Antiquities of central and southeastern Missouri / by Gerard Fowke.

  • Gerard Fowke
Date:
1910
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Antiquities of central and southeastern Missouri / by Gerard Fowke. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    shown - in figure 9, looking toward the center. The earth under and among them was very black, but contained no trace of bone or other indications of burial. Similar fiat rocks, which are abundant everywhere on the hillsides, were found at many places in the struc- ture; sometimes only 4 or 5, sometimes 20 or 30, placed either as a rude pavement, or superposed to some extent. Under some of these piles were marks of burials; under others, similarly laid, no remains whatever. There were also many stones which appeared as if thrown in with the earth, to fill up. Altogether, at least 25 wagon loads were taken out. On the west side, near the center, were three graves, parallel, the longer axes extending practically east and west. The north and south diameter of the mound crossed the center of the northern grave and the east ends of the other two. The grave farthest south was covered with rocks so irregularly placed that their purpose was not suspected until most of them were removed. This grave was the largest yet discovered. It measured 9 feet 6 inches in length, 3 feet in width at each end, 3 feet 8 inches in width at the center, and 6 feet 2 inches deep. The corners were somewhat rounded. A step or bench about 16 inches high and 14 inches wide extended along the north side, while across the east end was a similar bench 28 inches high and 18 inches wide. These benches were left for use by the excavators that they might reach the top in throwing out the earth, which was spread around for several feet to the east and the south. On the bottom lay a skeleton, extended on its back, with the head toward the west and turned to the right. Although the bones were in dry sandy earth underlying the loess, they fell to pieces at a touch. The skeleton measured 5 feet 9 inches long. The teeth were sound and showed signs of but slight wear. Under the lower jaw were six small cylin- drical shell beads. The tibiae did not correspond in size or shape; one of them showed marks of disease, being somewhat enlarged, with the posterior surface fiattened. Some traces of white walnut were found. This may have been originally over or under the body. The middle grave lay almost exactly west of the center, its margin 4 feet 6 inches north of that of the first; it measured 6 feet 10 inches long, 2 feet wide, and 2 feet deep. The earth in it was dry and loose, seemingly a perfect preservative of bones; but only minute fragments of wood, resembling ashes, or of bone, resembling coarse cornmeal, remained in a thin layer on the bottom. Distant 19 inches from the west end were teeth of a child. With these were five cylindrical shell beads three-fourths of an inch to an inch and a half long and half an inch in diameter, drilled lengthwise. The north grave was separated from the central one by a space of 5 feet 9 inches. It was 7 feet 7 inches long, 2 feet 5 inches wide,
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