Ohio History Journal

BAUM PREHISTORIC VILLAGE.

WILLIAM C. MILLS.

The Baum Prehistoric Village site is situated in Twin Town-

ship, Ross County, Ohio, just across the river from the small

borough of Bourneville, upon the first gravel terrace of Paint

Creek.

The Paint Creek valley is drained by Paint Creek, a stream

of irregular turbulence, flowing in a northeasterly direction, and

emptying into the Scioto River, south of Chillicothe. The Valley,

at the site of this village upwards of two miles in width, is sur-

rounded on the east and west by high hills which are the land-

marks of nature, but little changed since the days of the pre-

historic inhabitants.

Spruce Hill, Fig. I, with steep slope covered with a dense

forest, towers above the surrounding hills on either side. The

top of this hill is made a veritable fortress by an artificially con-

structed stone wall, enclosing more than one hundred acres of

land. This fortress would no doubt furnish a place of refuge to

those who might be driven from the extensive fortifications in the

valley below, which are in close proximity to the mounds and

village of those early people.

Looking to the south and east from the village site, one can

see lofty hills rising in successive terraces, no longer covered

with the deep tangled forest, but transformed by the woodman's

axe, and now under cultivation, producing the golden corn, which

is our inheritance from primitive man who inhabited the Valley

of Paint Creek many centuries ago.

The village extends over ten acres or more of ground, which

has been under cultivation for about three-quarters of a century.

Almost in the center of this village, near the edge of the terrace

to the west, is located a large square mound. This mound and

the earthworks which are directly east of it, have been known

since early times as the landmarks of the early settlers in this

section of Ross county. The mound was first described by Squier

45

48        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

some distance to the north of this work. It is one hundred and

twenty feet broad at the base, has an area fifty feet square on

the top, and is fifteen feet high. Quantities of coarse, broken

pottery are found on and around it. A deep pit, or dug hole, is

near, denoting the spot whence the earth composing the mound

was taken." This description, though meager, attracted the at-

tention of the Bureau of Ethnology, and they sent a field party,

under the direction of Mr. Middleton, to explore the mound, and

I herewith quote from the twelfth annual report of the Bureau

of Ethnology, 1890 and 1891. "The mound was composed for

the most part of clay, mottled considerably with black loam and

slightly in some places with patches of a grayish, plastic lime.

Cross trenches were run due north and south and east and west,

respectively. The breadth of these at the side was from five to

six feet, but as they penetrated inward they widened gradually,

so that at the center the excavation became thirteen feet in diam-

eter. Considerable lateral digging was done from these trenches

to uncover skeletons and other indications appearing in their sides.

"Two series of upright postmolds, averaging five inches in

diameter equidistant ten inches, and forming a perfect circle

twenty-six feet in diameter, constitute a pre-eminent feature of

this mound. Within these circular palings the mound was pene-

trated systematically by thin seams of fine sand, sagging in the

center and averaging one foot apart. Resting upon the natural

black loam at the bottom, timbers averaging eight inches in di-

ameter radiated from the center, and in the south and west

trenches were noticed to extend continuously to the posts. These

timbers were detected, for the most part, by their burnt remains

and also by the molds of dark earth in the yellow clay, produced

by the decomposition of wood. Directly over these timbers was

a horizontal line of decayed and burnt wood, but mostly decayed,

averaging half an inch thick. The upright postmolds of the lower

series were very distinct and measured five feet in vertical height.

In one was found a small sliver of what appeared to be black

walnut. Several of them contained the burnt remains of wood,

and in many of these instances the black bark was clinging to

the sides.

"Separating this from the superstructure, as will be seen by

50        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

"All the skeletons discovered were in the area inclosed by

these posts. The skeletons unearthed were all in a remarkably

good state of preservation. None of them could have been in-

trusively buried, for the stratification above them was not dis-

turbed. All excepting Nos. 15, 16 and 17 lay upon one or another

of the thin seams of sand.

"With skeleton No. 1 a bone implement was found at the

back of the cranium, and an incised shell and fragments of a jar

at the right side of it. With No. 3, which was that of a child about

ten years old, a small clay vessel was found five inches behind

the cranium. At the left hand of skeleton No. 8 was a shell

such as is found in the sands of Paint Creek. A bone imple-

ment was at the back of the cranium of No. 9. With skeleton

No. 11, were found a lot of small semi-perforated shell beads,

and two bone implements directly back of the cranium. By the

right side of the cranium were the perfect skull and jaws of a

wolf, and beneath these were two perforated ornaments of shell.

In the right hand was a shell, such as is found in the creek

near by, while in the left was a pipe fashioned from stone.

"At the right of the feet of this skeleton was the extremity

of an oblong ashpit, about four feet long and two feet broad and

one foot ten inches in depth.  It was filled with white ashes

which were evidently those of human bones, since none but

human bones could be identified. In these ashes and compactly

filled with them, was an earth pot. It lay at the right of the

feet of skeleton No. 11. It was lifted out of the ashes with

great care, but the weight of its contents and its rotten condi-

tion caused it to break in pieces before it could be placed upon

the ground. Numerous other pieces of pottery of a similar char-

acter were found in these ashes, and it is not improbable, from

the indications, that all these ashes were originally placed in pots

before interment. A perforated shell disk, two inches in diam-

eter, and a lump of soggy sycamore wood were gathered from

the ashes. Neither wood nor shell bore any signs of having

been burnt.

"Skeleton No. 15 lay seven feet deep and a half foot below

the general burnt streak. It was originally covered with a wooden

Explorations of the Baum Prehistoric Village Site.  51

structure of some kind, for the cores of two red cedar timbers

were resting lengthwise upon the body and the burnt remains

of probably two others could be plainly seen on each side, placed

parallel to those upon the body. This red cedar was still sound,

but the white wood which envelopes the red cores seemed to be

burnt entirely to charcoal. The indications are that these tim-

bers were originally one foot above the body, for the earth to

that extent over the whole length of the body was very soft.

