OHJ Archive

EXPLORATIONS OF THE SEIP MOUND.

WILLIAM C. MILLS.

The Seip Mound is located within the largest prehistoric

earthworks of the Paint Creek Valley known as the Seip Group.1

One very large mound and another half its size enclosed

with earthworks, which form a combination of two circles and a

square, and five mounds situated outside the earthworks, but in

close proximity to them, constitute the Seip Group. This group

is located in Paxton Township, Ross County, about 3 miles east

of Bainbridge, a village situated in the extreme western portion

of the county. The mounds can readily be reached by convey-

ance, as the old Milford and Chillicothe Pike passes in sight of

the Works and the Detroit Southern Railway has a flag station

only a quarter of a milt away.

Paint Creek Valley has long been known for its beautiful

scenery and productive soil and is drained by Paint Creek, a

stream of irregular turbulence, crossing from one side of the

valley to the other until it finally empties into the Scioto River

south of Chillicothe. The mounds and earthworks comprising

this group occupy the greater portion of the rich agricultural bot-

tom land in the great bend formed by Paint Creek as it changes

its course from the north side of the valley directly to the south

side, where it follows the base of the foothills for some distance.

At the present time one can readily trace the circles, but the

square with its various openings cannot be so readily traced.

Yet, when the site is freshly plowed, the old walls are easily

traced by a slight elevation and the change in the appearance of

the soil. The mounds, which are all quite large, have deterior-

ated less than the earthworks, but the farm cultivation of the

few outside the walls has greatly reduced them in height. The

two mounds within the walls have suffered little by the encroach-

ment of agriculture. The largest of the two mounds is known

1Described by Squier and Davis in "Ancient Monuments of the

Mississippi Valley", pp. 4 and 58.

269

270 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

Explorations of the Seip Mound. 271

as the Pricer Mound, and at the present time a number of large

native trees are growing upon its top and sides. It is about 25

feet high and 240 feet long. The mound has been fenced about,

and the enclosure is now used as a sheep pasture, consequently,

the surface of the mound is devoid of the usual growth of weeds

and bramble, so common to the large mounds in Ohio.

The Seip group has long been known to the early archaeo-

logical writers and explorers. Mr. Caleb Atwater gave a de-

scription of the Works in the first volume of the American An-

tiquarian Society, 1820, and in 1833 the same writer again de-

scribed the works in his "Description of Western Antiquities"

and from this book the description was widely copied by other

writers on American Antiquities and I quote what Mr. Atwater

has written about the Seip Group:

"Works at A. are all connected as represented in the plate. Their

several contents will be seen by referring to it. The square work, it will

be seen, contains exactly the same area with the square one belonging to

B, and is, in all other respects, so much like that work, that to describe

this, would be to repeat what has been said concerning the former. Such

coincidences are very common in our ancient works; so that a correct

description of one applies to hundreds in different parts of the country.

"There is no mound within its walls, but there is one about ten feet

high, nearly one hundred rods to the west of it. The large irregular

part of the larger work, contains, as will be seen, seventy-seven acres

and one-tenth, in the walls of which are eight gateways, besides the two

leading into the square just described. These gateways are from one to

six rods in width, differing in that respect, very much, one from another.

"Connected by a gateway with this large work, is another in the

Northwest, sixty poles in diameter. In its center is another circle, whose

walls are now about four feet high, and this lesser circle six rods in diam-

eter. There are three ancient wells at w, w, w, one of which is on the

inside, the others on the outside of the wall. As the drawing shows,

within the large work of irregular form, are two elevations, which are

elliptical. The largest one is near the center; its elevation is twenty-

five feet; its longest diameter is twenty rods; its shortest, ten rods; its

area is nearly one hundred and fifty-nine square rods. This work is

composed mostly of stones, in their natural state. They must have been

brought from the bed of the creek, or from the hill. This elevated work

is full of human bones. Some have not hesitated to express a belief, that

on this work human beings were once sacrificed.

"The other elliptical work has two stages; one end of it is only

about eight feet high, the other end is fifteen. The surfaces of both are

272 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

smooth. Such works are not as common here as on the Mississippi,

and they are more common still further south, in Mexico.

"There is a work in form of a half moon, set around the edges

with stones, such as are now found about one mile from the spot from

whence they were probably brought. Near the semicircular work is a

very singular mound, five feet high, thirty feet in diameter, and com-

posed entirely of a red ochre, which answers very well as paint. An

abundance of this ochre is found on a hill not a great distance from this

place; and from this circumstance, the name of the fine stream in the

vicinity, in all probability, is derived. It is called "Paint Creek."

Mr. Josiah Priest, an early writer on American Antiquities,

1833, quotes at some length from Atwater, but unfortunately

places the ochre mound in another group.

Squier and Davis also describe and illustrate this group,

with a drawing, in "Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Val-

ley," page 58, and I quote from them and reproduce their draw-

ing, which is shown in Fig. 3.

"Within the larger circle, and not far from its center, is a large

elliptical mound, two hundred and forty feet long by one hundred and

Explorations of the Seip Mound. 273

274 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

sixty broad, and thirty in height. It is considerably larger than any other

single mound in the valley, and covers a little more than two-thirds

of an acre. It seems to be composed, at least towards the surface,

of stones and pebbles, -a feature peculiar to a certain class of mounds,

of a highly interesting character. It is surrounded by a low, indistinct

embankment, the space between which and the mound seems to have

raised by the wasting of the latter. Perhaps this was a low terrace.

To the right of this fine mound is a group of three others in combina-

tion, as shown in the plan at c. There are several other small mounds

in and around the work. Several very large and beautiful ones, com-

posed entirely of clay, occur about one-fourth of a mile distant, in the

direction indicated in the plan.

"The entire work is surrounded by deep pits or excavations, usually

called 'wells,' from which the materials for the mounds and embank-

ments were procured. So numerous are these, and such serious obstacles

are the mounds and embankments to cultivation, that a deduction of

several acres is allowed to the tenant in consequence, by the lease of the

estate upon which they occur.

"The small circle at a is two hunded and fifty feet in diameter.

