A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF MOUND OPENING.

Done During the Months of July and August, 1888, by Warren K. Moorehead and Clinton Cowen.

Ir occurred to me a number of times last year to spend the summer in opening mounds. I had done considerable of this work in several counties of our State, but had never spent more than one continuous week in. the field. When the Cincinnati Centennial Exposition opened in July, and I was free from my duties (having been actively engaged in mounting a collection for exhibition), I engaged the services of Mr. I. Cowen, of Denison University, as Superintendent, and set cut for the interior of Clermont county. I engaged three Irishmen and on July 9th, five of us began the demolition of a mound on Richard Shumard's farm, Stone Lick township. The mound is situated on a high point of land overlooking the deep and narrow gorge of Rock Run.

The mound was twenty-five feet in diameter and about three feet high. It had never been disturbed by plow or spade. We commenced at the east side and dug the whole of it out. The work occupied four hours.

About one foot from the surface a layer of charcoal was found which extended over the entire mound. This layer was quite uniform and about three inches thick. Immediately below this in the center was a large flat stone, and slightly below the large stone, other stones-limestones brought from the creek below. Under the stones was a medium sized skeleton, much decayed. On the breast bone of this skeleton was a small rough celt of greenstone. A short bone awl was near the body on the right side. Just below the skeleton was a small quantity of red ochre. There was nothing else in the mound.

MOUND NUMBER TWO.

Before Number Two was opened some stone graves along Stone Lick creek were dug open. Although the work was thoroughly carried out nothing save single skeletons were found.

This mound was situated on Harvey Anderson's farm, Jackson township, Clermont county. It is on high ground, but not near any stream. The mound had been plowed over many times and stands only eight feet high. Old residents say it once was nearly twenty feet in altitude.

We began work on this mound Thursday A. M., July 12th. We were two days in completing the excavations. The dimensions of the structure are 75 x 95 x 8 feet.

We began a wide trench at the eastern side and continued this to the center. We widened the trench at the center until all the mound was "rimmed out" save the outer edges. Nothing was overlooked. Up to Thursday noon we found nothing. There were no layers in the edge of the mound, everything seemed placed within ten feet of the center. About two o'clock we came upon large quantities of burnt clay. This was not placed in a layer, nor had it the shape of an altar. It was a rough, illshaped mass. Through it was charcoal freely intermingled. Beyond this mass of clay was a decayed skull. All the parts of the skull were present, but none of the other bones of the body. The skull showed action of fire the teeth were burnt black. That night we quit work five feet from the center on the east side. Our trench was about twenty-five feet wide and seven feet deep.

The next morning we found three feet from the surface, in the center, a skeleton well preserved. No objects were interred with the body. A rough layer of bark had been placed above this individual, and an experienced woodsman present claimed the bark was elm and hickory. The weight of the earth above had pressed this bark into a thin layer scarcely a quarter of an inch thick. The width of it was two feet, the length seven. Just below this skeleton were three layers of earth. The first white, the second sand, the third red burnt clay. The thickness of each was six inches. Below this last layer was a decayed skeleton and a mass of black and yellow soil slightly burnt. This skeleton laid with head to the west as did the other. extremities of this one were badly charred.

The

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At a distance of five feet from the upper surface found three (called for want of a better name) "post holes."

These holes were 8 x 14 inches and contained dust that resembled decayed wood. The sides of them were burnt to prevent caving in. In one of these holes three small mussel shells and fifteen snail shells were found. When six feet from the surface a few fragments of pottery, deer bones and snail shells occurred. The deer antlers were broken in small pieces. There were half a dozen of them. A large slab of limestone, very interesting, found at seven feet depth, contained the perfect imprint of seven human ribs. In some parts of the disintegrated stone the fragments of ribs still adhered. This was preserved, but in three days had crumbled into a mass of lime and sand. Varnish was put in the crevices, but it would not keep. This stone had been subjected to great heat.

Nothing further was found except a rough small celt. When the work was completed we stepped back to look at the sides. The various colored layers and streaks showed up beautifully. Indeed the red and white were as pure as could be painted. There were seven shades represented, red, yellow, black, brown, pink, white, grey.

Mound number three contained nothing.

Mound number four contained nothing of importance.