The timbers were noticed to extend slightly beyond the head and

feet, while the head upon which they lay was upon its right side.

The earth above them was a mixture of clay and fine sand and

peculiarly moist. The length of this skeleton to the ankle bones

was six feet and one inch. Two bone implements were found

at its head, and at its right side near the head were two frag-

ments of polished tubes and a hollowpoint of bone, which ap-

pears to have been shaped with a steel knife. Three bone im-

plements were found beneath the right elbow of skeleton No. 13."

I have quoted at some length from the Report of the Bureau

of Ethnology, because it is the only account we have of the ma-

terial taken from the mound, which is located almost in the

center of the village site.

However, the contents of the mound are not available for

inspection, at the U. S. National Museum, and we are compelled

to rely upon the description and drawing given by the explorer,

Mr. Middleton, both in regard to mode of burial and the arti-

facts placed in the grave. So far as I am able to judge by hav-

ing before me the description of the explorations of the mound

and the implements, ornaments and pottery found in such pro-

fusion with the burials in the village, I would say that the builders

of the mound were isochronological with the dwellers in the

village. The bone arrowpoint mentioned in the latter part of the

quotation as having the appearance of having been shaped with

a steel knife, was duplicated many times in every section of the

village, and was simply an unfinished arrowpoint, having been

worked with a heavy piece of flint used as a scraper, and not as

one would use a steel knife. An ordinary pocket glass will reveal

the concave appearance of the cut, and at the same time show

the scratches made by the uneven fracture of flint. I have dis-

Explorations of the Baum Prehistoric Village Site.  53

think that they were the same people who erected the earth-

work, or of the same tribe. At Hopewell's, Hopetown, Har-

ness's and the 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 ob-

jects 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 earlier 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 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 substances were present. Flint Ridge material was ab-

sent. 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."

From the above quotations it will be seen that the Baum

Mound and Village Site has had some attention from the Archae-

ologist and was considered by them of more than ordinary im-

portance.

In the following pages I give a detailed account of the work

of three seasons in the village, bringing to light forty-nine tepee

sites which were more or less the permanent abode of the dwellers,

one hundred and twenty-seven burials which surrounded the

tepees and two hundred and thirty-four subterranean storehouses,

in which were stored the winter supplies and which were after-

wards used for refuse pits.

During the summer of 1899, I examined a section of the vil-

lage which lays directly south of the mound, extending the work

to the west, and finally ending the work of the season directly

north of the mound. During the summer of 1903, I examined

a large portion of the village directly east of the mound, and

during the summer of 1902, sections were examined northeast

of the mound, extending along the edge of the gravel terrace,

directly southeast of the mound.

Explorations of the Baum Prehistoric Village Site.  55

The examination of these various sections were made to

discover, if possible, the extent of the village, as well as to

ascertain the mode of life in the various sections, and whether

the same people inhabited the village in all its parts.

The land upon which this village is situated has been owned

by the Baums for more than three quarters of a century. At

the present time the land upon which the village proper is situ-

ated is owned by Mr. J. E. Baum and Mr. Pollard Hill, and

through the kindness of these gentlemen, I was not in any way

restricted in my examination of the village; in fact, they as-

sisted me in many ways to make the work pleasant and profit-

able. About three quarters of a century ago, Mr. Baum's grand-

father cleared this land, which was then covered with a growth

of large trees of various kinds, such as the black walnut, oak

sycamore, and ash, and it has practically been under cultivation

ever since. The top surface consists of from twelve to thirty-six

inches of leaf mould, and alluvial deposit, which overlies a thin

stratum of compact clay. Directly beneath this clay or hardpan,

is found gravel.

During the entire examination of this village, something less

than two acres of ground was dug over, and examined inch by

inch by the aid of the pick, spade and small hand trowel, bringing

to light the habitations and burial places of these early people.

No one living in this section, not even those cultivating the

soil for the three quarters of a century mentioned, knew that the

remains of a buried city of a prehistoric people lay only a few

inches beneath the surface. As the examination progressed it

was evident that a few pages, at least, of the history of remote

time, were being revealed in the deep pits, which served as sub-

terranean storehouses for the early agriculturists. A few more

pages were brought to light when deep down in the clay, the

burial grounds for each family were discovered, and still a few

more pages when the tepee, with its fireplace, stone mortars, im-

plements and ornaments, lying in profusion upon the floor of the

little home, partially told in silent language of the great drama

of life, enacted by those early people.