It has been so much reduced by the plough as to be traced with diffi-

culty.²

"Although the square enclosure connected with this work is situated

on the second terrace, a portion of it, at periods of great freshets, is

invaded by the water, which passes through a shallow thoroughfare indi-

cated on the map. This singular circumstance is easily accounted for.

The creek in its course strikes the base of a high hill at B, composed of

shale, which readily undermines occasioning great slips or slides. These

fill the channel of the creek, damming it up and forcing it out of its

usual course. It was probably at the period of one of these slides, that

the creek, in its reaction on the opposite shore broke through the em-

bankment and formed the thoroughfare, or dry channel, above mentioned.

The remark, therefore, that the earthworks of the West never occur

upon the first, or latest-formed terrace, and are always above high-water

mark, is not at all invalidated by this circumstance."

THE SEIP MOUND.

The Seip Mound, named in honor of the Seip brothers, the

present owners ofthe land, is about half the size of the Pricer

Mound and is located upon the same terrace, only a short dis-

tance to the east of the larger mound. (See Frontispiece).

2Mr. Atwater (Archaeologia Americana, Vol. 1, page 143), describes

the small mound at e, as composed "entirely of red ocher, which answers

very well as a paint." Its present composition is a clayey loam. It has

been examined and found to contain an altar.

Explorations of the Seip Mound. 275

276 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

Squier and Davis, in their drawing of this group, note the

Seip Mound as three distinct mounds as shown in Fig. 3. I

have classed the group as one mound though made up of three

separate but connected mounds, as our explorations afterward

revealed. This feature is invariably present in all large mounds

of this culture.

The measurements of the various sections of the combined

mound differ greatly. Commencing at the west end of the

mound, which was the largest, the height from outside measure-

ments was 18 feet, but as the explorations progressed, the mound

was found to be 20 feet and 1 inch high, making the base 2 feet

and 1 inch lower than appeared from the general level of the

surrounding surface. The diameter of this section north and

south was 120 feet. The second section, closely connected with

the adjoining one on the east, was 11 feet 10 inches high with a

diameter north and south of 70 feet. The third section was

not on a line east and west with the other two sections but was

placed to the south, as shown by Fig. 3, and clearly connected

with section 2. It was 6 feet high with a diameter of 40 feet.

SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE EXTERIOR OF THE MOUND.

The mound for the most part was composed of loam or sur-

face soil, secured upon all sides of the mound and in close prox-

imity to it. The top of the first section, or larger mound, was

composed of clay and limestone gravel. This combination, in

the course of time, became cemented together and proved quite

a problem in its removal, as almost every portion had to be

picked loose before a shovel could be used. Another feature of

the mound was discovered shortly after work was begun on

the north side by finding, near the base of the mound, several

flat stones, averaging 10 by 14 inches, so placed as to resemble

steps, and a further examination revealed a series of flat stones.

18 to 20 inches under the surface, extending from the base

toward the top of the mound. The steps were, no doubt, used

to aid in reaching the summit of the mound with the heavy

loads of earth, in the effort of the builders to complete the monu-

ment.

Explorations of the Seip Mound. 277

278 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

Another external feature frequently met with in the mounds

of this culture is the use of gravel in construction, but in this

mound, gravel of large size, with the appearance of having been

screened, was placed entirely around the base of the mound, to

a depth of two feet, in many places the depth reaching 21/2 feet.

The width varied from 7 feet to 5 feet, and at times was a great

hindrance to the workmen, as this gravel had to be removed, in

order to expose the base of the mound, and at times could not

be shoveled but had to be removed by hand.

Only one large "Pin Oak" tree was left standing upon the

mound by the owners, and this was variously estimated, before

removal by us, to be from 100 to 175 years old, but when cut

and the rings of growth counted, it was found that the tree prob-

ably did not exist when the mound was first noted by Atwater

in his Archaeologia Americana. 1820.

SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE INTERIOR OF THE MOUND.

Many very interesting features, as compared with other

mounds of this culture, were brought to light in the examination

of the Seip Mound.

First: The site of the mound exhibits three separate in-

closures, circular in form, as evidenced by the post molds, ex-

tending into the base of the mound. The post molds had

charred wood at the top of the mold, indicating that the posts at

one time extended above the surface, and no doubt formed the

sides of the building, or charnel house.

Second: The object of the mound was a monument to the

dead, placed over the site of the charnel house. The burials

were similar in many respects to those of the Harness Mound,³

but differing in many instances as to the number of cremated

dead, placed in a prepared burial cist. All the burials placed in

the charnel house were cremated and graves prepared for the

reception of the charred bones and ashes of the dead.

Third: The burials in the mound were of two kinds: cre-

mated and uncremated. The cremated were all placed upon the

8Explored in 1903, and described in "Certain Mounds and Village

Sites in Ohio", Vol. 1, by William C. Mills.

Explorations of the Seip Mound. 279

floor of the charnel house, while the uncremated were promiscu-

ously placed in various portions of the mound above the base

line, only one having a prepared grave for the reception of the

body.

Fourth: The builders of the Seip Mound were similar in

character to those of the Harness Mound, and represented the

highest culture of prehistoric man in Ohio.

The special features enumerated above, can be better un-

derstood by a further discussion, and I shall attempt in the fol-

lowing pages, to give a detailed account of the examination of

each section of the mound.

THE MOUND SITE.

The Seip Mound is located practically in the center of a

large circular earthwork which, for the most part, occupies the

third terrace of the Paint Creek Valley; the surface of this por-

tion of the terrace is quite level, but this particular spot selected

280 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

Explorations of the Seip Mound. 281

by the builders was somewhat lower than the surrounding sur-

face. Perhaps the surface soil, which had been removed al-

most to the gravel, had been used in the construction of the large

Pricer Mound, which is only a few hundred yards away. After

selecting the site, the building was constructed by placing large

posts in the ground to a depth of an average of 21/2 feet. These

were so placed as to form a circular building, 60 feet in diameter

east and west, and 72 feet in diameter north and south. The

posts, forming the outside of the building were placed upright in

the earth, and would average 21/2 feet apart. Two entrances to

the building were found: one to the northwest, and one to the

east. The entrance to the northwest was of peculiar construc-

tion, and made by the walls overlapping each other, forming a

passageway, or hall, about 3 feet in width, and 7 feet in length.

