graphite the size of a hickory nut. "I concluded that the white, mouldy substance in which the

skeletons were buried resulted from a decay of wood, weeds, brush, etc., placed over the bodies. I think that the burials were all made at the same time. We found three large beds of ashes at various depths as if there had been some kind of ceremonies or feasts as the work progressed. At one place, seven feet from the top, we found a bed of clay burned red, two feet in diameter and three to four inches thick, also another bed of yellow clay. Two flint knives and some pottery fragments were found scat- tered in the dirt."

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Report of Field Work.               119

 

Most bodies found in a layer of black soil, or in mouldy,

whitish substance are thought by archaeologists to have been

covered by skins or layers of bark. These decaying form the

soft layer so often observed. It is probable that such is the case

rather than that the bodies were covered by brush, etc.

After working a day or so longer the survey moved to the

platform (C) and mound (B). This was at first thought by Mr.

Loveberry to be a circle surrounding a stone mound. I visited

the place in November and observed that the platform towards

the south is a little higher at the edges, but towards the north

and northwest it is nearly flat. The depression to the south may

have been caused by one or two large trees falling and uprooting

earth and stones. It may have resulted from an excavation at

an early period. It is not regular nor is the raised edge suffi-

ciently extended to indicate a circle.

"The force was divided part being put upon the west side

and others upon the south side. I must confess that I had no

idea of finding anything here, but wished more to learn of the

nature of the platform. It was a hard place to work, being cov-

ered with pawpaw bushes and showing on top a yellow clay-

shale. On the south side the work began about twelve feet from

the top of the platform of earth and stone, on the outer edge of

the south side. It is here three feet high. The second blow of

the pick struck something round about six inches from the sur-

face and one foot from the edge of the incline of the platform.

The next stroke brought out a concretion six inches in diameter.

This at once attracted my attention. We worked off a foot or

two of soil and uncovered several. I then called the men from

the west side and set all hands at work with our small hand

trowels and knives. We uncovered fifty-five concretions.

These ranged in size from a marble to ones a foot in diameter

and weighing seventy-five pounds. There was no regularity ex-

cept that the largest ones were on the north side and they seemed

to alternate, a large one and then a small one. They were all

included in a space three by four feet. Some were on top of

each other and all touched. They ran in under the platform and,

in fact, the greater part were covered by dirt washing down from

the elevation above. Scattered among them were forty-seven

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120       Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications. fossils (cornae), two septaria, one block of granite, one specimen of quartz crystal and fifty odd shaped stones. Dr. Edward Or- ton, the State Geologist, said: 'There were at least twelve spe- cies of coral in the collection and fifty peculiar formations.' There were some relics among them, namely: six hammer stones, five pestles, one broken and one unfinished tube (pipe ?), one

large stone head, three paint grinders, ten small round and ob- long stones (hammers ?), one stone celt, one unfinished effigy and dozens of peculiar bright colored pebbles. "To the south side, among the objects, we made a most re- markable find. It was a small stone box three and one-half inches long, three inches deep. It was made up of halves of two concretion shells fitted together. Inside I found five silver nuggets about the size of small walnuts. Three were coated with black paint and two with pink ochre. The weights were: six

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Report of Field Work.              121

and one-half ounces. The largest nugget two ounces. The box

weighed fifteen and three-fourths ounces."

Figure II shows the stone mound or crematory just north

of where the silver was found. Figure III, the heap of con-

cretions after being removed. Figure IV, the nuggets and the

box.

"Just under the collection were found some large, flat stones

covering a grave two feet long and eighteen inches wide and

eight inches deep. In the center of this stone vault we found

about a cigar box full of cremated bones. There was no evi-

dence that this skeleton had been burned in the mound, but it

was cremated elsewhere and the fragments brought here for

burial. Continued excavation at the spot resulted in nothing

more of interest. We cut through the platform at this point

finding, towards the stone heap or mound, quite a quantity of

sandstone spalls mixed with black earth near the bottom. On

top, the coil continued a yellow clay-shale. The soil below the

collection and silver was black and sandy.

"I divided the force, putting some on the west side of the

platform and others elsewhere. I journeyed to Columbus and

showed the silver to the Trustees and had it tested by a jeweler.

Dr. Orton said that they were native silver nuggets from the

lakes or the lead region. I returned to the Snake Den Group.

"I immediately called upon Mr. Snyder and found that a

young man from Circleville, had, in my absence, influenced him

to such an extent that he wished work to cease and the silver to be

turned over to him. He was told that his mounds were of value,

and our survey was spoken of in a slighting way. I endeavored

to get him to give up the silver enlarging upon its importance to

science; but was only able to do so upon the payment of twenty-

five dollars, seven times the commercial value of the nuggets.

He consented to give me one more day and then I must end

my labors. This I reluctantly agreed to, for the exploration of

the group was not complete and should have been carried on for

some weeks.

"Friday, April 23rd, I started an increased force, putting

part of the men on a test trench on the east side. It was ten

feet long, two and one-half feet wide and three feet deep. The

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122      Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications. earth was of a sandy nature mixed with large sandstone boulders or spalls. Nothing was found. On the northeast side we dug another trench finding earth of the same nature. The south trench had reached the heap of stones, mound or crematory (whatever it may be). Here we found large sandstone spalls and black sandy soil and numberless snake bones, but no relics or human bones. "Beginning on the center of the mound (D) we trenched for twenty-five feet, ten feet wide and twelve feet deep. At the west end of our trench it was six feet deep. We found about four wagon loads of burnt stone, crumbled and reduced. The bed was nine feet in diameter. We found beds of charcoal and ashes at various depths. There was a bed of red clay burned hard. Fragments of human bones were scattered through the stones. "Saturday, the 24th, we did some more work upon the cre- matory. I tested the sides of the stone mound (A on plan) and concluded that it would not justify exploration. I tested the east circle, but found nothing. The circle and mound to the ex- treme east (Mr. May's farm) would not seem to yield much, and so I brought the work at the Snake Den Group to a close." This is a very important and interesting group, and Mr. Loveberry is to be congratulated upon his success. Reference to the plan will show a peculiar arrangement.

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Report of Field Work.               123

The works to the west are stone (or mostly so) and those to the

east are clay. The circles may represent sun symbols, or they

may have been used for defence. The strongest point in favor

of the latter theory is that the group lies upon a high hill and

not in the valley. Yet we have other works upon elevations, and

manifestly of defensive character, which are accompanied by

circles and crescents. The question, therefore, must be left open.

But as to the character of the tumuli we can positively assert that

they were all erected to cover interments.

The enclosed space within the east circle is lower than the

surrounding surface outside. This would indicate rather of a

defensive character. The circle to the west (E) may be a sun

symbol. Its moat is still plain and I infer, from looking over the

spot, that the moat originally may have been four or five feet in

depth. The central portion of the area inclosed is on a level with

the surrounding land and may have been used for dances and cere-

monies. We cannot say positively as to this, however. I give

it merely as an opinion that the circle is of religious significance

and is a sun symbol.

Great labor was necessary to construct these mounds, even if

the stones were not quarried but collected in gullies to the south-

east. It would seem that the builders ran short of material, or

lacked sufficient laborers, else they would have continued the

construction of the platform with stone and not have employed

earth. As to the cremated skeleton and the objects just above it,

I would venture the opinion that these singular concretions, fos-

sils, etc., were placed as an offering. Why such objects, instead

of the usual run of artifacts, covered his remains cannot be ex-

plained. Without doubt many bodies were cremated in the cen-

tral part of the platform and these as well as the fire, were cov-

ered while burning.

None of the crania were secured whole and it is therefore

impossible to determine whether we have here the brachycephali

or the dolichocephali.

The survey moved, shortly afterward, to the northwest cor-

ner of Washington township and located upon Mr. Wagerly's

farm. It was known in the neighborhood as the "haunted

mound", because lights were seen at night (?) and a man com-

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124      Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

mitted suicide near it. Superstitions regarding mounds are not

uncommon in Ohio. I have frequently been warned "that no

good could come of explorations here", or "that you will be

haunted by the dead you disturb." Our folk lore brethren -

not an inconsiderable part of anthropologists - should investi-

gate these beliefs. Briefly they are usually as follows:

That lights are seen at night; that so and so dug there years

ago and heard strange noises; that an Indian was seen by so and

so a moonlight night standing upon the mound; that an Indian

came here and dug at night carrying away a treasure; that so

and so digging and finding bones heard them rattle. These su-

perstitions are very common in the hilly sections of southern and

eastern Ohio, where many ignorant persons reside.

Mr. Wagerly's mound stands upon a bank of gravel some

twenty-five feet above the plain, the structure itself standing nine

feet high, with a diameter of one hundred feet. On the west side

is a basin which was formerly a swamp. In the field notes the

comment is made that work began by means of a trench running

from the east towards the west, but that "the neighbors told us

that every man who had tried to dig this mound would get scared

and run away and leave it. Nevertheless we began work under

these trying circumstances." The trench was twenty feet long

and nine feet deep. The first few feet were made up of fine red

clay in which were fragments of flint, chips and charcoal. Be-

low, was a gravelly, yellow clay containing no flint or charcoal.

This had been carried up from the immediate vicinity and was

very hard, showing "that there was little vegetable matter in it

at the time of making the mound." The survey, having in its

experience found little in a hard or compact mound, and realiz-

ing that it would be next to impossible to secure the bones or

objects in a good state of preservation, filled the excavation.