I herewith present a drawing, Fig. 6, of a portion of the

Explorations of the Baum Prehistoric Village Site.  57

village farthest to the northeast of the mound, which shows the

site of a large tepee, the largest found during the explorations

and, perhaps, the most interesting in this, that this tepee was

never changed and always occupied the exact ground upon which

it was originally built, while in many other instances the tepee

was shifted from place to place, even occupying the ground used

for burial purposes, and the deserted tepee site afterwards be-

ing used for the burial of the dead, or for subterranean store-

houses. As I have stated, this tepee was the largest found in

the village; of oblong construction and measuring upwards of

twenty-one feet in length by twelve feet in width inside of the

posts. The posts were large, as shown by the postmolds, and

consisted of twenty-one set upright in the ground, the smallest

being five inches in diameter and the largest nine and one-fourth

inches. On the inside seven other posts similar in size to the outer

ones were promiscuously placed, presumably for the support of

the roof. The posts for the most part consisted of the trunks of

small trees, with the bark attached, placed in the ground. The

imprint of the bark was quite visible, but the trees all being

young it would be impossible to identify from the bark the kind

of trees used in the construction of the tepee. The posts were

made the proper length by the use of fire, and no doubt the

trees were felled by fire, for at the bottom of the postmolds

charcoal was invariably found. The covering of the tepee evi-

dently consisted of bark, grass or skins, as no indications were

found pointing to the use of earth as a mud plaster in the con-

struction of the sides or top. The fireplace was placed in the

center of the tepee and was about four feet in diameter, six inches

deep at the center and three inches deep at the edge, and had

very much the appearance of having been plastered from time to

time with successive layers of clay. The earth beneath the fire-

place was burned a brick-red to the depth of eight inches. The

original floor of the tepee had been made fairly smooth, but almost

six inches of earth had little by little and from time to time been

placed upon the floor. This earth had scattered through it im-

plements and ornaments, both finished and unfinished, polishing

Explorations of the Baum Prehistoric Village Site.  59

their construction much smaller. The inside of the tepees are

practically all the same. The surroundings of the tepee, such as

the subterranean storehouses and the burial places, depend upon

the size of the tepee. Surrounding the large tepee just described,

to the south was the burial ground where thirty burials were

unearthed, the largest in the village. Of these burials twenty

had not reached beyond the age of adolescents, showing that

sixty-six and two-third per cent. of the family group never

reached the adult age. Fourteen of the twenty were under six

years of age, showing that the mortality among small children

was very great, being fully seventy per cent., not taking into ac-

count the four small babies found in the refuse pits which sur-

rounded the tepee. The mortality of the young under the adult

age in this family is greater than in any other individual family

discovered in the village. Out of one hundred and twenty-seven

burials unearthed in the village, seventy-four were under the age

of sixteen, showing that fully fifty-eight per cent. of the children

never reached the adult age. Of the seventy-four children under

the age of sixteen, fifty-six were under the age of six years,

showing that fully seventy-five per cent. of the children born to

these early peoples died before they attained the age of six years,

not taking into account the twenty-four very small babies found

in the ashes and refuse in the abandoned subterranean storehouses

in various parts of the village.

The burials of this wigwam group present another interest-

ing feature, found in only one other part of the village, that of

placing perfect pieces of pottery in the grave. Four burials rep-

resenting five individuals, had each a pottery vessel placed near

the head. All were carefully removed, but were more or less

broken by freezing. The vessels have been restored and will be

described elsewhere in this monograph. Two of the vessels were

placed with adults and each contained a single bone awl made

from the shoulder blade of the deer; a few broken bones of the

deer and wild turkey were found in one, and quite a number

of mussel shells with a few deer bones were found in the other.

The other two vessels were placed in the graves of children.

Explorations of the Baum Prehistoric Village Site.  61

ditional polish by rubbing, the effect being noticeable over the

entire surface of the stone. One side is perfectly plain; the other

side, finely polished, contains three indentations about one-eighth

of an inch deep, and three-fourths of an inch in diameter.

Another feature of this interesting group is the finding of a

few copper beads associated with shell beads in one of the burials.

This find is the only instance where copper was found during the

entire exploration in the village. However, it shows that the

denizens were familiar with and possessed this very desirable

metal.

The refuse pits surrounding the tepee to the north were per-

haps the most interesting in the village, for here abundant evi-

dence was found showing that the refuse pits were originally in-

tended and used for a storehouse for corn, beans and nuts, and

perhaps, for the temporary storage of animal food, etc., and

afterwards used as a receptacle for refuse from the camp. For

some time I was of the opinion that the large cistern-like holes

were dug for the express purpose of getting rid of the refuse, but

as the explorations progressed I soon discovered their real pur-

pose by finding the charred remains of the ears of corn placed

in regular order on the bottom of the pit; and I was further

rewarded by finding pits in various sections of the village con-

taining charred corn, beans, hickory nuts, walnuts, etc., which

had been stored in the pit and no doubt accidentally destroyed.

Since completing my examination of the Baum Village I ex-

amined the Gartner Mound as well as the village site which sur-

rounded the mound, and find that the two villages had very much

in common. The family grouping and the subterranean store-

house were identical in every respect with those at the Baum

Village, therefore, I quote from my report upon this village site,

Vol. 13, page 128, publications of the Ohio Archaeological and

Historical Society, including a photograph of explorations at

Gartner's showing the close proximity of the pits and the large

number exposed at one time: "The refuse pits, which are so

abundant in the villages of the Paint Creek valley, were present

in great numbers and distributed over the village site surround-

62        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

ing the habitats of the various families. Fig. No. 9 shows ten of

these pits open at one time. During the examination in the vil-

lage, more than one hundred pits were found and thoroughly ex-

amined. The evidence produced by this examination shows that

twenty per cent. of the pits examined were originally used for

storehouses for grain, beans and nuts, and perhaps for animal

food. These pits were lined with straw or bark and in some in-

stances the ears of corn laid in regular order upon the bottom;

in other instances the corn was shelled and placed in woven bags;

in others shelled corn and beans were found together; in others

hickory nuts, walnuts, chestnuts and seeds of the pawpaw were

present in goodly numbers. All this was in the charred state, acci-

dentally caused, no doubt by fire being blown into these pits and the

supplies practically destroyed before the flames were subdued.

The burning of these supplies must have been a great loss to

these primitive people and may have caused them great suffer-

ing during the severe winters, but it has left a record of their

industry which never could have been ascertained in any other

way. The great number of pits found, which show conclusively

by their charred remains their early uses, would lead one to be-

lieve that all the pits found were used originally for underground

storehouses and by spring time, when the supplies were likely

consumed, a general forced cleaning up of their domiciles and

surroundings would occur and the empty storehouse would serve

as a receptacle for this refuse, which was henceforth used for

that purpose until completely filled. During the autumn, when

the harvest time came, a new storehouse would be dug and the

grain and nuts gathered and stored for winter use. The exam-

ination of the pits has brought out the above conclusions, as

evidenced by the refuse therein. Near the bottom of the pits will

invariably be found the heads of various animals such as the

deer, with antlers attached, black bear, raccoon, gray fox, rabbit

and the wild turkey, as well as the large, heavy, broken bones of

these animals such as would likely be found around a winter

camp. Further, some of the large bones showed that they had

been gnawed in such a manner as to indicate the presence of a

64       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

domesticated dog, whose presence was further corroborated by

finding his remains in every part of the village. Therefore, tak-

ing all these facts into consideration, one must necessarily infer

that the spring cleaning took place and animal bones, broken

pottery and the general refuse was thrown into the pits. Further,

the remains of fish are seldom ever found near the bottom of the

pits, but usually occur from the top to about the middle. Mussel

shells are never found at the bottom of the pits, but are usually

found near the middle or half way between the middle and top

of the pit. We know that fish and mussels must be taken during

the spring, summer and autumn and are certainly very hard to

procure during the winter." The same conditions as described

above were found at Baum Village.