The passageway was covered with fine sand varying in thickness

from two inches to one-half inch, and so firmly packed as to

have the appearance of coarse sand-stone.

The floor of this section of the mound was very irregular,

as shown by the examination. On the south side but little fill

was required to make the floor level. As the north side of the

floor of the charnel house was approached, it was found that 17

inches of a fill was required to make the floor level. This fill

was made with logs, brush, gravel and clay. The logs and

brush were piled in the lowest places, and covered with clay and

gravel. In the course of time the logs would decay, but the

imprint, or mold would remain. Very frequently the molds

would connect with the large upright post molds, extending deep

into the base. At first glance, one might infer the builders had

some design other than building up the floor to a common level,

but a careful examination revealed nothing beyond the use of

logs as a filler in building the base or floor to a uniform level.

The entrance to the charnel house from the east was a short

passageway from the second circular charnel house. The pass-

ageway was only about 3 feet in width and 21/2 feet in length;

the floor was also covered with fine sand.

The second section was also a circular charnel house meas-

uring 43 feet east and west, and 32 feet north and south. The

floor of this section did not require very much, if any, filling to

282 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

make it level. The outside posts formed the sides of the build-

ing, and were quite large on the north side, while those used for

the other portions were similar in size to the first section.

The openings in this section were two; one leading into the

first section, as described, and the second leading into the third

section, with practically no passageway; as the third section was

built to the southeast of the second section. The third section

was oblong; the longest diameter, which was north and south,

being 22� feet, and the shortest diameter east and west, 15 feet.

The floor of the third section was also prepared and leveled, the

same as the other two sections. The posts used in the construc-

tion of the sides of this section were all smaller than those used

in the other sections.

THE OBJECT OF THE MOUND.

* The object of the mound was a monument to the dead,

erected over the site of the various charnel houses described

Explorations of the Seip Mound. 283

284 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

above. Before the monument was erected, the superstructure

was destroyed by fire, as evidenced by the charred remains of

the posts forming the outside walls, as well as the posts promis-

cuously distributed throughout the interior of the structure,

which perhaps, supported the roof. For the most part, the up-

right posts were burned off at the base line, but now and then

a large post would not all be consumed, and a portion of the

charred remains would extend, in many instances, several feet

above the base, and was preserved, while the portions of the

posts extending into the ground were entirely decayed, and only

the post mold remained. Very frequently, the post molds would

show a perfect imprint of the bark, while in others knots, or

any imperfection in the log, would be shown. In several in-

stances large quantities of bog iron had formed in the mold.

CREMATED BURIALS.

All the burials placed in the charnel house were cremated,

and I shall describe each section, as they differed somewhat from

each other.

In the first section, which was the first charnel house

erected, and the largest of the group, many of the prepared

graves were so constructed that one or more burials could be

placed in the same burial cist. This was done by preparing a

large platform of prepared clay (Fig. 6) usually 6 to 7 feet in

length, and 4 feet wide, and building up the sides and ends with

round logs, varying in diameter from 5 to 3 inches, to the

height of 18 or 20 inches. A cover was placed over the top,

which was made up, usually of split pieces, instead of round

pieces, used for the sides and ends. Clay was then placed

around the sides and ends to firmly hold the logs in place.

Four burials, as shown in Fig. 6, made the largest number

found in a grave, but 2 or 3 burials were met with quite fre-

quently. A cist with two burials, both placed on one side of

the grave is shown in Fig. 7. The large graves were placed

near the center of the charnel house, and large passageways,

often 6 to 7 feet in width would intervene. Near the large

graves a cluster of small post molds, varying in number from 5

to 7 would be found. These posts were usually placed about

Explorations of the Seip Mound. 285

286 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

one foot apart, but not in any particular form. Frequently the

floor around the posts would be covered with great quantities of

charred cloth, ornaments, and implements, and occasionally the

floor would be covered with mica, as shown in Fig. 8. The mica

was usually placed so as to cover the floor completely, and only

the natural mica crystals, split in many pieces, were used. It

seems very probable that the cluster of posts near the graves

were the sacred shrines for the dead, and here the clothing, and

very frequently, some of the most interesting ornaments, such

as cut and polished human jaws, large effigy eagle claws, bear

teeth set with pearls, pendants of ocean shells, and shell and bone

beads in great numbers, and in a few instances, copper orna-

ments were found with the charred woven fabrics, so promiscu-

ously placed upon the floor surrounding the posts. At one of

the shrines a quantity of charred rope almost 4 feet in length,

and a number of effigy eagle claws made of bone, were found.

The rope was 3-ply, and made of coarse bast fibre, perhaps that

of Bass-wood.

The graves placed near the outside walls we're all smaller

than those placed in the center of the charnel house, and con-

tained only the remains of one individual, and in this respect,

were similar to the burials in the Edwin Harness Mound.⁴

All the burials in this section of the mound, which num-

bered 24, were cremated at the large crematory located just in-

side the northeast entrance. The crematory, when uncovered,

was perfectly devoid of ashes or human remains and measured

6 feet by 8 feet, the longer diameter being east and west.

All the graves, both large and small, in this section, were of

the plain elevated platform kind, so common in the Edwin Har-

ness Mound. The platform type was made of clay, and in-

variably elevated from 6 to 10 inches above the floor of the char-

nel house. The platform was usually higher in the center, grad-

ually sloping to the sides and ends, where logs averaging about

6 inches in diameter had been placed, usually in the form of a

parallelogram. The clay used in the construction of the grave

4The Edwin Harness Mound is located eight miles south of Chilli-

cothe, along the Scioto. Explored 1903, and described in The Society's

Publications -Vol. 16, by William C. Mills.

Explorations of the Seip Mound 287

288 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

had the appearance of having been puddled before being used,

and in many instances, after the coating of puddled clay had

been placed over the grave, a fire was built and the clay burned

to a light red. The ashes and any charcoal that might remain

were removed before the incinerated remains were placed in the

grave.