One-half mile east is a kame in which farmers have found

ten or twelve skeletons when getting gravel for the roads. It

was visited, but the burial portion had been entirely removed.

The twenty-ninth Mr. Roof, of Asheville, and the survey

went to the southwest part of Madison township (Pickaway

county) visiting Messrs. Bauer and Morrison, both of whom owned

mounds. Mr. Roof had permission to dig them, but waived in

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Report of Field Work.              125

favor of the survey. The Bauer mound is located upon the first

terrace of Walnut creek, being one hundred and thirty feet in

diameter and eight feet high. On top a flint arrow head and some

chips were picked up. Back of it, two hundred yeards east, is

a very perfect "bottom" mound, near the creek. It was a curious

structure in that very black soil, occupied a circle of twenty-five

feet in diameter in the center, while surrounding that was a lighter

brown clay. The black earth extended eight feet deep.

Upon sinking a circular pit twenty feet in diameter to the

bottom it was concluded that the surface soil of the valley had

washed away in times of flood and left the mound upon its foun-

dations somewhat higher than the surrounding land. It could

not be ascertained why the mound was built in such form -the

black soil solid to the bottom and being surrounded by the

brown clay.

"Skeleon No. 1 was found two feet deep just north of the

center. The head lay towards the south. The body was extended

and the bones badly decayed. Skeletons Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5

were three feet deep and seven feet west of the center of the

mound in the black soil. They were adults and placed so closely

together that some of the bones crossed. No common direction

was observed in the interments and there were no objects.

"Skeleton No. 7; near the north-center, three feet deep,

head to the west, extended, badly decayed, nothing with it. Nos.

8 and 9, just south of the center, their heads being close together.

Adults, no objects, badly decayed. No. 10 was in the center,

two feet below the bottom of the mound, in a depression which

seemed to have been made especially for it. The grave or excava-

tion was coffin shaped. Buried extended, head to the north.

At the knee of the right leg lay a beautiful double perforated

slate ornament of the squared or tablet pattern. Remains of

decayed wood or hides were noticed about this skeleton. (See

Figure X. No. 8 in figure and on specimen-museum No. 14,940.)

"Skeleton No. II, found north of the center. Headed south,

was under three feet of black earth, adult, decayed, no objects.

Two feet from the surface above and near the center of the mound

was found a war point of good workmanship. A little below

it was a peculiar notched stone having two grooves upon one

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126      Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

side and notches upon the edge. (See figure X, No. 9, museum

number on specimen 14,941.) The black soil at the bottom was

sticky and therefore caused the decay of the skeletons. Of some

only the teeth remained. Our trench upon the east side showed

the mound to be quite old, much of the earth worked down,

leaving the mound only eight feet high at that point. We filled

up the hole and drove to Mr. Henry Morrison's farm three miles

south."

The mound is upon the east side of Harrison township (all

this work being in Pickaway county) and upon the low land in

Walnut Creek Valley. It is three feet high and sixty feet base.

A small elevation was selected as its site. The material is yellow

clay, much of which had been burned. In an excavation sixteen

feet square and four feet deep several large beds of burned clay

were observed. Being burned very hard it could be taken out

in large lumps and several of these went to the museum. Paint,

in the form of bits of soft hematite, was found in it. There

were also fragments of cremated hones. Near the center on the

east side were two celts, the one perfect and the other broken.

(See Figure X, Nos. 10 and 11.) Pottery fragments and flint

chips were also numerous. Ashes and charcoal were under the

clay.

May eighth the survey located at Chillicothe and set

about securing permission for explorations. Just northwest

of Chillicothe are nine large mounds. They lie to the west

and northwest of the fair grounds, distant from a few hundred

yards up to a mile. A group of three had been opened under

my direction in 1889. Squier and Davis had opened another

in 1845 or 1846. Within the fair-grounds enclosure is a large

mound owned by Mr. Story. North of it, some few hundred

yards, is a very large one owned by Mr. Miller, another to the

northwest is owned by the Carriage Factory Company. All of

these owners kindly permitted explorations.

From the larger mound (Miller's) people had been hauling

away much of the rich, black soil for lawns and gardens. A

considerable excavation had therefore been made in the side, and

this greatly facilitated explorations, as will be seen. The Carriage

Company was represented by Colonel Entrekin, and he also gave

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Report of Field Work.                127

consent for explorations. The Worthington mounds are within one-fourth of a mile of this tumulus. The Miller or Carriage Factory mound stands thirty-five feet high and has a diameter at the base of two hundred and twenty-five feet. It has retained its form exceedingly well until within the last five years, during which people have hauled away earth. The west side, at the point of removal, stands about fifteen feet in perpendicular height, and from the edge of the mound to this wall or face it must be nearly fifty-five feet. Work began the tenth of May with six men. The face was squared up at the base and three tunnels started. These and the mound are shown in Figure V. As the survey had had con- siderable experience in tunneling large mounds (one at Coshoc- ton, one at Harnesses', nine miles south of Chillicothe, one at McConnellsville) it was thought that this structure - soft though the earth might be - could be examined with safety. All such

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128      Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

work is, however, attended with more or less danger, as I can

testify, having ribs broken and my spine permanently injured

in 1888 at Austin, Ross county. We had undermined and tun-

neled in a weak bank, and it fell.

The central tunnel was flanked by one on either side. Each

was fourteen feet from the main shaft. This left sufficient earth

between to prevent a cave-in. These tunnels were three feet six

inches wide and four feet six inches high. Their bottoms or floors

were kept well beneath the base line. Progress was slow at first

for the earth was very hard and solid. As long as sunlight could

penetrate one could notice many and diversified colors. The

dumps or masses of earth (about the size of a peck-just what

one man could easily carry) seemed to have been brought from

places where soils and clays of red, black, yellow, grey and brown

colors abounded. The same peculiarity was noticed in the large

mound of the group of three called Mound No. 43 and opened

in 1889. The construction is very minutely described in a pub-

lished report upon the exploration.* It is, therefore, reasonable

to conclude that all of these tumili, grouped as they are, show

a similarity of construction, were built by the same people, and

if not at the same time, at least within a few generations of each

other. The explorations of Mr. Loveberry tend to confirm this

opinion advanced when the group of which No. 43 is a part was

examined. The dumps were oval or diamond shaped. That

peculiarity is noticed not only in most large mounds of the Scioto,

but at Fort Ancient, in the Muskingum region and along the

Great Miami.

"On the base line was a streak of decayed wood several

inches thick and showing high colors. This seemed to have been

pretty generally placed over the base of the mound. Between

the center and south tunnel (these were started on the west side

and therefore headed east, but we speak of the tunnel to the left

of the main one as north, and the other as south tunnels) I found

casts of poles two to three inches in diameter in the form of a

pen or hut. These casts plainly retained the stamp of the bark

and showed the knot holes of the saplings. The soil of the base

line was now very black, and immediately above it was the heavy

 

*"Primitive Man in Ohio," Moorehead, p. 168. New York, '92.

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Report of Field Work.              129

 

line of decayed wood and then the streaked or diamond shaped

deposits or dumps of earth. I counted about 20 shades of these.

There were a few spots of gravel among them. The darkest

spots were near the bottom and the lighter ones toward the top.

On the whole the mound was of sandy soil and very hard, making

digging slow. After working in our tunnels about seven feet,

we started to cut side tunnels, so as to give a mode of escape

in case of a cave-in, and also to furnish more air. In the side

tunnels we met with nothing extraordinary. Soft spots seen now

and then I thought resulted from the decay of a log.

"When we had dug the tunnels in fifteen feet from the en-

trance we began to side tunnel and ran branches south and east,

but leaving large pillars to hold the mound up, as in a coal mine.

We found in the south tunnel, fifteen feet in, a rough sandstone

disc. It lay in the decayed wood line. All the way this peculiar

line ran nearly level. Even by candle light we could make out

the different colors.

"Wednesday, May 12. We pushed the tunnels very rapidly

today. Side tunnels were dug. The decay line is very heavy

and we can take out large pieces showing eight to ten streaks

or different colors. (Figure VII, No. 11, shows the base line

and streaks in same.) At noon today we struck a place wherein

was soft, black earth. After digging into it about a foot we

struck the skull of a skeleton, twenty-five feet from the mouth

of the north tunnel. Its skull was badly decayed, but upon close

examination the pieces of skull were found to be covered with

a thin bark like fibre. (Figure VII, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, are

fragments of bone with bark or fibre.) Around the next were

bone beads and from the shoulder of the left arm to the hand

were three or four strings of shell beads numbering over two

hundred and made from a kind of small ocean shell. (Figure VII,

Nos. 9 and 10 show the beads from this skeleton.) There were

bits of the string yet remaining in some of them. Several pieces

of mica and several bits of limestone also lay near the remains.

The skeleton was headed north, lying upon its back. Around it

were evidences of thin wood or bark. Most of the bark and

wood lay in a longitudinal direction with the skeleton. This

Vol. VII-9.

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130      Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

body was wrapped or dressed in some woven fabric of fibre-like

consistency next to the skin, for some parts of the skeleton could

be lifted up and to them would yet adhere the woven fabric.