Another notable feature in this village was the finding of

the Indian dog, and I quote from my preliminary report, page

81, Vol. X, Publication of the Ohio Archaeological and Historical

Society: "The bones of the old Indian dog were found in great

numbers, and there is no doubt but that this dog was one of

their domestic animals, for it is known that dogs were domesti-

cated long before the earliest records of history, their remains

being found in connection with the rude implements of the

ancient cave and lake dwellers all through Europe. However,

the history and description of the Indian dog, in the ancient times,

is yet a subject far from solution. The remains of the dog found

in this village site were described by Professor Lucas, of the

Smithsonian Institute at Washington, as being a short-faced dog,

much of the size and proportions of a bull terrier, though prob-

ably not short-haired. Professor Lucas says he has obtained spec-

imens apparently of the same breed from the village sites in

Texas and from old Pueblos. Professor Putnam, of Harvard

University, for more than twenty years has been collecting bones

of dogs in connection with pre-historic burials in various parts

of America, and a study of the skulls of these dogs found in the

mounds and burial places in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina,

Ohio, Kentucky and New York, and from the great shell heaps

of Maine, show that a distinct variety or species of dog was dis-

Explorations of the Baum Prehistoric Village Site.  65

tributed over North America in pre-Columbian times. Appar-

ently the same variety of dog is found in the ancient site of the

Swiss Lake dwellers at Neufchatel, also in the ancient tombs of

Thebes in Egypt. Professor Putnam further says: "This variety

of dog is apparently identical with the pure-bred Scotch Collie

of to-day. If this is the case, the pre-historic dog in America,

Europe and Egypt and its persistence to the present time as a

thoroughbred is suggestive of a distinct species of the genus canis,

which was domesticated several thousand years ago, and also that

the pre-historic dog in America was brought to this continent by

very early emigrants from the old world."

He further states: "That comparisons have not been made

with dogs that have been found in the tribes of the Southwest,

the ancient Mexicans, and with the Eskimo."

In the latter part of the fifteenth century Columbus found

two kinds of dogs in the West Indies and later Fernandez de-

scribed three kinds of dogs in Mexico, and as Professor Lucas

has been able to trace the Baum Village dog into the far South-

west, it is very likely one of the kinds described by Fernandez:

However, it must be admitted that comparisons have not been

made with sufficient exactness to place the Baum Village dog

with any of those described by the early writers.

During the entire exploration fifty bones of the dog were

removed, representing perhaps as many individuals. Some of

the bones showed marks of the flint knife upon them, others

were made into ornaments, while others were broken in similar

manner to bones of the deer and raccoon. Seven skulls were

found, but all had been broken in order to remove the brain.

During the explorations at the Gartner Village, which is lo-

cated six miles north of Chillicothe, Ohio, along the Scioto River,

remains of the Indian dog were found in the refuse pits similar

to those at the Baum Village, and their osteological character ac-

cord in every respect with the dog found at the Baum Village site.

FOOD RESOURCES.

From our examination of this village and the evidence re-

vealed by the refuse pits and the sites of their little homes shows

that these early inhabitants were not savages depending entirely

Vol. XV- 5.

66        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

upon the wild food for their subsistence, but were barbarians hav-

ing a settled place of abode, a developed agriculture, the storage

of food supplies for future use, and the domestication of at least

one animal, namely, the Indian dog, which of all animals would

best show adaptation to his master's wants and pleasures.

ANIMAL FOOD.

It is evident from the large quantity of animal remains found

in the pits, that the inhabitants of Baum Village site depended

upon the chase for a very large part of their subsistence. Every-

where about the village, especially in the abandoned storehouses

and in the sites of wigwams, the broken bones of various ani-

mals, that were used as food, were found in abundance. The

abandoned storehouse was a veritable mine for animal bones. A

memorandum of all the bones taken from one pit was made.

The pit measured three feet and seven inches in diameter by

five feet ten inches in depth and contained 375 bones and shells,

some of which were mere fragments, while others, such as the

leg bones of the beaver, groundhog and raccoon were in a per-

fect state. A summary of all the bones and shells is as fol-

lows: Virginia deer, thirty-five per cent.; wild turkey, ten per

cent.; two species of fresh water unios, ten per cent; gray

fox, ten per cent.; raccoon, five per cent.; black bear, five per

cent.; box turtle, five per cent.; the remainder of the bones be-

ing divided about equally between the groundhog, wild cat, elk,

opossum, beaver, rabbit, wild goose, and great horned owl. By

far the largest number of bones were those of the Virginia deer

(Odocoileus virginianus).  Out of twenty barrels of bones

brought to the museum, fully thirty-five per cent. were of this

animal. It will therefore be safe to say that thirty-five per

cent. of all the animals used for food by these aboriginal inhab-

itants of Baum Village were the Virginia deer. At the Gartner

Village, six miles north of Chillicothe, this animal constituted

fully fifty per cent. of all the animals used for food.

The general characteristic of the deer at Baum Village was

similar to the modern species. The antlers have a sub-basal snag

beyond which the beam is curved forward and soon after forks

Explorations of the Baum Prehistoric Village Site.  67

dichotomously, the lower fork again forking, presenting a beam

with three practical vertical tines rising above it, thus demon-

strating that the Virginia deer has remained practically unchanged

since the time of these aboriginal inhabitants.

During the explorations three hundred and fifty lower jaws

were removed from the refuse pits, which would represent about

that number of individual animals. Of this number only one jaw

has been removed in perfect condition, the others being more or

less broken. Out of the three hundred and fifty jaws examined,

fifty seven were from young deer under the age of maturity, and

sixty-two were those of old animals having their teeth very much

worn. In the remainder the teeth were in a perfect condition,

and showed that the animal had reached the age of maturity.