As stated, the single graves in the first section were similar

in construction to those of the Harness Mound, though the final

burial ceremony must have been different. In the Harness

Mound, after the incinerated remains had been placed in the

grave, objects of clothing, together with straw, bark, or twigs

were placed over the remains and set on fire; while burning,

clay was covered over the grave, thus preserving the cloth, the

grass, and twigs in a charred state. This ceremony was dis-

pensed with in this section of the Seip Mound, and the inciner-

ated remains were placed in the prepared grave, and a covering

of wood, usually split pieces, was placed over the top and the

grave covered with earth to a depth of a few inches.

For the most part, adults were buried in this section. How-

ever, in the grave containing 4 burials, one was an adolescent,

and in another, a very small child was placed by the side of an

adult.

All the burials in this section were rich in copper imple-

ments and ornaments, placed in the graves.

The graves in the second section were similar in construc-

tion to those of the first section, all being of the platform type,

though they varied greatly in size from the ordinary single grave

to a very large size, 12 feet 2 inches long by 4 feet 5 inches wide.

These larger graves contained the remains of two individuals,

so placed as to occupy the ends of the grave, the intervening

space not being used, due perhaps to the fact that this section

together with the third section (which did not contain a single

burial) was abandoned before the house was filled. The burials

in the second section were placed around the side walls, and the

center was devoid of graves.

The final ceremony of burning straw, bark, and clothing over

the remains, similar to the burial methods at the Harness Mound,

was in evidence in 9 burials of the 19 found on the base of the

Explorations of the Seip Mound 289

290 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

section, and only one of the 19 was cremated in the grave where

the remains were found.

The floor of the third section of the charnel house was en-

tirely devoid of burials, and at only one point, which was near

the west side, did the floor show any signs of having a fire built

upon it: here the earth was burned to a deep red, perhaps a body

had been cremated there, and the remains deposited in one of

the other sections.

Perhaps no definite reason can be given for erecting a

monument over an unoccupied site, but the most plausible rea-

son therefor, taking into consideration the second section, which

was only partially filled, is that the site was abandoned, the char-

nel houses burned, and the mound finally erected over all as a

monument to the dead.

UNCREMATED BURIALS.

The five uncremated burials found in the various sections

of the mound were promiscuously placed at various heights

from the base line, only one having anything like a prepared

grave for the reception of the body. The grave was placed 3

feet above the floor of the charnel house in section number 2.

Explorations of the Seip Mound. 291

The bottom of the grave was formed of large slabs of slate, and

the body was laid at full length upon the slabs and covered with

soil. Fig. 9 shows the slabs after the skeleton had been re-

moved.

One burial was found in the third section, 21/2 feet above the

floor. No grave was prepared, and the body was doubled up

and laid on the mound, and covered with earth, similar to the

burial in section two. The two burials evidently were those of

individuals who died during the building of the mound, as their

implements of copper and ornaments of shell were identical with

those found in the graves of the cremated dead, placed upon the

floor of the charnel house.

The other three burials were found in section one. One

burial, that of an adolescent, was placed 7 feet above the floor,

and was buried similar to the one in section three, with no ap-

parent grave prepared for the body. The ornaments of bear

teeth set with pearls, and a large string of ocean shell beads,

were similar to those found with the cremated dead placed upon

the floor. The remains of the other two burials of this section

were placed together in a double grave, 10 feet above the floor.

292 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

Explorations of the Seip Mound. 293

The grave was evidently dug into the side of the mound, as the

outlines of the grave were very noticeable. The remains, when

placed in the grave, were perhaps, devoid of flesh, and had been

carried from some distant part of the country, or had been tem-

porarily buried in some convenient place where the bones could

be collected and afterward placed in the mound. The various

parts of the skeletons were promiscuously placed in the grave;

the skulls were placed upside down and only a few inches apart,

the lower jaws detached were placed in another part of the

grave; the arm and leg 'bones were placed side and side; several

bones of the hand and feet were entirely missing.

One large copper plate, 10 inches in

length and 5 inches in width, and a fine

copper axe, 4 inches in length and 2 inches

in width, together with large strings of ocean

shell beads, were found near the bottom of

the grave. The implements and ornaments

were similar in every respect to those found

upon the floor of the charnel house.

My conclusions are, concerning the un-

cremated dead promiscuously placed above

the floor of the charnel house, that they

belonged to the same culture represented by the cremated dead

placed upon the floor of the charnel house; that three of the

individuals died during the time required for the erection of

the mound, to whom the custom of cremation was dispensed

with; that the two dismembered individuals placed in one grave

were disinterred, and the remains brought to the mound and

buried with the dead belonging to the same culture.

THE ARTIFACTS FOUND WITH THE BURIALS.

The artifacts taken from the burials of the mound, as a

whole, were very interesting, although in the second and third

sections but few implements and ornaments had been placed in

the graves, but in the first section, almost every burial was pro-

lific in implements and ornaments of copper, mica, shell, and

stone.

From the 48 burials contained in the three sections of the

294 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

Explorations of the Seip Mound. 295

mound, were secured upwards of 2,000 specimens, representing

the highest art of prehistoric man in Ohio.

The material from which the implements and ornaments

were made, came from widely separated regions. The copper

used in making the implements and ornaments, no doubt came

from Lake Superior region. The ocean shells used in making

drinking cups, pendants, and beads, perhaps came from the Gulf,

and the mica, which was so universally used for ornament, came

from North Carolina.

The finding of so much material, so remote from the source

of supply, indicates that the prehistory inhabitants of this sec-

tion had an intertribal trade, for it seems impossible that the

Ohio tribes visited the widely separated points, whence came the

articles noted.

ORNAMENTS OF COPPER.

The best preserved specimens found in the graves were the

implements and ornaments made of copper, and perhaps next to

the ear ornaments, the most interesting of the copper ornaments

are the large copper plates, of which sixteen were found in the

various sections of the mound. The plates were made of one

piece of native copper, hammered to about one-eighth of an

inch in thickness, while a few were found that would approach

one-sixteenth of an inch in thickness. The plates varied in size

from 10 inches in length, by 51/2 inches in width, to 31/4 inches in

length, by 2� inches in width. The plates were made in the gen-

eral form of a parallelogram, with the ends cut concave, and

the sides straight, one plate had a large scroll cut on one side,

as shown in Fig. 10, and one plate had both ends cut into orna-

mental forms, as shown in Fig. II. The large plate, size 10�

inches long by 51/2 inches wide, and covered with cylindrical

beads made of ocean shell, is shown in Fig. 12. This plate, to

gether with three more, almost equal in size, and the two orna

mented plates described above, were all taken from the same

grave. On account of the special features of this burial cist, I

will quote from my field notes:

Grave number 19, which was placed within six feet of num-

ber 18, and directly north of it, was the largest and finest so far

296 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

Explorations of the Seip Mound. 297

discovered in this mound. The cist was made by preparing a

platform of clay, the highest point of which was 10 inches above

the floor of the charnel house, and 4 inches above the first logs

laid around this platform to form the walls of cist. The side

walls of the cist were 18 inches high, and made in the form of a

parallelogram, 7 feet 3 inches in length, and 4 feet in width.