"Then came a most peculiar thing. There was bandaging

of some sort of bark like birch about the body and legs. It

extended in many directions like mummy wrapping. The beads

and body seemed to be coated with a peculiar plaster cast, very

white and to the depth of one-half to three-fourths of an inch.

Several of the long bones, humerus, femur and clavicle were

taken out whole, while others were fairly preserved. We found

some mica fragments around the skeleton. This skeleton lay

upon the base line and there was no evidence of fire about it.

No charcoal was discovered. There were no other relics near it.

"The tunnels continued and more branches were run in

various directions. The decay line seemed to grow thicker.

"Friday, May 4. Our tunnels keep getting deeper. We

still run onto some of the soft spots of earth. I discovered that

they came from the decay of wood. The earth fell down when

the wood decayed and thus left the soft places. On the base

line we now found great quantities of rotten wood. All of these

peculiraities were carefully investigated. The center and north

tunnels (main ones) were now turned to the south. The ground

kept getting harder and the colors lighter. We were past the

center of the mound a considerable distance. We were finding

nothing, and as none of these mounds of the large group, of

which this is a part, had yielded much, I concluded we would

close the tunnels and quit. There were several hundred visitors

during the course of examination.

"Our south tunnel measured thirty-three feet, north one

thirty-five feet, while the center one was seventy feet, and side

tunnels one hundred and forty feet; total, two hundred and

seventy-eight feet."

In the matter of "relics" this mound yielded little, as did

others of the same group. But they furnished information regard-

ing mound construction. The varied earths, of all colors, have

a special significance. It is not to be supposed that these varied

shades resulted from a hap-hazard gathering of earth from about

the base of the mound. There are no soils near its base pre-

• 21
 

Report of Field Work.               131 senting such diversity of colors. There can be but one expla- nation; that both in the case of Mound No. 43 (opened in 1889) and this one just described, the selection of these "dumps" was intentional. Sand painting is common in the southwest among the Pueblos, to some extent among the Navajos, also in portions of Asia. The brightest colors are used and the designs, executed upon a flat surface, are complicated and symbolic in character. These dumps may not be classed as "paintings," but that they have some peculiar relation to the mounds themselves, I am con- vinced. The grouping of various shades so that the contrasts are quite apparent--red next to black or yellow next to grey, or brown next to white - is evidence of the purpose. Instead of stratification, or of altars, or of treasured possessions exhibit- ing rare material from a distance, or high artistic aptitude in execution are all absent. At the Hopewell, Harness, Mound City and Hopetown groups--all within ten miles (or less) of this place -the tumuli revealed offerings of religious or ornamental character. The artifacts were beautifully wrought and frequently

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132      Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

of substances or materials which had been transported from a

great distance. But this mound, and one or two of its fellows,

evince more care and labor in the simple fact of construction.

Whether these earths were artificially colored, whether they were

brought from a distance of several miles cannot be ascertained.

But that they were selected with special reference to their shades

is indisputable. Time and pains were both necessary to construct

this tumulus. Along with No. 43--some few hundred yards

northwest- it stands as unique and peculiar. It is a part of that

strange culture of the lower Scioto - a culture which was higher

than elsewhere in the Ohio Valley -a culture of great antiquity

and possibly one which was affected by southern influences.

The fibre covered and wrapped skeleton presents a condition

not observed elsewhere so far as I am aware. Skeletons wrapped

in coarse cloth, copper wrapped in cloth, have been frequently

described. Both the bark and the cloth of fibre should be care-

fully studied. The weaving of the cloth and the material of which

it is composed, the nature of the bark--these are points to be

determined in the future.

Monday, May 17th, the survey began work upon Mr. Story's

mound just within the fair ground enclosure. It is twenty-five

feet high and two hundred feet base. Several large trees grow

upon its summit. There is a slight ridge or elevation of pure

white sand upon which the tumulus is built. Excavations in the

sand to a depth of six feet revealed nothing and it was therefore

concluded to be of natural origin.

The tunnel, six feet high and four feet wide, was started from

the north side. Figure VI shows the mound. A man is stand-

ing where the tunnel started. The earth was quite soft for a

distance of twenty-five feet. Towards the center it was found to

be damp - an unusual condition in so large a mound. A frag-

ment of chalcedony was found twenty feet in the tunnel.

Until the excavation was well into the structure, the base

line could not be distinctly traced. Twenty-five feet were dug

the first day. Only twelve feet were dug the second, for the

ground had become harder.

When in forty-seven feet the earth began to get darker and

softer. Thursday, the 20th, after working one foot two post

• 23
 

Report of Field Work.               133

holes were found some four inches apart. They were six inches

in diameter and two feet in depth. The post had been squared

at the bottom. The tunnel was considerably below the base line,

and the posts, therefore, had been sunk five feet below it. This

was an unusual depth. They were perfectly true, being exactly

perpendicular. Every few inches more post holes were discov-

ered running in diameter from four to twelve inches. As a side

tunnel progressed it was seen that the post holes gradually curved

and further examination revealed a circle some twelve to fifteen

feet in diameter. Fragments of bark, in places sticking to the

sides of the holes were all that remained of the posts.

Near the center of the mound a heavy "decay line" was

found. The soil changed to black. More branch tunnels were

started to investigate the center thoroughly. Three feet south

of the circle of posts and within it were found finger bones of a

skeleton's right hand. Near the wrist lay a fine coffin-shaped

ceremonial. It is shown in figure VII, No. 16 (museum number,

15,126). It was highly polished, made of ribbon slate, and per-

forated in two places.

"The skeleton was in a poor state of preservation and I

did not try to take a photograph of it in place. Around the feet

and head was more decayed wood, etc. Where the wood lay the

earth was soft, but on other portions of the body where there

was no wood, it was hard. On the left wrist was another coffin-

shaped ceremonial. (See Figure VII, No. 17, museum number

15,128). It was not perforated and had been burned. A bevel

ornament, highly polished lay near this. (See Figure VII, No.

18, museum number, 15,127). It was perforated, of ribbon slate

and the lower side had been coated with red paint. It was one

of our finest finds. The edges are very true. This skeleton

headed north, was extended. It was a young man; the skull

was thick. From appearances it was laid near the north wall

of the log house or pen.

"Another side tunnel was run from the main tunnel east, and

also several others. We found five feet from the skeleton in the

rotten wood on the base line in a little pocket six chalcedony

spears of rare beauty. (Figure VII, No. 13). Near them were

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134      Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

three ends of deer antlers worked into awls.  (Figure VII,

No. 15).

"About two feet south of the skeleton we found another

cache of nine shouldered spears like the others. (Figure VII,

No. 14). These caches are valuable as they undoubtedly show

one man's work. In the west tunnel I found a large piece of

tibia." Figure VII, No. 19, beads found with the skeleton.

 

DESCRIPTION OF ARTICLES OF FIGURE VII.

Specimens rom the Miller and Story tumuli, Chillicothe.

Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are fragments of bone from the

burial in the Miller mound. They are covered with portions of

the bark wrappings. No. 7 has fragments of dried skin and

tissue still clinging to it.

Fragments of skin are shown in No. 8. They were taken

from the ulna and radius.

No. 9 are shell beads, No. 10 bone beads from the arm of the

skeleton.

No. 11 is an imprint of the base line of heavy "decay streak."

No. 12 is an imprint of a log.

 

THE STORY MOUND.

No. 13 is a cache of six chalcedony spears found in the circle

of posts.

No. 14 is a cache of nine similar implements found near the

above.

No. 15, three bone awls of deer antler, found near the

caches.

No. 16, a beautiful "coffin ceremonial" found at the right

wrist of the skeleton. Perforated, polished and of ribbon slate.

No. 17, a "coffin ceremonial", burned, not perforated. Lay

near the left wrist of the skeleton.

No. 18, a beveled ornament of ribbon slate, highly polished.

Found near the left wrist. Its edges are very sharp.

No. 19, bone beads found with the skeleton.

The tunnels continued, branches were run and the whole

base of the mound covered as far as was compatible with safety.

• 25
 

Report of Field Work.                 135

In the west side were found animal bones. The diameter of the log pen was placed at fifteen feet. It was nearly a true circle. Professor Otis T. Mason of the United States National Mu- seum, and other ethnologists and archaeologists think that nearly all tribes living in wooded regions, whether in modern or pre- historic times constructed their dwellings of wood and that they were usually conical in form, although log huts may have been employed. The majority of the habitations were circular at the base. This would seem to be borne out by mound explorations, and the Story mound is but further proof of this supposition. It was, then, a circular structure built around the skeleton, larger than those small dome-shaped affairs found in the Effigy mound of the Hopewell group, but of the same general character. Some of the circular dwellings in which the mound tribes are supposed to have lived were undoubtedly clay covered. There are many reasons for this supposition, and as they have been published

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136       Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

several times, it is not necessary to enter upon a discussion of

the testimony here.*

Two tumuli upon the farm of Mr. M. V. Briggs, four miles

north of Chillicothe in the southeast corner of Union township

were explored. They are ranged north and south, about one

hundred feet apart, upon the second terrace of the Scioto.

The south mound is seven feet high and seventy-five feet

base; the north one ten feet high and seventy feet base. Both

have a sandy clay top and black soil in the lower sections. The

southern tumulus had been farmed over for many years, the

other was more nearly in its original condition.