Fifty skulls of this animal were procured from the refuse

pits, and only two, or four per cent. of the fifty were females,

and the remaining forty-eight or ninety-six per cent. were males.

Seventy-four per cent. of the males were killed during the Fall

and Winter seasons, while only twenty-two per cent. were killed

during the Spring and Summer. The small per cent. of female

skulls shows that aboriginal man, in the killing of animals, made

a selection with reference to the perpetuation of the source of

supply. Moreover, the great quantity of animals killed during

the Fall and Winter, shows that the huntsman depended largely

upon animal food to tide him through the Winter. In the other

seasons, corn, beans and nuts of various kinds furnished him

his subsistence.

Elk (Cervus canadensis) -Is the largest mammal found in

the village. The bones of this animal are not abundant in the refuse

pits, perhaps on account of the difficulty in securing such a large

and fleet animal. Almost every pit would reveal a few bones,

and these were broken into small pieces, not a single perfect

large bone being found, as all had been broken into small frag-

ments in order that every particle of attached food might be

obtained. The large pieces of the heavy leg bones were made

into awls and other implements, and the metapodal bones into

scrapers; likewise every portion of the large antlers were utilized

in the manufacture of celt-like scrapers, flaking tools and spear

points.

68       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

Black Bear (Ursus americanus) -Appear in goodly num-

bers in every section of the village. Twenty-three broken skulls

were removed from the pits, all having the posterior portions

broken away in order that the brain might be removed. Seventy

lower jaws were found, but all were imperfect, the defects be-

ing caused by the removal of the canine teeth, which necessi-

tated destroying the jaw. The canines of the bear are the only

teeth used for ornament, and are usually perforated with a small

hole near the end of the root for attachment.

Wolf (Canis occidentalis)--Is another large animal found

very sparingly in the refuse pits, and must have been very dif-

ficult to capture. During the entire exploration only one head

was found with the teeth in place, although quite a number of

upper and lower jaws cut into ornaments were found. The large

leg bones were also broken into fragments or made into imple-

ments. The canine teeth were perforated near the end of the

root for attachment. The posterior premolars were invariably re-

moved from the jaw and perforated for attachment.

Mountain Lion (Felis concolor) -The bones of this animal

are not met with in abundance in this village, although several

of the large leg bones have been found as well as various por-

tions of seven skulls. The broken bones are sparingly found in

every portion of the village, and the teeth, such as the canines, the

upper posterior premolars and the lower molars were perforated

and used as ornaments.

Wild Cat (Lynx rufa) - The bones of this animal are found

in great abundance in every section of the village. Portions of

thirty skulls and parts of one hundred and twenty-five lower

jaws were secured. Only a few perfect leg bones were found

and these showed plainly the marks of the flint knife in remov-

ing the flesh from the bones. The canine teeth were much sought

after for ornament and not a single lower jaw taken from this

village has the canine teeth in place.

Raccoon (Procyon lotor)--The bones of the racoon are

more abundant in this village than any other animal belonging

to the order Carnivora, although every family of the order is

represented. The bones for the most part were broken and not

more than ten perfect femurs were secured. Thirty-five frag-

Explorations of the Baum Prehistoric Village Site.  69

mentary skulls, one perfect skull and two hundred and twenty-

seven parts of lower jaws were taken from the pits. The perfect

skull was that of a very old animal. The upper canine teeth

seem to be the only teeth selected from the raccoon for orna-

ment. Many of the leg bones were made into beads, and the

fibulas were invariably made into awls or perforators.

Gray Fox (Urocyon virginianus) -This animal was cer-

tainly plentiful in this section of the Paint Creek Valley, as the

bones are found in every part of the village. During the ex-

plorations over two hundred lower jaws and over twenty frag-

mentary skulls were secured.

Indian Dog (Canis) - This animal was found in every sec-

tion of the village and I have described this dog at some length

in the preceding pages.

The dental formula is as follows:

I. 3-3     C. 1-1     . P. 4-4                         M.  2-2  = 42.

3-3     1-1       4-4                                                       3-3

The canine teeth of the lower jaw are quite large and strong,

the inner edge of each being quite sharp. The first molar is large

with chisel-shaped cones upon the surface of the anterior part

of the tooth, while the posterior part is very large and flattened,

but has a number of small cusps arising from the edge of the

tooth; this molar is much larger than the second and third

combined. In the upper jaw the first, second and third premolars

are very much alike, although the first is single-rooted and not

so large. The fourth premolar is very large, with cone-shaped

cusps arising from the crown, the inner part chisel-shaped in

form. The two molars are very different, although in general

character alike, as the first is very much smaller than the second,

and both set at right angles to the premolars. The outside of

the anterior molar is made up of two large cone-shaped cusps,

while the inside of the tooth is very large and flattened and the

crown low; likewise the second molar has two cone-shaped cusps

upon the outside of the tooth, but much smaller in size.

There is no doubt but that this dog was a domesticated

animal and lived in the village, as proof of his presence is man-

ifest in almost every section of the village by finding many

large pieces of bones that had been gnawed. This discovery led

70        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

me to believe, even before the remains of the dog itself were

found, that his presence in the village would be discovered. The

dog was also used for food, as his bones were broken in a man-

ner similar to those of other animals employed for food.

Skunk (Mephitis mephitica) was not found in abundance in

the village, though almost every tepee site would reveal some

broken bones of this animal. During the examination five im-

perfect skulls, two perfect skulls, and twenty lower jaws were

found. The skulls were broken similar to other animals, in order

to remove the brain, which was no doubt used for food.

Mink (Putorius vison) -The bones of this animal were

occasionally met with in every section of the village. The bones

of such a small animal would readily be destroyed by the Indian

dog. Three perfect skulls, ten imperfect, and thirty-one lower

jaws were secured during the explorations.