298 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

The molds of the lower logs were fully 7 inches in diameter,

while the upper logs varied from 5 to 3 inches in diameter. The

usual split pieces as indicated by the molds, were placed over

the top. The clay forming the top of the platform had been

burned. Upon this platform were placed two burials, one at the

south end, which was burial number 21, and one to the east side,

which was burial number 22. They were so placed that further

burials could be placed in the cist.

Burial number 21, which occupied a portion of the south

end of the cist, was an adult, and from the general appearance

of the incinerated bones, was no doubt, a male. Before the in-

cinerated bones had been placed in the grave, a tanned skin of

some animal was placed at the bottom of the cist; upon the skin

Explorations of the Seip Mound. 299

was placed a large copper axe, 6� inches long, 4 inches wide at

the bit, and 3 inches wide at the pole. The axe was also

wrapped in leather, which was preserved by the salts of copper.

The incinerated remains were placed in a pile over the copper

axe, and covered with a coarse matting of bark. Between

burials 21 and 22 was

placed a large spear point

that was very much

broken by heat, but it

had the appearance of

being fully 6 inches in

length, if all the pieces

could be found, and to

that end the entire con-

tents of the grave was

placed in boxes.⁵

Practically the same

preparation was given

burial number 22. The

tanned skin was placed

on the bottom of the cist,

and large copper plates,

6 in number, were placed

upon the covered plat-

form. Two of the plates

differed greatly from the

other four, in being deco-

rated with scrolls and

scallops upon the sides

and ends. Over the

plates a very large string

of beads were coiled.

The beads were made of

ocean shell, cylindrical in form, and varied in length from 1/2 to 3/4

of an inch. The beads were firmly attached to the plate by cor-

After the contents of the grave were shipped to the Museum and

examined, the various pieces of the spear were found and fully restored:

length 9 inches, width 33/4 inches.

300 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

rosion of the copper. On each side of the copper plates was

placed a single ear ornament of copper, also seven large pieces of

ocean shells, several of them 6 inches in length, and about one

inch in width. All shells were perforated with two holes, one

at each end for attachment, and so made as not to be visible from

the convex side. This was done by boring a small hole at about

the middle of the square end to a depth of 1/4 inch, and connecting

this hole with another, bored from the concave side of the shell.

Ten or twelve bear teeth, which had been split and polished into

thin gorget-like forms and perforated with two holes, were placed

around the outside of the copper plates. The cremated remains

were then placed over the ornaments and several thicknesses of

matting, made of bark, were placed over all.

Between the two burials, but near to number 22, was lo-

cated an adult human skull with lower jaw. * * * * The

plates and other objects found in the grave, could only be super-

ficially examined in the field, and the most interesting points

would necessarily be left until the objects were brought to the

laboratory.

The plate shown in Fig. 10 is perhaps the heaviest and

smoothest of all the plates taken from the mound. The scroll

pattern cut upon one side of the plate, represents the first specimen

of the kind taken from the mounds of Ohio, as far as known. The

Explorations of the Seip Mound. 301

plate was wrapped in leather when it was placed in the grave,

and portions still adhere to the plate, as shown in the cut.

The plate in Fig. II is perhaps unique. An attempt is made

in this plate to decorate the ends of the plate instead of the side.

The work of cutting the scrolls is not so perfect and graceful as

in the other plate, but is more elaborate. The intervening por-

tion between the scrolls is cut into scalloped forms. The other

end of the plate is divided into three scalloped sections, and

each section has a repousse decoration at the center. The speci-

men is covered with several layers of cloth, and the repousse

decorations do not show so prominent in the Figure.

The plates taken from other graves in the mound were simi-

lar in form and size to those contained in the grave described.

However, one grave containing two copper plates, a large and

a small one, together with 8 other copper ornaments. The large

plate presented a new feature in copper plates. The original

plate was reinforced by being covered with another plate, a lit-

tle larger in all of its dimensions. The edges were hammered

down over the original plate, in such a manner as to resemble

the work of a modern artisan. The plate is shown in Fig. 13.

302 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

COPPER EAR ORNAMENTS.

Copper ear ornaments were frequently met with in the

graves, and twenty specimens were secured. They were invar-

iably found in pairs. The manufacture of these ornaments re-

quired skill, as well as a high degree of advancement in orna-

mental art. The mode of manufacture of the ear ornaments,

although two different types were found, was similar. One type

was made of two concavo-convex plates, and were connected by

a cylindrical column: but only a few pairs of this type were

found. Fig. 14 fully illustrates this type. The other type,

which was most common, was made of four plates of copper,

two of which are circular, and two concavo-convex. The con-

cavo-convex plates are attached to the circular pieces, which

form the inside of the ornament. The discs are connected with

a small cylinder of copper.⁶ Fig.¹⁵ is a good illustration show-

ing two views of this type of ear ornaments. Other copper or-

naments were found sparingly in the burial cists. From one

grave a large copper crescent was removed, and from another,

six large copper balls.

The crescent is shown in Fig. 16, and was taken from one

6For a complete description of this type of ear ornament, see "Cer-

tain Mounds and Village Sites in Ohio," Vol. 1, Section 3.

Explorations of the Seip Mound. 303

of the burials. The crescent, as shown in the figure, is at-

tached to a large copper plate by corrosion. The plate is 83/4

inches in length and 43/4 inches wide and the crescent is 71/2 inches

in length and two inches in width at the center of the crescent,

from which point it gradually tapers to one inch at the ends.