MOUND NUMBER FIVE.

This mound was situated on the farm of John Boyle, Perry Township, Brown County, Ohio. The owner is a wealthy and cultivated gentleman and gave us permission to open another mound of his four miles further north. We began work on the west side. We were nearly three days completing excavations. The mound was circular and about one hundred feet in diameter It was five feet high, had never been opened, was situated in a wood. It was surrounded by a low circle 200 feet in diameter. The altitude of the circle was less than three feet, its breadth seven feet.

No skeleton was found in this mound. Near the exact center on the bottom we discovered a small arrow-head of pink flint, a hammer stone of sandstone, a rubbing stone of slate.

When some ten feet beyond the center on the east side we

These were from Some of them had

suddenly came upon forty-two mica sheets. four by eight to seven by nine inches in size. been neatly rounded, others were in the rough state. They were laid in layers with edges overlapping, covering three square feet or more. Nothing was under or above them.

There was nothing else in the mound. I consider this the most positive proof of "Ceremonial structures." The enclosed mound, the mica and other objects, the absence of skeletons, lead me to believe that this mound was erected for some religious purpose, that it was not a burial mound, nor a house site. The mound may have been a "temple site," for the summit was slightly flattened. This is to me the most mysterious structure I ever excavated. We examined the earth very carefully to find traces of charcoal or pottery or bones but found none. There were no "post holes" in this structure.

MOUND NUMBER SIX.

This mound is on the farm of John Boyle, St. Martin's, Brown county. It is on very high ground and overlooks the East Fork of the Little Miami river. It is, by far, the largest one yet opened. We began July 24th, with four hands. The size of this mound is in altitude, eight feet, in length, seventy feet, in width sixty-five feet. We were told that it once stood nearly twenty-five feet high. There was a circle around it once, but this has been plowed down until nothing remains. It is barely discernible in places. We began operations on the south side by starting a trench nearly as wide as the mound. This was continued to within ten feet of the northern limit, when, finding not evidences of burial beyond that point, we filled up the holes.

The skulls taken from this mound were much decayed, but, being treated with a solution of varnish and glue and being carefully packed in cotton, were strong enough to be transported to Cincinnati. Both these individuals fell in battle. The back of the skulls are crushed in. None of the other bones of the skeletons showed fractures. Over the forehead of one of the skulls was a copper plate, five by seven inches, and perforated in two places. This plate was placed directly over the eyes and forehead, the holes corresponding with the eyes, and, I think, a "death

mask" would be a proper name for the plate. The material is Lake Superior copper, thin, and shows that it was beaten out in a cold state. This skeleton was the first one found (with the plate). Just beyond it lay a layer of fine burned earth three inches thick. The earth was seven by three feet and as hard as brick. On the layer, extended east and west, lay a well preserved skeleton. Save that this skull was crushed in the rear, all the bones were whole and in place.

But to return. When we had been at work nearly a day, and were ten feet from the outer edge, we came upon five "post holes" similar to those found in the Anderson mound, only larger. These were filled with small stones and were three feet deep. Were they used to drain the mound? They were placed on the bottom (the original surface of the ground,) and ran down to undisturbed clay. Just beyond these a large mass of burnt bones, cremated skeletons, etc., occurred. A lump of partially worked Galena was taken from this mass. At the top of the mound, only two feet from the surface, had been placed a layer of bark, but this was too badly decayed to tell the wood. In some places it had so rotted as to leave a black streak only. We were four and one-half days in opening this mound, Mound No. 7, nothing of value.

MOUND NUMBER EIGHT.

This mound is one of a group of seven. They lie on the edge of a high hill overloking the East Fork of the Little Miami River, Clermont county, Ohio. Mr. J. G. Hutchison owns the land. The mounds are small, averaging thirty feet in diameter and three feet in height. The average distance apart is one hundred feet. Saturday, August 4th, we began work on these. We were three days in digging the seven to pieces. Three of the smaller ones were opened the first day.

Each mound was composed of both earth and stone, but the first one opened contained more stone than any of the others.

On the east side of the first mound (we commenced on the center mound and worked to the left, then to the right) we uncovered a layer of five flat stones. Under these were two skeletons, much decayed. With one of the skeletons a very choice