Otter (Lutra canadensis) - The remains of this animal are

met with quite frequently. Twenty fragmentary skulls and parts

of 23 lower jaws were secured. Not a single perfect specimen

of the larger bones was found.

Fisher (Mustela pennanti) -  The remains of this animal are

sparingly met with and only two broken parts of the upper jaw

with a portion of skull attached, and five lower jaws, were found

among the entire explorations in the village.

Opossum (Didelphs virginianus) - The remains of this ani-

mal are found in more or less abundance in the village, although

but few remains are found in the refuse pits. Twenty imperfect

skulls and twenty-five parts of lower jaws were found. The

upper canine teeth were much sought after for ornament, per-

haps on account of their size and general appearance, being long

and gracefully curved.

Ground Hog (Arctomys monax) - The remains of this ani-

mal were found in abundance in the refuse pits. One perfect

skull, thirty imperfect skulls and one hundred and five parts of

the lower jaw were secured.

Beaver (Castor canadensis) - The beaver is well represented

among the animal remains found in the village. Fifty parts

of skulls and about the same number of parts of lower jaws were

secured. The incisor teeth were highly prized by aboriginal man

Explorations of the Baum Prehistoric Village Site.  71

when cut and made into ornaments and cutting tools. The large

leg bones were also found unbroken and might be considered

the best preserved in the village.

Musk Rat (Fiber zibethicus) -The bones of this animal are

not found as frequently as either the Ground Hog or the Beaver.

One perfect skull and parts of three imperfect skulls were taken

from the refuse pits.

Rabbit (Lepus sylvaticus) -The remains of the rabbit are

found in all parts of the village. Two perfect, and parts of two

imperfect skulls were found, but the large bones of the skele-

ton were everywhere abundant.

Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) -The remains of the

squirrel appear in great numbers, although but parts of two

skulls were secured during the explorations, and then only in

the last season's work in the village, however, the various bones

of the squirrel were abundantly found in almost every tepee site.

Weasel (Mustela vulgaris) -The bones of this small ani-

mal are occasionally met with in the village, though it is rea-

sonable to believe that the bones of this animal, as well as those

of other small animals, would be totally destroyed by the Indian

dog. Portions of three skulls and five lower jaws were found.

Rice Field Mouse (Oryzomys palustrus) -The rice field

mouse is found in great numbers in the refuse pits, attracted

there evidently by the grain and nuts stored for food.

Box Turtle (Cestudo virginea) - The bones of the common

box-turtle are very abundant in the village. From one pit alone

fifty-nine carapaces were removed, which no doubt represented

a turtle feast. The carapaces were frequently cut and made into

drinking vessels and spoons.

Snapping-turtle (Chelydra serpentina)- This turtle is also

found in all parts of the village, but not so plentiful as the box-

turtle.

Wild Turkey (Meleogris gallaparo) - Fully eighty per cent.

of all the bones of birds found in the village site belong to the

wild turkey. The flesh of this bird was certainly highly prized

for food. The large leg and wing bones were made into im-

plements and ornaments and the skulls into rattles.

72       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) - The bones of this

bird are sparingly met with, as they were highly prized for

making ornaments, and the majority of the large bones were cut

into beads.

Barred Owl (Syrnium varium) -The bones of the barred

owl are occassionally met with. As with the great horned owl,

the bones were made into ornaments.

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) -  The humerus of this

bird was found quite frequently, but the other large bones were

manufactured into implements and ornaments.

Trumpeter Swan   (Olor buccinator)--Like the Canada

Goose, only humeri of this large bird are found, and those spar-

ingly.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) -Only a few bones of

this bird were found.

Bald Eagle (Haliaetus leucocephalus) -Only a few bones

of the Eagle have been found - one skull, several ends of large

wing and leg bones that were left from the manufacture of some

ornament, and a few claws.

Mallard Duck (Anas boochas) Pintail (Dafila acuta) and

Canvas-back (Aythya vallisneria) are found frequently in the re-

fuse pits. Several skulls of each were found.

The presence of great numbers of mussel shells, both in the

pits and surrounding the tepee sites, would indicate that this

shell fish was much used for food. At the Gartner Village the

remains of large mussel bakes were found,* but the large pits

used in the preparation of the mussels for feasts were not found

at the Baum site. However, large holes, from which earth had

been taken, perhaps for use in the construction of the mound,

were filled with the shells, and surrounding pits also contained

great numbers of the shells, indicating that a great feast had

taken place, and that the mussels were prepared in a way similar

to those at the Gartner mound.

* Accounts of the mussel bakes are given in the Pub. of the Ohio

State Archaeological and Historical Society, Vol. XIII.

Explorations of the Baum Prehistoric Village Site.   73

PLANT FOOD.

In order to secure data of certain cultures in each coun-

try, historical records are quite important and help to deter-

mine the origin of certain agricultural products.  These rec-

ords show that agriculture came originally from three great re-

gions which had no communications with each other, namely,

China, South West Asia and Egypt, and inter-tropical America,

and from these three regions began great civilizations based upon

agriculture. However, we find that history is at fault in giv-

ing us much early data concerning the third great center of civ-

ilization which does not even date from the first centuries of

the Christian era, but we know from the widespread cultiva-

tion of corn, beans, sweet potatoes and tobacco, north and south

of the center of the American civilization, that a very much

greater antiquity, perhaps several thousand years, must be given

for the perfection of these plants up to the time when history

begins.

The finding of charred corn, beans, nuts and seeds of fruits,

and even the remains of dried fruit, in the subterranean store-

houses in various parts of the Baum Village, leads one to believe

that the early inhabitants were agriculturists enjoying a certain

degree of civilization. The most important product raised was

corn-Zea mays.*    At the time of the discovery of America in

1492, corn was one of the staples of its agriculture, and was

found distributed from  the La Plata Valley to almost every

portion of Central and Southern United States. The natives

living in this vast region had names for corn in their respec-

tive languages. A number of eminent botanists have made care-

ful explorations to find corn in the conditions of a wild plant,

but without success.