The crescent is pierced with two small holes near the convex

side at the center.

The plate and crescent as shown in the Figure measures 14

inches in length and the surface of both crescent and plate is

covered with the imprint of a thin, loosely woven fabric. The

copper balls were very interesting and show that the ancient ar-

tificer displayed skill and patience in forming the malleable cop-

per into the desired form. The balls were made of two sep-

arate hemispheres attached by a small cord passing through the

small holes bored on each side of the hemispheres. The holes

can be seen in the illustration, Fig. 17. The inside of the ball

is invariably filled with yellow clay. The hemispheres were no

doubt made in molds, and it has often occurred to me that the

large stones with the small cup-shaped depressions might have

304 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

been used by the ancient artisans in the manufacture of their

ornaments. During the explorations several large slabs of sand-

stone, containing from three to ten depressions, were found in

close proximity to the mound, and one of the copper hemispheres

fit in one of the depressions in such a way as to lead to the be-

lief that they were used in shaping the copper to his use.

Only two kinds of copper implements were found in the

mound: the awl and the axe. The awls, four in number, varied

in length from 71/4 inches to 3 inches, and were usually round,

tapering to a point at both ends, although one specimen had one

end blunt, the body of the awl flat and one end tapering to a

point. Fig. 18 shows three of the copper awls. The largest is

71/4 inches long and 3/8 of an inch in diameter at the center, grad-

Explorations of the Seip Mound. 305

ually tapering to a point at each end. The second awl shown

in the illustration is flat, and is about 1/2 inch in width and 1/4 inch

in thickness with one end square, with a gradual taper to a sharp

point at the other end. The third awl is 4 inches in length and

1/4 inch in thickness, and this thickness is the same throughout

the entire length with only a gradual taper to a point at one end;

the other end is blunt. The fourth awl found in the mound was

similar to the last one described, but only 3 inches in length.

The copper axes were unusually interesting on account of

their variation in size. The largest was 61/2 inches long and 4

inches wide at the bit, while the smallest was 21/4 inches long and

1 inch wide at the bit. Nine axes were taken from the various

sections of the mound, and all were of the plano-convex type, so

common in the mounds of this culture. They were made from

masses of nativecopper by hammering into form, and the ir-

regularities of the surface is quite pronounced in many of them.

The large axe shown in Fig. 19 is much corroded, and pieces of

306 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

leather in which the axe was wrapped still adhere to the surface.

The axe is 61/2 inches long, 4 inches wide at the bit, and three-

quarters of an inch in thickness, and weighs two pounds and

eleven ounces. The axe is decidedly of the plano-convex type

and shows the great amount of labor necessary to produce such

a large and fine axe. Fig. 20 is another copper axe of the same

type as the large axe shown in Fig. 19, and measures 5� inches

in length, 21/2 inches at the blunt end, 3 inches at the cutting edge,

and weighs 1 pound and 12 ounces. The axe is greatly corroded

and the surface is partly covered here and there with pieces of

leather in which the axe had been wrapped

when placed in the burial cist. Fig. 21 shows

two very fine axes of the same type but much

smaller; both measuring four inches in length

and two and one-eighth inches in width at

the cutting edge. The first axe (the one to

the left) is covered with pieces of calcined

human bones, corroded to both faces of the

axe. The axe to the right is very interesting,

as it shows how it was attached to a handle,

even the imprint of the string used in holding

the handle in place can be seen; a portion of

the corroded copper is removed from the face,

showing the convex surface and the very sharp

edge as well as the scratches made while sharp-

ening the implement. Fig. 22 is the only axe

showing the imprint of a woven fabric, which

occurs on the flat side. The convex face

of the axe is perfectly smooth and shows but little corrosion.

The other axes (four in number) found in the graves of the

mound, ranging in length from 3 inches to 2� inches, are flat

on one side and convex on the other.

BONE OBJECTS.

Bone implements and ornaments are always associated with

prehistory man in Ohio, and the implements of bone and teeth

play an important part in the life of the builders of this mound.

The bone objects may be grouped under two heads, utilitarian

Ohio Arch. 'and Hist. Society Publications. 307

308 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

and ornamental. Under the utilitarian objects are placed bone

digging tools, needles, awls, etc. The bone digging tools were

frequently met with outside the graves, and scattered through

the soil of the mound. The tools were simply large fragments

of the femur bones and shoulder blades of large animals, such

as bear, deer, and elk. The bones were used in digging up the

soil, preparatory to its use in building up the mound. The tools,

naturally, would be carried to the mound, and frequently one

would be lost when the load of soil was deposited upon the

mound.

BONE AWLS.

Bone awls, or bodkins, were for the most part, destroyed

when the body was cremated, as many calcined pieces of imple-

ments were found among the cremated remains, but several per-

fect pieces were found. The awls were invariably made from

the tarso-metatarsus of the wild turkey, by cutting away the an-

terior part of the bone, almost to the center and carrying this

cut through to the posterior end of the bone. The awls would

vary in length from 3 inches to 4 inches, the points having a

gradual taper, and are very sharp. Fig. 23 is a good illustration

of the bone awls.

Explorations of the Seip Mound. 309

310 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

BONE NEEDLES.

Great skill and much labor was required to make the bone

needles of the type found in the mound. They were usually

made from the strong metapodial bone of the deer. The needles

were usually from 3 to 5 inches long, gradually capering from

the head to the point. The head is invariably flat, and pierced

with a small hole near the end, as shown in Fig. 24. The hole

is bored from both sides. In one of the graves was unearthed a

large curved needle 8 inches in length, and made of the rib of

some animal. The eye of the needle was placed 3/4 of an inch

from the end, and in many respects, resembles the needles used

by the Fort Ancient Culture.⁷

ORNAMENTS OF BONE.