"We trenched the south mound thoroughly. Found the

skull of a skeleton north of the center and within two feet of the

surface. Nothing else save a few worked pieces of flint came

to light during our digging. The other bones of the skeleton

could not be found.

"We dug a pit in the south mound twenty feet long, fifteen

feet wide and eleven feet deep. Two feet from the south edge

of the mound we found a skeleton headed west and fairly well

preserved. One foot north of this lay another headed west but

not very well preserved. Near it we found a celt. Seven feet

deep and twenty-five feet north of the south edge I found a large

burned red sandstone relic of unknown use. (The celt and

ashes-covered bones are shown in Figure X, Nos. 17 and 18).

"Near these was a third body headed east. These three

were in a row although they headed differently. Five feet deep,

in the central part of the structure we found a fourth skeleton.

The bones were the largest I ever removed from a mound. All

joints were exceedingly massive and the muscular attachments

were wonderfully developed. Badly decayed as it was, the longer

bones were sound enough for me to make these observations.

Another body lay beyond this one, and five feet below the central

skeleton we found another buried in a large bed of ashes. They

were perfectly white and appeared very pure. They were six to

seven inches thick and covered the entire body, preserving it in

good shape, save that the skull was fractured.

*See the American Archaeologist, May-Jany., 1897-98, for a discussion

of these matters.

• 27
 

Report of Field Work.              137 "The Austin Brown mound is one of the largest in the state. It stands thirty-eight feet high having a base of one hundred and sixty-five feet and is located near Brown Chapel in Scioto town- ship (Ross county). It lies upon the second terrace of the Scioto and is made up of a rich, brown clay containing not a pebble or stone. "We went up the side trirty-four feet from the edge and sunk a shaft on the east side. It was ten feet down to the base line at this point. We then started a large tunnel and worked in under from this point. We soon struck quantities of rotten timbers or logs and a heavy decay line. We found a fine rotary arrowhead. (See Figure X, No, 14.) There were many soft spots of black earth. Twenty feet from the mouth of the tunnel we struck a log ten inches in diameter running north and south. "From indications I think that at the time of building this mound they felled the trees and covered them up without clearing. "We sent several side tunnels. When the main tunnel

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138      Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

passed the center we found difficulty in keeping our lights lit as

we had no draught from the outside. We put in about one hun-

dred feet of tunnel and then quit."

It is possible that if tunnels had been run in from opposite

sides of the mound a current of air would have enabled the men

to continue. As the Brown mound is not far from that of Chas.

Metzer, where a log pen and also a cedar log (well preserved)

were found, and as it is of nearly the same size, one might be

justified in concluding that there existed a log structure some-

where within it. The cedar log - over fifteen feet in length -

was removed from Metzger's mound in good condition. The

pen was not circular but seemed to have been nearly square.

While the logs were decayed, the great mass of earth above had

partially preserved some of them. The Brown mound may not

have contained such a structure, but the finding of logs would

indicate it. Let us hope that some institution, in the future will

complete the exploration. I am convinced that the results would

justify the expense and trouble. The log and pen in the Metzger

mound were not in the center but to the west of it.

"These three mounds which we tunneled in Ross county

were so large that it would have taken all summer to dig them

out by the wide trench method. Moreover, the owners did not

want them destroyed.

"In such cases it is either a question of 'tunnel' or not ex-

plore."

A hill top mound upon the farm of Mr. Frank Gilmore,

two miles south of Chillicothe, was opened but nothing found.

It was made up of yellow clay.

"June 3 we located in Perry county. I had previously

secured permission to dig twelve mounds."

The Roberts mound is one of the largest tumuli east of the

Scioto. It is shown in Figure VIII. Standing upon a very high

hill, it is indeed a beautiful as well as an imposing monument

of the past. It is in a famous neighborhood. Flint Ridge is

within sight (upon a clear day) and the stone fortification at Glen-

ford--the largest of its kind in the state--can also be seen.

This mound lies in the northwestern part of Hopewell township

in Perry county. The Glenford fortification is only two miles

• 29
 

Report of Field Work.                 139

distant. The large earthwork upon Mr. Yost's farm and described in the report of last year (page 174) is but five miles away. The structure is one hundred and twenty feet in diameter and twenty-seven feet high. Not a tree nor a bush is upon it. Sixty years ago very large trees grew upon it and a white oak in particular was noted for its size and height. "Our trench started from the west side and ran in until the bank in front was thirteen feet in height. In making the cut we came upon a large number of very large, flat stones weighing from ten to seventy pounds. (These, as well as the tunnel, are shown in Figure IX.) They ran from two to ten feet deep. They were only near the edges and extended up the mound for about ten feet. I suppose that they were used to keep the struc- ture from washing down. It being built upon a high hill would be subjected to more or less wash." This point is well taken and true. At Fort Ancient the same

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140      Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

precaution is observed and in some parts of the structure a rude

wall of the flat limestone slabs has been carried around the edges

of the embankments.

"Near the base of the mound the earth was thicker over

these stones, showing that the soil above had washed down in

quantities. We struck an immense quantity of ashes and burnt

clay and charcoal, etc., on the base line. The mound is made

up of many colors of soil and is soft and dark. The colors are

not so bright as those noted in the Chillicothe group.

"After starting the tunnel and observing how soft and wet

the mound was, my hopes fell as to making a big find, for if there

was any perishable material in the mound it would certainly be

gone by this time. The drift was a few inches below the base

line, four feet high and three and one-half feet wide.

"When in eight feet (or thirty-eight feet from edge of mound)

we came upon a small hole in the base line filled with ashes,

charcoal and burnt bones of the deer, etc., also mussell shells,

snail shells and the like. I presume they had a feast there. The

bottom of the mound was now found not to be perfectly flat,

but wavy or irregular. Some fragments of flint and a flint knife

were found. The base line was two or three inches thick some

distance beyond the burnt bones. Thirty feet from the tunnel

mouth much decayed wood was uncovered. As we drew near

the center the ground became sticky and wet and both hard and

dangerous to work. It made shoveling slow.

"Near the center of the mound and forty feet from the mouth

of the tunnel we found a skeleton, badly decayed. It was par-

tially cremated. All the relics with it were burned except some

bone beads found around the neck. We found a fragment of

burned coffin-shaped ceremonial (Figure X, No. 6). We could

find traces of many relics which had been burned up. The skel-

eton was large, headed north, and extended. The mound was

now dangerous and our lights were kept lit with difficulty. So

we concluded to quit.

"Directly southeast of the large mound is a small one which

was originally eight or nine feet high, but it had partly been

dug away to make brick for a school-house. The workmen

found eight skeletons during this digging and they all lay with

• 31
 

Report of Field Work.              141 feet towards the center, so I was informed by persons who saw them. Nearly half of it had been removed. We sank a pit eight by eight feet and five feet deep. We uncovered five whole and five fragmentary skeletons. These skeletons were placed with- out any regard to direction and were at all depths. They lay across each other, the bones being in confusion. Some were in cramped positions and all of them seemed to have been hastily thrown in. On the breast of one of them we found a handsome needle of bone six inches long, having a notch where the eye should be. (See Figure X, No. 5.) With another skeleton was a fine leaf-shaped spear. We also found flint knives and worked bits of flint. There were traces of fire and many small shells. The skeletons were on the side of the mound nearest the large one. "We began work upon Mr. Helsir's mound in the central part of Hopewell township. It is upon a hill, seventy-five feet in diameter and eight feet high. Flint arrow-heads, knives, chips

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142       Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

and discs were found. There were considerable traces of fire. There were no burials. Material, yellow clay. There is an extensive workshop near it and black flint from Flint Ridge abounds. "We next dug upon Mr. R. Vanixle's farm in central Hope- well township. It is also a hill mound, sixty feet base and six feet high. Burned clay, charcoal and ashes in the bottom. A small stone mound near this yielded us nothing. "Mr. Alvues' mound was next explored. It is not far distant and in the same township. It is seventy-five feet base and eleven feet high. Traces of fire were abundant. "The Wilson mound is controlled by Mr. C. Rhodes, who gave us permission to explore. It covers nearly an acre of ground, is flat on top and averages eighteen feet high. The farmers con- sider it turtle shape. There are two indentations to the north, but none to the south. I think it more likely a platform mound. "We started a shaft in this, back of what might be the head, at the lowest point in the mound. When five feet deep we began

• 33
 

Report of Field Work.               143

 

to strike large sandstones, about forty to seventy-five pounds

weight. For eight feet the mound was mostly stone. Then we

found a layer of ashes on the bottom. Some of the stones were

burned. At this point the mound was thirteen feet high. Under

the ashes was a thin layer of red clay two or three inches thick.

The shaft was lengthened. Continuing, the red clay was found

to be three feet in thickness. It was the largest mass of burned

clay we had encountered, and for what purpose such an immense

quantity was placed there I do not know. Just above the clay

was a layer of white substance resembling asbestos. It was evi-

dently a mineral. We gradually uncovered a mass of this red

clay, twenty-four feet long and fourteen feet wide. The clay

continued on all sides. Under the stones, as far as we could

undermine, it was still a foot thick. I should judge that the

mound was one-half stone. A little plumb was found lying upon

one of the stones. (Figure X, No. 7.) In the red clay bone

fragments and mica were found. About fifty feet south of the

shaft we sunk another.