The corn unearthed in the village was always in the aban-

doned subterranean storehouses and invariably at the bottom of

the pit. When any quantity was found the charred lining of

the storehouse was present, which lining frequently consisted

of long grass and sometimes bark. The corn, when found in

* The identification of the corn, beans, nuts and seeds from the

Baum Village was made by Professor J. H. Schaffer of the Dept. of

Botany, Ohio State University.

74        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

the ear, was laid in regular order, devoid of the husk, and con-

sisted of two varieties, an eight rowed and a ten-rowed variety.

The eight-rowed variety had a cob about half an inch in diam-

eter and short, while the cob of the ten-rowed variety was larger

and longer. The grains and cobs having been charred, were in

a good state of preservation.

In other pits the corn had been shelled and placed in a

woven bag and the charred, massed grains were removed in

large lumps with portions of the woven bag attached. There-

fore it seems reasonable to believe from the presence of so many

storehouses for the care and preservation of their most nutritious

agricultural product, that corn was the one staple upon which

prehistoric man depended to tide him through the cold winters,

and until the harvest came again.

Kidney Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)-According to J. S. New-

berry, who published the first flora of the State (1859), the wild

bean occurs generally throughout the State. This bean is found

in abundance in the pits, sometimes mixed with shelled corn

and placed in a container, and sometimes placed in the store-

house along with nuts and dried fruit of the wild plum, and

was no doubt one of the agricultural products of aboriginal man

of the Baum Village Site. According to the latest discoveries,

in the Peruvian tombs of Ancon and other South American tombs,

the origin of the bean was perhaps in the intertropical Ameri-

can civilization, and no doubt spread northward to the Missis-

sippi Valley similar to maize. Beans were found also in the

storehouses at the Gartner Village,* and in some of the burials

of the Harness Mound explored in 1905. Three species of

hickory nuts were found in abundance in the storehouse. Hicoria

ovata (shell bark) was taken from almost every pit where the

shells were found. Some of the perfect, charred nuts were found

in the bottom of pits associated with corn and beans, but the

ashes thrown into the pits from their fire-places usually contained

many charred shells of this nut.

Hicoria minima (Bitter-nut) and Hicoria laciniosa were also

found in the ashes, but not so plentiful as the shell-bark.

* Explorations of the Gartner Mound and Village Site, Vol. XIII.

Explorations of the Baum Prehistoric Village Site.  75

Butternuts (Juglans cinera) and Walnuts (Juglans nigra)

were both found in the perfect charred state in the storehouses

and the ashes from the fire-places contained many shells.

Papaw seed (Asiminan triloba) and Hazelnut (Corylus amer-

icana) were also found in the bottom of the storehouse.

Chestnut (Castanea dentata) found in small quantities in var-

ious parts of the village.

Wild Red Plum    (Prunis americanus) -The seeds were

found in the ashes and the charred remains of the fruit with seed

were taken from one of the storehouses.

Wild Grape (Vitis (op) ) was found sparingly in a few of

the pits.

PREPARATION OF FOOD.

Food, for the most part, both animal and vegetable,

was prepared by cooking, as evidenced by the large fire-

places, the innumerable pieces of broken pottery, and the mor-

tars and stone pestles used in crushing the corn, dried meats,

fruits and berries. The fireplace was always present within the

tepee, and several of them could always be found outside of the

tepee and in close proximity to it. The fireplaces often show re-

pair. When the hollow in the ground became too deep by long

use it was filled up to the proper depth by mud plaster. The

necessary precautions were not taken to remove all the ashes

from the fireplace before the plaster was applied, consequently

when the fire was again placed in the fireplace it soon cracked

loose, and portions of burned clay were removed with the ashes

from time to time as the fireplaces were cleaned, and the ashes

with the broken lining were thrown into the pits. The large

stone mortars, as shown in Fig. 10, were found in every section

of the Village, and were made from slabs of fine-grained sand-

stone, averaging in size from ten to fifteen inches in length, from

seven to twelve inches wide, and from four to seven inches in

thickness, with a depression on one side, in many cases only

about one inch deep, while in others the depression would be

several inches. The stone pestles used in crushing corn and

preparing food to be cooked, were not selected with any great

care nor was very much labor expended in their manufacture, as

many of them were merely natural pebbles, suitable as to size

84       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

manufacture of the celt were secured during the explorations.

Celts were frequently placed with the burials. One was the

usual number placed in the grave, though in several instances

two were found, and in the grave of a large adult male, three

celts were placed in different parts of the grave-one at the

feet, left hand and head, respectively. The pits revealed many

broken celts, showing that the implement was in general use.

Hammer Stones -The hammerstones, if abundance is to be

taken into account, were perhaps, the most useful stone imple-

ments found at the Baum Village. In the site of a single

tepee twenty-five to thirty would be unearthed, and very often

as many would be taken from a single pit. They were made

of small, water-worn bowlders, with a diameter of two to four

inches, and the only evidence upon some of the specimens show-

ing that they were used as hammerstones was the battered ends

or sides; while others were artistically smoothed and polished

on various sides, and perhaps covered with a skin and used as

a club-head. However, it was not necessary for aboriginal man

to expend unnecessary work upon an implement when a natural

bowlder from the river near at hand would answer the purpose.

Therefore it seems natural to believe that all the bowlders of

proper size found in the village were more or less utilized in

preparing meal, cracking nuts, breaking bones of animals used

for food, etc.

Grinding or Polishing Stones - Very good examples of this

most useful implement are shown in Fig. 23. They are usually

made of a fine-grained sandstone,* but numerous pieces of coarse

grained sandstone taken from the top of the hills, southwest of

the village were also found. The grinding stones were indis-

pensible in the manufacture of the great variety of bone im-

plements found in the village, and varied in size from a slab of

sandstone one foot in length by a few inches in thickness, to a

small piece of sandstone only a few inches long and one inch in

thickness.