Many ornaments made of bone and teeth were found in

perfect condition in the burials of the mound, but many of the

most valuable and interesting were destroyed by fire when the

body was cremated. The greater number of pendants found in

the various burial cists were made of the canine teeth of the

black bear which were highly prized for ornament by aboriginal

man. Many of the teeth were cut and polished but not per-

forated for attachment, while others were polished and perfor-

ated near the end of the root for attachment, while others were

ornamented by a setting of a fine pearl upon the broad face of

the root of the tooth, and several were found that had been cut

longitudinally near the center of the tooth and the halves hol-

lowed out and so perforated with small holes that the two parts

could be attached. A good illustration of the plain polished

canine of the bear is shown in Fig. 25. This collection was

taken from one of the burials and the teeth were perhaps un-

finished, as several of the teeth have holes for attachment drilled

about one-third through the tooth. A good illustration of the

bear teeth with counter sunk holes for attachment is shown in

Fig. 26. This mode of attachment is quite common, but only a

Exploration of the Baum Village in "Certain Mounds and Vil-

lage Sites in Ohio, Vol. 1.

Explorations of the Seip Mound. 311

few teeth were found in a single grave and these were perhaps

attached to a belt instead of being used as pendants.

Figure 27 shows the bear teeth cut lengthwise and each

half made into a gorget by drilling two holes near the center.

The bear tooth gorgets are highly polished and were perhaps at-

tached to belts or sashes. The bear teeth ornamented by being

set with pearls are shown in Fig. 28. The setting of the pearls

was very ingenious and shows the resourcefulness of primitive

man. It was accomplished by boring a hole in the tooth where

the setting was desired, a little larger than the diameter of the

pearl to be set. The depth of the hole would vary with the size

of the pearl, for in all of the specimens found, the pearls ex-

tended above the body and the tooth about 1/3 of its diameter.

The pearl was held in place by a small string passed through a

small hole previously drilled through the pearl. The two ends

of the string were brought together and passed through a small

hole drilled in the bottom of the cavity prepared to receive the

setting. The string with the pearl attached was fastened on the

back of the tooth, holding the pearl firmly in the cavity. The

canine tooth shown to the left in Fig. 28, besides being set with a

pearl, is cut into two parts and perforated with holes in order that

312 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

the two parts might be fastened together. Invariably one-half

of the tooth is hollowed out and the cavity very often filled with

a pigment or small piece of quartz or highly colored pieces of

flint.

The most interesting of the bone ornaments were those of

the effigy eagle claws. They were found in several graves, but

the finest specimens were found at one of the burial shrines. The

effigy claws were made of the rib bones of the elk, and very often

exceeded 41/2 inches in length. A representative collection of the

effigy claws is shown in Fig. 29. Finding so many effigy claws

of the eagle instead of the true claws shows that the eagle was

a bird hard to capture or that aboriginal man preferred the effigy

claws to the true claws.

Several cut and polished human jaws with the teeth intact

were removed from one of the burial shrines, however, this was

not an uncommon find in this culture, as many of the mounds ex-

amined revealed many specimens showing the use of human jaws

for ornament. A large tooth of the alligator was unearthed in

one of the graves, and from another grave, four more teeth of

the same reptile. The large tooth was two and one-half inches

long and almost three-fourths of an inch in diameter. The teeth

were all perforated for attachment. As far as records go, this

is the first record of finding alligator teeth in the mounds of Ohio.

One of the teeth is shown in Fig. 30.

ORNAMENTS OF SHELL.

Ornaments such as pendants and beads were found abun-

dantly, and all were made from ocean shell. From one grave al-

most 1,000 beads, made of ocean shell, and averaging one-half

inch in length, were removed. The beads, when strung, meas-

ured more than forty-two feet in length. The beads were made

from the heavy parts of large ocean shells, and the greater diam-

eter was at the center, from which they gradually tapered to each

end. The beads were pierced with a small hole through their

longest diameter. Fig. 31 shows a small string taken from one

of the graves. It measures nine feet in length and the beads are

colored green by coming in contact with copper ornaments found

Explorations of the Seip Mound. 313

associated with them. In one grave was found a large necklace

of beads circular in form, about one-half inch in diameter, and

resembling small marbles. A good example of this form of

beads can be seen near the center of Fig. 31, as this collection

contained quite a number of small circular beads and one large

one. Another interesting ornament made of shell is shown in

Fig. 32. These ornaments were made of strips of ocean shell

about one inch wide at the center and gradually tapering to about

three-fourths of an inch at the end, and varied in length from

six inches to four inches. The ends were cut square into which

a small hole was bored, about the center of the ornament, to a

depth of one-fourth of an inch. A second hole was bored from

the concave side to connect with the first hole, thus forming a

means of attachment that could not be seen from the convex side.

The strips cut from the body of the shell and conform to the gen-

314 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

eral curve of the shell. From one burial, a beautiful string of

pearls was secured. The pearls were in good state of preserva-

tion, and no doubt caused the owner many years of search to se-

cure the number. The flint implements and the various objects

made of slate and granite were not abundant in the graves, but a

number of excellent examples were secured.

OBJECTS OF FLINT.

Flint Knives -The flint knives flaked from cores of jasper

and chalcedony from the Flint Ridge Region were not abundant

in the graves, although quite a number were found with the re-

mains, the greater number were found promiscuously through-

out the mound, indicating that they were perhaps lost during the

construction of the mound. The knives are not large, varying in

length from three inches to one and one-half inches. They were

made from large cores of banded and variegated Jasper. The

convex face of the knife shows several facets, while the concave

surface is perfectly plain, running to a sharp edge on each side of

the knife. The knives were found abundantly upon the surface

in the field surrounding the mound, showing that the implement

was much used by the builders of the mound.

Flint Spears--The flint spear shown in Fig. 33 was taken

from burial No. nineteen. When found it was broken into many

pieces by the action of fire but the pieces were fortunately se-

cured and the specimen fully restored; length nine inches, width

three and three-fourths inches. It is impossible to tell the source

of the flint from which the spear is made because of the discol-

oration caused by the fire. Other spear points were found in

several of the graves, but all were small compared to the large

one described above.

Figure 34 shows two gorgets, one made of dark yellow arge-

lite discolored in several places by coming in contact with copper

ornaments. The gorget is two and three-quarter inches long and

pierced with a large hole near one end. The other gorget is made

from the ventral shell or plastron of the turtle, two and one-

eighth inches long and about one inch wide. The specimen is

perhaps unfinished.

Explorations of the Seip Mound. 315

LARGE SHELLS USED FOR DRINKING CUPS.

From one grave a large container or drinking cup was found.