"The mound was so large that we did not have time nor

appropriations to dig it properly, so we filled the holes."

Figure XI shows the mound and Figure XII the tunnel.

The field notes add that the mound should be investigated

thoroughly. This proposition is entirely true. Just work enough

has been done to show its important character. From the limited

excavations we cannot determine the true character of the struc-

ture. Complete explorations are necessary.

The survey now took a long trip through various southern

counties, visiting sections which had been indicated as worthy

of exploration.

Saturday, July 3, with a camp outfit, the survey left Somer-

set and drove to Lancaster. From thence it moved to Tarleton

and from there to Bourneville by the way of Chillicothe. It

camped upon Mr. Jones' farm near the Baum village site. There

is an extensive earthwork at this place and its most prominent

mound was examined years ago by Mr. Reynolds of the Smith-

sonian Institution. The enclosure has been frequently described

and several times surveyed. The village site lies along the second

terrace, some five hundred yards south of Paint creek in Paxton

• 34
 

144      Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications. township, Ross county. The whole site covers some thirty acres, but the debris is thickest on an area of some two or three acres. Upon the surface can be seen numerous fragments of pottery and chips of flint, bones, hammer stones, etc. While not the largest village site in the state, it exceeds the average in extent. Fire places can be found in many places. "Our trench showed refuse to a depth of two and one-half feet. At this depth we came upon a yellow clay in which was noth- ing of artificial origin. During the course of exploration many trenches were dug in various portions of the field. We soon located where the relics were most numerous. Buffalo, bear,

• 35
 

Report of Field Work.               145 deer, elk, coon, and small animals; turkey, turtle, fish and snake bones were found. Some were split, others burned and others smooth from   boiling. Mussells and snails were common. Among the pottery ashes and broken stones were awls, needles and scrapers made from the tibiae of the deer. Decorated shells, worked and cut bones, perforated teeth (as ornaments), shell ornaments, etc., were found. Hoes were made by perforating the larger mussel shells in the center and then inserting a handle." (Just as the survey of 1889 and 1891 found in the Fort Ancient village sites.) Figure XIII gives a general view of the site. The pit in the foreground was opened by Messrs. Coover and Bean of Roxabell, and we are indebted to them for the view. Figure XIV shows the richest part uncovered by the survey together with a mass of material. Near the spot shown in Figure XIV were found several in-

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146       Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

teresting objects; a pipe with a rude human face (more like that of a monkey), an awl having a fox head carved at its top, a cre- mated skeleton in an ash pit. This cremation was about a foot from the surface and the pipe accompanied it. Al1 around the skeleton were many worked bones, perforated shells, cup stones, hammer stones, etc. Excavations for a space of 30 x 40 feet were made all around the spot. "In cataloguing our specimens we find nearly 5,000 frag- ments, etc. The most important are: 12 or 15 bear jaws. 35 bear tusks. 6 panther teeth. 9 perforated or grooved panther teeth. 15 deer tibiae scrapers, some of them eight or nine inches long. 2 deer antlers nearly whole.

• 37
 

Report of Field Work.                 147

56 worked deer antlers, perforated needles, awls.

5 turkey bone awls made from tibiae.

3 turkey bone spurs.

250 bone beads.

3 pieces of worked bone.

3 effigies in bone.

1 monkey-faced effigy pipe.

6 fragments of pipes.

3 pieces of decorated mussell shell.

17 mussell shell hoes.

1 flint disc.

1 core.

2 scrapers.

1 arrow head.

1 knife.

30 war points.

8 drills.

I axe.

1 celt.

12 mortars.

6 cup stones.

12 hammer stones."

Figure XV is an exhibition of some of the more important

finds from the village site.

Bear jaws are shown to the right. Next to them (18,778-9)

are two of the perforated mussel shell hoes. Below is the pipe.

A string of cylindrical bone beads encircles the objects on

the left of the plate. Bone awls are to the left of the shells.

18,776 is a decorated shell. Many of these were taken from

the pits.

Lying between awls 18,771 and 18,473 is the fox head

(broken) perforator. It is not sufficiently large to be clearly

seen.

Perforated teeth (beads or earrings), and the peculiar tri-

angular awls (some of them of turkey spurs) are shown in the

center.

• 38
 

148       Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications. Antlers and larger bones are to the extreme left. The grooved tibiae scrapers lie in the lower left hand corner. The American Archaeologist kindly permitted me to repro- duce Messrs. Coover and Bean's article together with the illus- tration. Their exploration was productive of some interesting additional discoveries:

• 39
 

Report of Field Work.              149

 

 

"A RARE ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIND MADE BY A. B. COOVER AND

L. M. BEAN, OF ROXABELL, OHIO.*

"Near Bourneville, a small village situated on Paint Creek,

twelve miles southwest of Chillicothe, Ohio, there are to be found

numerous earth-works, the work of prehistoric man.

"The valley abounds in mounds, forts (in circles and squares)

and numerous village sites. On the farm of Mr. Ed. Baum and

Mr. Pollard Hill, lies a village site of about thirty acres in extent,

which is rich in instruments of bone, made by an ancient race of

people of whom we have no definite history, except as we unearth

specimens of their work.

"Prof. Moorehead and Dr. Loveberry, of the Ohio State

Archaeological and Historical Society, were at work on this site

some three or four months ago, and made a number of finds of

bone instruments and broken pottery, all of which were shipped

to Columbus by Prof. Moorehead for the Society.

"A. B. Coover and L. M. Bean, of Roxabell, Ohio, assisted

by William Kerran, of Bourneville (each of whom have a private

collection of ancient Indian and Mound Builders' relics) having

obtained permission from Mr. Baum to make a number of exca-

vations on his farm, camped on the farm of Mr. Hill near by,

prepared to stay a week or more, and to give the ground a

search.

"The first pit dug extended over a space of 8 x 18 feet and

two feet deep, the work being done with trowels. It took two

days to examine that amount of ground.

"From this excavation were taken several awls made of

bone, arrow points of bone and stone, bone beads, scrapers made

from the leg bone of deer, a bone ornament about three inches

long, a part of which is missing, and hundreds of pieces of pot-

tery and animal bones.

"Bones and pottery getting scarce in pit No. 1, another pit

was started about one hundred and twenty feet to the north, and

at the depth of eighteen inches from the surface a number of

creek boulders were struck, and upon closer examination were

found to have been arranged in a systematic order, in the shape

* From the American Archaeologist, October, '97.

• 40
 

150      Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications. of a small oblong mound eighteen inches wide and 30 inches long. The dirt was carefully removed from the stones, and a photograph of the pile taken. In removing the stones a count was kept and there were found to be sixty-six boulders the size of a man's fist. The stones had been arched over a bed of ashes about twelve inches thick, and contained a number of animal bones, and near the center of the ashes lay a polished stone four

and one-fourth inches long, three and one-half inches wide and one and one-half inches thick. On one side was carved a human eye, below the eye an excellent image of a turtle; at the lower right hand corner a fox or wolf; to the left, zigzag marks with dots; under all runs a line the full extent of the stone. The re- verse side is plain and the stone shows the marks of having been exposed to intense heat. The mound or arch lay the longest way, due north and south. "About five feet to the south were unearthed the skulls of two deers, a bear, and what was taken to be a buffalo and moose. The five skulls lay in a quarter circle, and each facing the mound

• 41
 

Report of Field Work.               151

 

of stones, as if for some special purpose. Near the mound and

the skulls were found perforated mussell shells, bone awls, one

bone celt, one perfect bone fishhook, one piece of stone pipe.

bone beads and countless pieces of pottery and animal bones.

which were broken. Sixty feet to the south of the arch of

boulders were unearthed two skeletons of men of average height.

Both skeletons lay on their backs with their heads to the north.

One lay at the depth of only ten inches from the surface, the

other being at the depth of two feet, and appeared to have been

encased in black walnut, large pieces of which were taken from

around it in a charred state, having, like most everything else

found at this place, been subjected to the action of fire. Near

the skeletons were found a number of bone beads, shell hoes.

bone awls, several flint points and scrapers, large polished teeth

and quite a lot of broken ornamented pottery. It was estimated

that about ten thousand pieces of animal, bird and fish bones,

and three thousand pieces of broken pottery were unearthed in

the five days' work."

A communication from Mr. Coover gives additional details.

Several days more were spent at the site and excavations were

made in various parts of the field. The boulder arch was found

one hundred and twenty feet north of our pits, the first skeleton

sixty feet north.

Of one of the later pits Mr. Coover says:

"The sides of the pit were found to be burned to a red color

in places. In an excavation fourteen feet long were found four

bone awls, arrow points of stone, several tips of deer horns

which had been dressed to a point and a hole drilled in the base,

as if to receive the shaft."

It is to be regretted that the appropriation was insufficient,

for the entire field should have been examined as was the famous

village and cemetery at Madisonville.

With other village sites of the Scioto this has much in com-

mon. While larger than the average, yet it can be said that it

presents somewhat of a lower culture than others connected with

great earthworks. It will be observed* that there are no great

number of burial mounds within or without the enclosure.

 

* See Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley.