Chipped implements of flint were found in every section of

the village, both the finished and unfinished specimens, and were

*Waverly group.

96       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

especially of the elk. The spine was frequently removed and

the supra scapular border would be sharpened into a cutting

edge, and frequently specimens were met with in which the

spine was sharpened to form a cutting edge and the posterior

and anterior border and the post scapular and prescapular por-

tions were removed. The shoulder blade of the elk was always

converted into this most useful implement, for not a single spec-

imen was found that did not show this use. The shoulder blades

of the deer were not always converted into implements, but very

frequently they were met with; occasionally from a single pit

a half dozen or more would be taken, not a single one showing

any marks upon it indicating it had been used for any purpose,

while in other pits the same number might be taken and all show

use as a scraper.

One of the most interesting of the implements found in the

village is the celt-like scrapers made from the heavy portions

between the beztine and the trestine of the elk antler. From

the standpoint of utility, this implement used as a scraper would

meet the needs to a better advantage than any of those just de-

scribed; however, when the labor necessary to produce speci-

mens as shown in Fig. 39 is taken into consideration, we do not

wonder at the abundance of the simpler forms. The cutting of

such a large and thick horn into the proper lengths, which was

done by burning a ring around the horn at the point to be cut

off, to a depth of perhaps one-fourth of an inch, and then break-

ing the piece off, required much patience as well as skill. After

the proper length had been obtained, in order to secure the large,

flat pieces of the horn the desired size, they were cut off with

a piece of flint, chipped to the proper edge and used to plow a

groove one-fourth of an inch in depth lengthwise of the horn.

A second groove was made at the proper place and the slab of

horn split off. The work of grinding and polishing would take

place later, but all requiring an unusual amount of labor, per-

haps more than any implement made of bone found in the vil-

lage. Three types of these scrapers are found in the village:

those having both ends made into a cutting edge, those having

one end made into a cutting edge with one end sharpened, and

those having notches cut on the side for attachment to a handle.

Explorations of the Baum Prehistoric Village Site.  109

shows three hooks. Nos. 1 and 2 represent masterpieces in the

art of fish-hook making. No. 1 has a perfectly fresh appear-

ance, is of fine workmanship and well polished. The shank

is flat with well-rounded edges and a perfectly cut groove for

the attachment of the line. The curve of the hook is symmetrical

and the point is very sharp. No. 2 is another well-wrought

specimen and perhaps excels in general workmanship any of the

hooks found in the village. It has a round shank and a well-

cut groove in the upper end; the point of the hook is sharp and

nicely polished. No. 3 is quite a large hook with a slim, round

shank, enlarged at the upper end. The point of this hook is

not in the same plane with the shank, owing to the curvature

of the bone. No. 4 of Fig. 55 shows three finely-wrought hooks.

No. 1 has a round shank with an enlarged end and the point,

which is gracefully curved and finely polished, does not extend

parallel to the shank, as in the majority of hooks found in the

village. No. 2 is similar to No. 1 in general outline, differing

only in being made stronger. No. 3 has a very slender shank

with an enlarged top, and differs from 1 and 2 in having the

point parallel with the shank. All three hooks were found in

the refuse pits. Beside the masterpieces in the art of fish-hook

making found in the village, specimens showing the various stages

in the manufacture of the implement were found, and it seems

that the ancient artificer had in mind a well defined plan and

proceeded to work it out in bone to the best advantage. No.

5 of Fig. 55 shows two specimens illustrating certain stages in

the making of the fish-hook. No. 1 shows a shank almost com-

plete with an enlarged top, but the base and point show but

little work. In No. 2 the base has been practically finished

and the cutting away of the bone forming the shank and point

begun. No. 6 of Fig. 55 shows two specimens representing the

very early stages in the manufacture. The two bones are cut

the desired length and made ready to remove the center. When

this is done the bone will have the appearance of one in No. 7

of Fig. 55 and is ready to be cut into two parts and made into

hooks. This could be done by cutting one side for the point

which would be nearer one end, and then cutting the other side

in a similar manner, thus producing two hooks instead of one.

110      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

No. 2 also shows that the maker had in view the same object

as shown in No. 1, but had not so nearly completed the work.

Throughout the village various portions of fish-hooks were

found, such as points, bases and shanks, and in No. 8 of Fig. 55

a number of these pieces are shown. Fully ninety-five per cent.

of the hooks are broken at the curve between the point and the

shank.

Fish-hooks found at the Gartner Village site* were similar

in every respect to those found at the Baum Village, even to

the details of their manufacture, while at Madisonville, Prof.

Putnam found that the aboroginal fish-hook makers proceeded to

make their hooks in a very different manner - by first boring a

hole through the bone, and the hole was the beginning of the

inside of the curve of the hook. The point and shank were

worked out from this hole. Prof. Putnam has described the

stages of fish-hook manufacture at Madisonville in an article

on "The Way Fish-hooks Were Made in the Little Miami Val-

ley," which appears in the Twentieth Annual Report of the Trus-

tees of the Peabody Museum. In no instance have I found at

the Baum Village Site any bone intended to be fashioned into

a fish-hook that had been perforated by drilling. In the article

referred to, Prof. Putnam also describes two perfect fish-hooks

and one in the process of manufacture, which were taken from

an ancient burial place along the Little Miami River by Dr.

Metz, which differ from those found in the ash pits at Madison-

ville, but agree in every respect with those from the Baum Vil-

lage Site.

Shell Spoons- Spoons made of the mussel shells are fre-

quently found in the refuse pits, but the graves furnish three-

fourths of all found in the village. Very often a large amount

of work in shaping the shell to the proper proportions is re-

quired, while in others very little work is needed. Fig. 56 is a

good illustration of the average spoon.

Spoons-- Spoons made from the carapace of the common box

turtle - Terrapene Carolina - are found in all sections of the

village. Fig. 57 is a very good illustration of the turtle-shell

* Fishhooks described Vol. XIII, Gartner Md. & Village Site, Pub.

of the 0. S. A. & H. Society.