The cup is shown in Fig. 35. It was made from the shell, known

as Fulgur Perversum, by cutting away a portion of the body

whorl and removing the columella. The beak, as shown in the

figure, was carefully rounded and made into a wide spout which

would serve as a place to drink from the vessel, or an aid in

emptying the vessel after it was filled. The container is seven

and one-eighth inches long and 6 inches wide, and the outer sur-

316 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

face is highly cut and polished so that the vessel appears perfectly

smooth. When placed in the grave the vessel was evidently cov-

ered with a delicately woven fabric, as portions of the fabric still

adhere to the shell.

TEXTILES.

In a number of graves, of the second section, the final cere-

mony consisted of setting fire to the covering of straw, twigs,

and cloth, and here the charred remnants of cloth and matting

were preserved. In the

first section, the charred

cloth, showing the simplest

to the highest art in primi-

tive weaving, was found at

the burial shrines outside

the graves. The builders

of the Seip Mound had

learned well the art of tex-

tile making, for we know

that the true textile art

began with the spinning or

making of the yarn. This,

of course, requires the sep-

aration of fibrous tissue

from the plant, and twist-

ing the fibers so as to make

a strong yarn. The cloth

was made from bast fiber,

secured from many of the

trees and plants known to

exist in prehistory times.⁸For the most part, the specimens

show the simplest form of weaving. (Fig. 36.) This was made

by having the warp and woof made of the same kind of thread,

usually large and strong, and both were drawn equally tight.

However, a very fine reticulated weaving was frequently met

with. The warp in this textile was placed about one-eighth

8 Specimens of cloth were subjected to Microscopical examination

by Prof. J. H. Schaffner, Head of the Dep't of Botany, O. S. U., and

he pronounced the cloth made from bast fiber.

Explorations of the Seip Mound. 317

of an inch apart and the woof one-sixteenth of an inch and the

yarn finely spun. The threads of both the woof and warp equally

drawn. A fine illustration of reticulate weaving is shown in

Fig. 37.

TANNED SKINS.

Skins made into leather were found in a number of graves.

The leather was always associated with copper ornaments and im-

plements and was preserved by the salts of copper. The leather

was usually placed upon the platform of the grave and the cop-

per implements, such as axes and ornaments, such as plates were

placed upon the leather, which would be preserved insofar as it

came in contact with the copper. The leather was very fine and

soft, resembling the chamois skins of the present time. A piece

of the leather was soaked in water and thoroughly washed to re-

move as much copper and dirt as possible. The piece was found

to be flexible and pliable, and retained some of its original

strength. A small piece of the leather showing the shape of one

corner of the copper plate that laid over it is shown in Fig. 38.

POTTERY.

Fragments of broken pottery were found in almost every

portion of the mound, and in several instances, potsherds of good

size, and representing a high type of fictile art, were found in

several of the graves, but were not associated with the charred

remains. Fig. 39 is a good illustration of the pieces of pottery

found.

It seems strange that a people well versed in the fictile art,

and able to produce objects in pottery as shown by the discarded

sherds; articles requiring great skill and patience to produce the

symmetry and grace therein displayed,-that these people would

not in some way employ this art facility in their mortuary

customs.

OBJECTS OF MICA.

Large blocks of mica were found in many graves, as well as

the shrines of the burial cists, where the blocks often completely

covered the floor. The detached thin sheets were often cut into

geometrical designs and figures, and perhaps served as a decora-

318 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

tion, attached to their clothing, as many of the pieces have per-

forations for that purpose. Several designs are shown in Fig. 40.

RESUME.

A concise account of the examination of the Seip Mound

has been given, and a brief mention of the more salient parts

brought out by this ex-

amination, might be of

interest.

The site of the mound

was a charnel house

where the dead were

brought and prepared for

the grave; the prepara-

tion consisting of cre-

mating the body and

afterwards placing the in-

cinerated remains and

ashes in a prepared grave

within the charnel house.

The site was abandoned

before the house was

filled; the building de-

stroyed by fire, and a

mound erected as a monu-

ment to the dead. The

charnel house was made

up of three distinct sec-

tions, and the size of the

mound erected over the

various sections was per-

haps gauged by the standing or importance of the dead occu-

pants. Over the first section the mound was 20 feet high, and

the house contained 24 burials, all of which were more or

less rich in copper and other objects. The monument over the

second section was 11 feet 10 inches high, and the house con-

tained 19 burials; only a few of which contained objects of cop-

per; other implements and ornaments were very sparingly found,

Explorations of the Seip Mound. 319

Fig. 39. Potsherds found in the mound.

320 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

while the third section was five feet high, and did not contain a

single burial, on the floor of the house. In the first section,

graves were enlarged, and very often two, and sometimes three

and four burials, together with sufficient space for more, were re-

corded from a single burial cist, and as not all of the remains were

those of adults, this condition would suggest that the large graves

containing the remains of more than one person, were those of a

family burial cist, the wide floor space between the cists making

them readily accessible for burial at any time. The profusion of

implements and ornaments made of copper, shell and bone, of a

well marked individuality, shows that the builders of the Seip

Mound belonged to the highest culture of aboriginal man in Ohio,

differing widely in customs and culture from the Peoples inhab-

iting the Baum Village Site, only a few miles down the valley and

practically in sight of the Seip Mound.

The data secured by the opening of this mound, places this

group in the Hopewell Culture,⁹and according to Prof. W. H.

Holmes' classification, the North West Group.¹⁰The builders of

9I have, for my own convenience, named the great cultures, whose

remains are so abundant in Ohio, Fort Ancient Culture and Hopewell

Explorations of the Scip Mound. 321

the mound had an inter-tribal trade, as evidenced by the copper

from the Lake Superior Region, the ocean shells and alligator

teeth from the far south, and mica from North Carolina. The

great variety and quantity of woven fabrics secured, indicate that

weaving was assiduously practiced, and formed one of their most

important industries. The examination of the mound proves be-

yond question, that the builders of the mound were pre-Colum-

bian.

Culture; "Explorations of the Baum Village Site," Vol. 14, Ohio State

Arch. and Historical Society Publications.

10Twentieth Annual Report Bureau of Ethnology.

Ohio History Journal