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152       Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

Those two to four miles west, along Paint creek, may have been used by the occupants of the enclosure for their interments, but one cannot say positively. The character of the relics and the lack of evidence of high aboriginal art at this place are taken as evidence of the primitive character of the villagers. I do not think that they were the same people who erected the earth- work, or of the same tribe. At Hopewell's, Hopetown, Har- nesse's and Mound City fragments of elaborately carved shells, rings, polished pipes, both effigy and platform, etc., have been found. None of these truly polished, ceremonial, or artistic objects were found in the ash pits or on the habitation sites of the Baum village site. The place is interesting in that it shows a lower degree of culture than that evinced on the sites above men- tioned. This naturally brings forward the question-Is this a later occupation? Is it an earlies one? I am convinced that it antedates the construction of the works. I do not think it is of the historic period and if Indian, of some tribe which knew little

• 43
 

Report of Field Work.               153

 

or naught of agriculture. No pestles were found. The bones of

animals and the unios from the creek found in such profusion

would indicate the presence of a hunting tribe. No foreign sub-

stances were present. Flint Ridge material was absent. Neither

the effigy of the fox, nor the rude sculpture upon the pipe can be

classed with the beautiful carvings of other Scioto valley culture-

sites.

It is interesting to find a site which cannot be classed with

those referred to above. It shows more than one occupation of

the valley and it will aid in settling a few of the remaining prob-

lems connected with pre-Columbian life in this famous region.

There are several small mounds connected with the great

"Bourneville enclosure." Most of them occupy gateways and

were probably erected for protection. Three of these were ex-

plored and aside from traces of fire upon the base lines nothing

was found. There were neither bones nor objects.

"We secured permission to work a mound on Mr. Medcalf's

farm. This lies just east of the Baum village upon the same

terrace and in the same township. It stood six feet high and had

a diameter of seventy-five feet. We dug a fair-sized trench in it.

At the depth of four feet we found charcoal and ashes in several

beds. These were rather small. In one of the beds of ashes

were fifty spear heads which had suffered from heat, being

broken and burned. They were in a little heap near the center

of the mound. (See Figure X, No. 15). There were two frag-

mentary skeletons here and the skulls of each could not be saved.

The soil was brown clay.

"We then moved to a gravel pit on his farm where several

skeletons had been found, but we were not able to find bones.

We opened three stone graves upon Spruce hill but found noth-

ing. They seem to have been disturbed by previous parties."

Spruce hill is well known. An extensive stone fortification

crowns the summit. The walls are low, but originally must have

been of a considerable height. It is described in Ancient Monu-

ments of the Mississippi Valley, Squier and Davis. Also in Fort

Ancient, page 103.

"Mr. Dill of Bainbridge permitted us to work a mound of

his three miles west of the village site. (See Figure XVII. It

• 44
 

154       Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications. lies upon the second terrace, is one hundred feet in diameter and four feet high. Our trench was ten feet long, eight feet wide and four feet deep. It was constructed of red sandy soil and very soft. The usual evidences of fire were there. One large white spear head, three inches in length, was our only find. (See Figure X, No. 13). "Mr. Dill permitted the exploration of a second mound some few hundred yards west of this one. It had been partly removed and now stands seven feet high. Material, red clay. Our trench was 16 feet long, nine feet wide and seven feet deep. Fire traces were abundant upon the bottom. Near the center was a child's skeleton some two or three years of age. Bone beads lay about the neck; there was also a decayed mussell shell. "East of this mound and not far distant is a mound belong- ing to the Dill estate. Miss Emma Dill kindly permitted us to examine it. Dimensions, one hundred feet diameter, five feet high. Our trench was 20 x 15 x 5 feet. Near the surface in the

• 45
 

Report of Field Work.                  155

center was a decayed skeleton of an intrusive burial. The base of the skull of another skeleton near it exhibited the Inca bone. It was also decayed. On the bottom was a fine black flint knife, leaf shaped. (See Figure X, No. 12). As the mounds had all been located upon the map along this valley the party moved to Waverly. Mr. McKenzie, who owns a group of three mounds just south of the town, gave per- mission for explorations. The large mound of the group, lying near the Norfolk and Western railroad tracks, is shown in Fig- ure XX. Pike county contains many mounds. The group near Pike- ton, several miles south of Waverly, is probably better known than other mound centers in this county. The famous graded way, the tumuli upon Judge Van Meter's estate are also frequently visited by archaeologists. About Waverly, at the time of set- tlement, there were numbers of tumuli in the rich bottoms of the Scioto, which have since disappeared under cultivation.

• 46
 

156      Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications. "The mounds owned by Mr. McKenzie are upon the second terrace of the Scioto. Two of them are small. The three form a triangle thus:

"July 16. We located upon the group mentioned. While the men prepared for work I located ten or twelve stone graves upon Mr. A. Lee's farm south of the town. "The small mound is forty feet in diameter and three feet high. We dug out its center, sixteen by ten by eight feet. (See A in plan above.) It was built of rich, dark earth. In the center was a skeleton on the bottom, headed northwest and extended. It was finely preserved. Bone beads were about the neck. (See Figure XXII. This plate, devoted entirely to finds in and around

• 47
 

Report of Field Work.               157

 

Waverly, need not be described in the text. The explanation

in detail, opposite the figure, will give the locality of each object.)

There were two copper buttons clasped in each hand, the arms

being extended along the sides. There was nothing else in this

structure.

"The mound (B) was fifty feet in diameter and four feet

high. It was of the same material. The entire central portion

was opened. A skeleton lay upon the bottom in the center,

headed north and extended. There were two fragmentary skel-

etons near the surface and these were intrusive, I think.

"In each hand was a copper button. Under the skull was

a small wooden button about the size of a five cent piece, which

was copper covered.

"The large mound (C, shown in Figure XX), which has

been somewhat reduced by cultivation, now stands six feet high

and one hundred and twenty-five feet across the base. The soil

in it is similar to that noticed in the others. Our trench started

from the west side and was thirty feet wide. We found one

skeleton ten feet southwest of the center, headed north. Like

nearly all burials, it lay on the back, extended, and was five feet

eight inches in length. The earth was all of a dark color about

it. None of the bones could be saved. Just north of this one,

upon a well marked base line, was another body. It lay a little

to the east. It was of medium size, decayed and the soil about

it was very dark. About five feet from the center of the mound

was a third skeleton, headed south and partly buried in sand.

Around it was a dark outline. The teeth showed medium age.

Its height, five feet nine inches. We could not preserve it. Nearer

the center was the fourth burial. It lay upon a raised platform

of earth, one foot high, and all around the skeleton was pure,

white sand. It was five feet and nine inches long and from the

teeth I should judge it was of middle age. The muscular attach-

ments of the bones were well developed. Bones were large but

not massive. (Figure XXI shows the skeleton after having been

carefully "brought out" by the hand trowels and whisk brooms,

so that the bones could be well shown in a photograph. Because

of the lack of contrast between bones and earth it is extremely

difficult to procure a clear view of a skeleton.) This was one

• 48
 

158       Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

of the best mound skeletons I ever uncovered. Three arrow heads lay along the right arm and between the knees was a piece of worked antler. "South of this was the skeleton of a child of but a few months of age. Beneath the child's skeleton, but a few inches, was the skeleton of a doe. Among the bones was the calcis of an adult. It was unusually large. Four feet north and four feet deep was the tibiae of a skeleton surrounded by spear heads. They were twenty in number, twelve being broken. No other bones or traces were found. "Four feet east of this cache of spears on the base line lay another extended skeleton.  On the left wrist was a copper bracelet. The bones could not be taken out entire. About three feet east of the center, lying on the base line and in a small bed of ashes about twelve inches in diameter, was a cremated skel- eton. With the bones were an arrow-head and a polished celt. Southeast was the skeleton of a child near the surface. From

• 49
 

Report of Field Work.               159

 

indications I think it to have been a recent interment-probably

of the whites. This concluded the exploration of this mound."

About one and one-half miles north of Waverly, upon a hill

some one hundred and fifty feet high, stand three large glacial

kames. The people of the neighborhood consider them mounds

and their rounded appearance would lead one to suppose them

to be artificial. But upon investigation they were found to be

of unmistakable glacial origin, being composed entirely of gravel.

They extend in an even line. The smaller ones to the north

contained nothing. Several holes were sunk at various points

upon their summits, but nothing of importance was found.

To the south, and upon a point of the hill, is a kame full

thirty feet high. Its summit is somewhat elongated, extending,

perhaps, one hundred feet north and south. The plow has turned

up many bits of bone. A careful investigation of the kame revealed

fourteen burials. Most of these were extended, say twenty inches

from the surface and for the most part well preserved, save the

crania. Of the latter two were secured whole. They are exceed-

ingly thick and rather incline towards the brachycephalic type.

No boulders or flat stones surrounded them. The burials were

simply made in the gravel. There is no indication that the sum-

mit of the kame had been artificially rounded.  Numerous

humeri, tibiae and other bones which might exhibit anatomical

peculiarities were removed entire. The vertebrae were uniformly

decayed. Some of the other small bones were also not sufficiently

preserved to admit of their being removed.

With the fourteen skeletons were numerous portions of others

which lay a little above them. These had doubtless been dis-

turbed by the plow. It might not be an exaggeration to state

that some twenty-five interments had originally been made.

No common direction could be observed, as they headed

towards all points of the compass. The fine yellow sand

and gravel of the top of the kame afforded soil easy of excava-

tion, and the rapid penetration of the water (when it rained)

through the gravel left the bones dry and thus assured their

preservation. There were sixty bone beads with two of the skel-

etons. A child seemed to have been the object of affection on

the part of its parents, for it had with it three bone chisels, a

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160       Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

flint knife and a shell ornament. There were two spear-heads with another interment. These were exceedingly heavy and ill- made, being five inches long and very narrow. All these burials did not cover a space to exceed fifty feet square. DESCRIPTION OF FIGURE XXII. All from McKenzie mounds, Waverly group. No. 1, phalanges of skeletons which held copper buttons in their hands. These are colored by verdegris, but the figure does not show this clearly. Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are copper buttons. Nos. 9 and 10, wooden button surrounded by copper. No. 11, a bracelet found upon the wrist of a skeleton in the large mound. No. 12, a celt found with the cremated skeleton. No. 13, child's skeleton buried just above the doe.

• 51
 

Report of Field Work.               161

 

No. 14, the calcis of an adult; museum number, 15,618.

No. 15, tibiae surrounded by spears (large mound).

"We secured permission from Mr. James Corwin to work

two small mounds which lie one and one-half miles north of

Waverly. The largest one is five feet high and fifty-five feet

base. It is made of yellow clay. After digging a large hole,

nothing was found save the usual traces of fire.

"One hundred yards northwest is a small mound three feet

high and thirty feet base. There was not a trace of skeletons

in it, but on the bottom was a very heavy black streak, and in

it were several objects the like of which we had not found prev-

iously. It must have resulted from the decay of skins or hides.

There were no ashes. In a swamp near the foot of the hill is

similar soil. It may have come from there. In the center were

whole and broken bar-amulets, galena ceremonials and a fine

bird ceremonial. (See Figure X. No. 19 is the bird ceremonial.

Nos. 20 and 21 are the bar-amulets. No. 22, museum number

15,830, is the galena object.) Flint arrow-heads, a plumb bob

and some galena ore were found.

"In the bottoms along the Scioto, two and one-half miles

north of Waverly, is a large village site upon Mr. Corwin's land.

We dug a number of trenches and pits. We found quantities

of the usual village debris: pottery, shells, broken relics, etc.

There were many dark colored spots and numerous beds of

ashes. About a half bushel of material was secured at this place.

"The bottom mound lay back from the river two hundred

yards. It was three feet high and one hundred and twenty-five

feet base, made up of hard black, mucky soil. Our trench only

revealed cremated bones and charcoal, ashes, etc.

"Mr. Charles Foster, two miles north of town, permitted

us to dig a hill top mound upon his farm. It is ten feet high

and one hundred and sixty feet base. It is composed of red clay,

and at the bottom is a black streak two feet thick. I think that

it came from the swamp referred to above. There was a skele-

ton on the bottom, headed north and decayed. There were

quantities of decayed wood about it. One arrow head was in

 

 

Vol. VII-11.

• 52
 

162      Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications. such a position among the bones as to lead me to believe that it killed the individual. "Mr. Corwin had secured permission for us to dig several mounds upon his father-in-law's farm near Omega on the east side of the Scioto. On July 28th we went thither. There are two mounds near his barn, one being four feet high and one hun- dred and fifty feet base, and the other about the same size. They are not far from the Scioto. The first was composed of black soil and there were traces of fire. Nothing of importance found. The second (one hundred yards east) contained a decayed skele- ton and some fragments. The base line was distinct. Another mound in the bottom some two hundred yards distant was not investigated. "Three-fourths of a mile east, on the high hills overlook- ing the river is a mound eight feet high and one hundred and fifty feet base. Material, red clay and sandstone spalls. Pieces of worked flint and two arrow heads constituted the finds. That was all. A second hill mound lies one hundred yards to the

• 53
 

Report of Field Work.               163

west. It is four and one-half feet high and one hundred and

twenty-five feet base. We uncovered a skeleton in the center,

two feet from the surface. Three arrow heads lay by it.

"Col. Jas. Moore of Chillicothe, living two miles north of

Waverly, owns a field in which beds of mica have been revealed

by the plow. We were unable to locate the spot.

"July 29th. We started for Jackson, driving to Beavertown

we located some earthworks and mounds near there and brought

a small collection. (See Figure X, No. 16. A fine chisel which

was in the collection purchased). Driving into Jackson the next

day we were greatly assisted by Mr. F. E. Bingham, who drove

out with me and secured permissions for explorations. We be-

gan work upon Mr. Burn's mound, three miles southeast of

Jackson. It is made up of red clay and is five feet high, one

hundred feet base. We trenched in thoroughly, finding some

arrow heads and a very fine slate ornament. We found no traces

of any skeletons or of fire.

"A third of a mile southwest on the same terrace of the run

on which the above mound was located is another. It is five

feet high and fifty feet base.  There were traces of fire.  I

found one fine leaf shaped arrow head.

"We drove six miles southeast to Mr. Harshberger's farm.

In the bottom appeared to be a large mound, but upon examina-

tion we found it to be composed of solid rock covered by soil.

It is the nearest approach of a natural formation to a mound that

I ever saw.

"Returning to Jackson we went up Salt creek to Richmond,

locating mounds along the route.

"After reporting at Columbus, the survey was ordered by

my chief, Prof. Moorehead, to proceed up the Scioto to its head-

waters and obtain a general idea of the character of ancient

remains along the river. Mounds were not supposed to exist in

numbers, but there might be evidence of other works, such as

graves, kame burials, etc. And these might indicate the pres-

ence of another tribe, and one different from that occupying the

southern portion of Ohio.

"From Columbus we drove up the Olentangy to Delaware.

Mr. R. E. Hills of the city, one of the trustees of the Society, ren-

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164       Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

dered us much assistance. Mr. Taggert and others also told us

of mounds. We drove to Galena on the Big Walnut (creek).

Near there, on Big Walnut creek, is a circle which surrounds a

mound. There was a village site and a workshop near by and

we looked over the surface carefully and found quite a number

of specimens. The site did not seem to have been occupied for

a very long time. We trenched the mound, but found little of

interest. It is seven feet high and one hundred feet diameter.

The circle is about two hundred feet diameter with the moat on

the inside. There is an enclosure or fortification here but it has

been so nearly obliterated that I can barely make out its contour.

"From here we returned to Delaware and drove to the

Scioto on the west. I took a side trip to Magnetic Springs, lo-

cating mounds, village sites and gravel burials. We followed the

Scioto to Mr. Dill's farm near Prospect in the northwest part of

Delaware county, where there is a group of mounds along the

banks of the Scioto. One of these is one hundred and twenty-

five feet base and six feet high. The other one is larger. Hav-

ing secured permission we began operations upon the small one,

fifty yards east of the large one. Three pits were dug, each six

feet long, five feet wide and five feet deep. It was composed of

a gravelly soil. One skeleton found was badly decayed. Headed

northwest, decayed. Three arrow heads were near the head.

The hardness of the ground prevented its removal. The largest

mound had been explored.

"We drove to Prospect, and from thence to Green Camp,

locating remains along the way. At Green Camp, upon Mr. S.

Porter's farm, there was a stone grave. The foot bones of the

skeleton were painted with red ochre. Large quantities of the

paint were found at the feet. Fragments of a large jar and some

beads also lay near the feet. A bow and quiver, a pick shaped

ceremonial, several double-pointed chisels, mica in large quan-

tities, arrows, scrapers, spear heads, celts, etc., were found with

the skeleton by Mr. Porter. We simply reopened the grave in

order to ascertain if he had overlooked anything. An old Indian

trail passes near this grave along the top of a small hill. There

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Report of Field Work.              165

is a spring near by and the Scioto river is not far distant. The

bones were six feet below the surface and covered by many

stones. There is little soil above the stones and the locality of

the grave was ascertained by the plow striking them."

Some of these objects are shown in Figure X:

No. 1, a piece of mica; No. 2, a double-pointed chisel; No.

3, a flat stone, polished or unfinished ornament; No. 4, a notched

bone fish spear or harpoon. These latter are exceedingly rare,

only a few having been found in Ohio. Several were dug up in

the famous cemetery at Madisonville, and two found near Cin-

cinnati were described in the Quarterly of the Cincinnati Histor-

ical Society for 1896, by Professor Smith, curator at that time.

It is unfortunate that the entire collection from this interest-

ing grave could not have been secured by our Society for preser-

vation.

"From here we went to Marion, and from thence northeast

until the Sandusky river was reached. Following the river we

soon reached Bucyrus and called upon General Finley, who is

much interested in archaeology. General Finley is confident

that the Indian village of Secium was located near Bucyrus and

that it was a most important place in primitive times, marking

the being near the portage from the Sandusky to the lake, from

the Scioto to the Sandusky, and that all canoes or traveling par-

ties ascending the river stopped at this point.

"We dug twenty-five or thirty pits and field hunted over fifty

acres, but could not find the least trace of Secium.

"We continued on to Upper Sandusky. Nearly all of the

way the river was followed. Some information was obtained

from resident collectors.

"Six miles north, on Mr. J. Hayman's farm, is a modern In-

dian (probably Wyandotte) burial ground. There were at least

fifty graves here, but all had been opened by curiosity seekers

and the bones strewn about the surface. We did some work,

but were not able to locate any interments.

"At McCullomville we heard of some mounds near Sycam-

more and drove east to that place. But all the mounds were

glacial kames and contained few burials. At Tiffin and Fort

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166      Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.

 

Seneca we secured some additions to the map. From Fremont,

where we found little in the way of prehistoric remains, we pro-

ceeded to Port Clinton and found a few small mounds, all of

which had been explored. From here we drove to Lakeside and

located some stone graves and small mounds. We dug in a

stone mound at Lakeside sixty feet in diameter and three feet

high. There was nothing in it but fragments of bones. We

took the boat to Sandusky and from thence drove east along the

lake shore, making observations.

"Turning southeast we ascended the Huron river and se-

cured some locations for the map. A few relics were bought at

these various northern places. From here we traveled to Belle-

ville by the way of Mansfield. At Fredericktown we dug in

some graves but made no discoveries. There were six mounds

and four earthworks near Fredericktown. By the way of Mount

Vernon we drove to Newark and then on to Glenford. Near

the latter place, on Isaac Zartman's farm, is a mound by the

banks of a small creek. It was fifty-seven feet wide and five feet

high. Material, yellow clay. Pieces of flint and some knives

were scattered through it. The base line was fairly distinct.

Some one had partly explored it, but we could not learn if dis-

coveries had been made. We found charcoal and ashes in abund-

ance. A stone mound not far from this one was opened. Di-

mensions, seventy-five feet base and three feet high. The trench

run through it took out most of the structure. We found

arrow heads, knives and some ornaments in it, also evidences of

great heat. At Somerset the survey disbanded and the field

work came to an end August 28th, 1897."

 

THE STATE ARCHAEOLOGIC MAP.

The additions during the past year to the map have been

considerable, but they have not reached my expectations. To

complete this important work there should be an appropriation

of at least $2000 per year. At present there is no provision for

the work and the records are obtained through correspondence

or by the Curator during his travels. This latter method is entirely

satisfactory so far as it goes, but the survey cannot cover more

than a small portion of six or eight counties in a season, as its

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Report of Field Work.               167

 

time is spent in excavating and there is only opportunity to record

such monuments as are heard of in the region wherein it is at

work. Two or three employees of the Society should visit various

portions of the state; especially such as are not represented on

the map. They should travel through all the townships in each

county. At this rate it would take few summers to record all

monuments of which there remain a trace. It seems unfortunate

that the map-- begun with such zeal and assisted throughout

by private contribution- should not be pushed to completion.

It is the most important work ever undertaken by the Society

and has been recognized generally among scientific institutions

of the East.

In the enumeration it will be seen that a number of changes

have been made. These are due in part to errors of correspond-

ents, to the study of our map up to date, to separation into proper

classes, etc. Some marks were removed, and with all additions

the present number stands 3,292, a gain of only 449 over last

year. We can not be too careful in the tabulation of data for the

map and I am pleased that now, so far as it has progressed,

there are but few errors.

One of the changes - and an important one - came about

as a study of the map itself rather than the field.

Squares and circles are often in combination with valley

enclosures. Last year the student who called off the various

works to me made the natural mistake of counting all the squares

or circles whether by themselves or connected with other embank-

ments. He reported seventy-four. There are that number in

the state, but only thirty-seven stand by themselves. The others

enter into the "enclosure division.'  He also included mound-

groups with enclosures, thus making the total of enclosures

greater than the actual number shown this year. By enclosure

is meant a group of embankments, mounds, sites, etc., and the

one mark for that class may stand for as many as thirty mon-

uments.

A careful estimate of the total monuments recorded so far

for results is an estimate of 8,230; assuming that each mark

averages two and one-half works.

I only fear for errors in one or two classes. The distinction

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between works upon hills and those in the valleys seems to puzzle

both correspondents and the surveys. The differences between

various works are invariably correctly given, but the "on hill

or in valley" sign is often left off the county tracings. I think

this is especially true of the stone graves. Most of them occur

upon high hills and I cannot agree that so few (as indicated

by the map) are found there. The co-laborers on the map have

inadvertently omitted the hill-top sign.

But be these small omissions as they may, the map as a

whole has sufficiently progressed for us to obtain a pretty clear

idea of monument distribution.

Certain inferences were published in last year's report. These

have been strengthened and some of them can now be classed

as facts.

The southern part of the state (omitting the Scioto Valley

and the lower Muskingum) abounds in stone graves and stone

mounds; the upper Scioto in gravel or kame burials, graves and

small village sites. The tumili and works found in the hills back

from the Scioto, Muskingum or Miamis may be classed as not

belonging to the higher culture of the people of the combination-

works or enclosures. Glacial kame burials are found to be exceed-

ingly numerous, and, as stated last year, furnish a fruitful field

for study, being of an earlier or more primitive type than the

mounds and enclosures or village sites.

The map also emphasizes this fact: that culture was local

and no "high civilization of the Mound Builders," can be as-

signed. We must account for the presence of many tribes of

varying degrees of intelligence, none of them above middle or

upper barbarism and many of them being in upper savagery.

It indicates a long mound-building period by a fairly limited

population rather than an occupation of the entire area by large

numbers of people for a short time.

 

SUMMARY OF PREHISTORIC EARTH AND STONE REMAINS IN

THE STATE OF OHIO ACCORDING TO KIND.

Mounds of earth not located upon high hills...............                                                                                    1,899

Mounds of earth located upon high hills .........................                                   376

Mounds of stone not located upon high hills.....................                                 43

Mounds of stone located upon high hills.........................                                    13

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Village  sites  ....................................................         253

Enclosures: This includes all "combination" or "religious" works,

irregular in form, or of geometric designs found in the val-

leys  .........................   ..............................  133

Enclosures upon high hills. These may be considered as fortifi-

cations  ....................   ................................      7

Circles     of earth    not on      high   hills.................................                           19

Squares    of earth             not  on     high   hills..............................                    37

Crescents of earth not on high hills ............................. 17

Groups of stone graves not on high hills .........................                                     135

Groups of stone graves on high hills............................  8

Stone fortifications or enclosures upon high hills ................                                4

Glacial kame burials (skeletons found in gravel knolls and sup-

posed to represent interments by a different tribe from that

burying         in the  mounds).....................................                                   225

Flint quarries        ...................................................   4

Effigies  ............................ ............................           4

Groups of earth mounds not on high hills ........................                                    14

Groups of earth mounds on high hills. (These groups may con-

tain from three to twenty-five mounds each)..................                              93

Parallel Walls       ..................................................    8

 

Total   ..................................................  3,292

 

SUMMARY ACCORDING TO COUNTY.

Ross        ......................   298  Greene        ....................                                     41

Licking   ...................      228  Clarke         ....................                                     41

Pickaway    ..................    222  Wyandotte  ................  40

Butler      .....................    162  Marion        ....................                                     39

Jackson    ...................      150  Brown         .....................                                    37

Fairfield  ...................      141  Fulton         ....................                                     36

Franklin     ..................    137  Hamilton                   ..................                        36

Perry      .....................    102  Highland                    ..................                        35

W ashington  ...............    92    Ashland                     ..................                        35

Clinton    ....................     84    M organ      ...................                                      34

Delaware    ..................    74    W ayne       ....................                                     33

Adams    ....................     71    Clermont    ..................                                       33

Muskingum    ...............   70    Montgomery ............... 32

Athens    ....................     62    Fayette       ....................                                     28

Pike       ......................   60    Erie   ....................... 27

K nox     .....................    59    Vinton        ....................                                     27

W arren     ...................   56    Union         .....................                                    26

Scioto ......................       54    Lawrence ..................   23

Coshocton  .................     52    Madison  ...................   22

Hardin ....................         46    Miami ..................... 21

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Summit ...................                                                    21         Islands in Lake Erie ......                                           8

Hocking ...................                                                  20         Sandusky ..................                                                   7

Loraine ...................                                                   19         Auglaize ...................                                                   7

Morrow    ...................                                                19         Allen ......................                                                       7

Holmes ...................                                                    18         Noble .....................                                                       6

Williams ..................                                                  18         Portage ...................                                                      6

Tuscarawas ................                                                16         Harrison ..................                                                     6

Darke .....................                                                     16         Wood ....................                                                        6

Gallia .....................                                                    15         Medina ....................                                                     6

Lucas .....................                                                     15         Hancock ..................                                                     4

Belmont ...................                                                  15         Paulding ..................                                                    3

Huron .....................                                                    14         Monroe ...................                                                      3

Crawford ..................                                                  13         Mahoning .................                                                   3

Cuyahoga .................                                                 13         Seneca ....................                                                       2

Ashtabula .................                                                13         Henry .....................                                                       2

Richland   ..................                                                13         Geauga ....................                                                     2

Lake ......................                                                      11         Putnam    ...................                                                   1

Ottawa ....................                                                    10         Logan .....................                                                      1

Stark ......................                                                      10         Shelby ......................                                                    1

Jefferson  ..................                                                   10         Carroll ....................                                                      1

Champaign ................                                                9           Columbiana ...............                                                  1

Mercer ....................                                                    9           Van Wert .................                                                     1

Trumbull ..................                                                  8           Guernsey ..................                                                   1

Preble .....................                                                    8

Defiance ...................                        8        Total ................. 3,292

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On the banks of the Ohio, in Kentucky and West Virginia, are. forty-eight tumuli and works just opposite similar ones on the Ohio side. These are not included in the totals, although they are shown upon the borders of our map.

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