Burial Mounds of the Northern Sections of the United States Part 12

A large number of sh.e.l.l beads exactly like those from the mounds.

A number of flint arrow-points.

One soapstone pipe.

Some pieces of smooth sheet-copper.

Three conical copper ear-pendants.

Three b.u.t.tons of modern type.

One small bra.s.s gouge.

Fragments of iron articles belonging to a bridle.

One bronze sleigh-bell.

One stone awl or drill.

Fragment of a soapstone pot.

One soapstone gorget.

Several polished stone celts of the same pattern as those found in the North Carolina mounds.

Grooved stone axes.

A piece of sheet lead.

This admixture of articles of civilized and savage life confirms the statement made by Haywood, at least so far as regards the early presence of white people in this section. It follows from what has been presented that the Indians must have been Cherokees, and the fact that the implements and ornaments of aboriginal manufacture found here are throughout precisely like those found in the mounds before mentioned affords a very strong proof that they were built by the Cherokees.

It is worthy of notice that close by the side of this washout stands a mound. Permission to open it has not yet been obtained.

Returning to our mounds, we note that a large number of stones, evidently used for cracking nuts, were found in and about them; some charred acorns, or nuts of some kind, were also found in them. We have only to refer to Adair and other early writers to see how well the indications agree with the customs of the Cherokees.

According to the Cherokee tradition, they found a settlement of Creeks on the Lower Hiawa.s.see, when they reached that region, and drove them away. Ramsay expresses the opinion in his Annals of Tennessee, on what authority is not known, that this was a Uchee settlement. Hence the southern boundary of their possessions, at this early date, which must have been before the time of De Soto's expedition, was about the present northern boundary of Georgia. That their borders, at the time of De Soto's march, extended into northeastern Georgia is proved by the chroniclers of his expedition, but that they did not reach as far south as Bartow County can be shown from one somewhat singular circ.u.mstance, which, at the same time, will furnish strong reasons for believing that the authors of the works immediately south of this boundary could not have built the mounds we have been considering.

It will be admitted, I presume, by every one, that the people over whom the famous cacique of Cutifachiqui reigned could not have been Cherokees; yet her territory included Xuala, probably in Nacoochee valley, and extended westward well toward Guaxule on the headwaters of the Coosa, but that the latter was not within the territory of her tribe is expressly stated by Garcila.s.so de la Vega. I think it may be safely a.s.sumed that her people were Creeks; and, if so, that the people of Guaxule, who, as we judge from the chroniclers of De Soto's expedition, were mound-builders, belonged to another distinct tribe.

Garcila.s.so, who is our authority in reference to the first point now to be considered, says:

La casa estava en un cerro alto, como de otras semejantes hemos dicho. Tenia toda ella al derredor un paseadero que podian pasea.r.s.e por el seis hombres juntos.[71] The house was on a high hill (mound) similar to others we have already mentioned.

It had all round about it a roadway on which six men could walk abreast.

This language is peculiar, and, so far as I am aware, can apply to no other mound in Georgia than the large one near Cartersville. The words "similar to others we have mentioned," are evidently intended to signify that it was artificial, and this is conceded by all who have noted the pa.s.sage. The word "alto" (high), in the mouth of the explorers, indicates something more elevated than the ordinary mounds. The roadway or pa.s.sageway (paseadero) "round about it" is peculiar, and is the only mention of the kind by either of the three chroniclers. How is it to be explained?

As Garcila.s.so wrote from information and not from personal observation he often failed to catch from his informants a correct notion of the things described to him; this is frequently apparent in his work where there is no reason to attribute it to his vivid imagination. In this case it is clear he understood there was a terrace running entirely around the mound, or possibly a roadway around the top outside of a rampart or stockade.

But as neither conclusion could have been correct, as no such terrace has been found in any part of this region, and a walk around the summit would have thwarted the very design they had in view in building the mound, what was it Garcila.s.so's informants saw? C. C. Jones says "a terrace," but it is scarcely possible that any terrace at the end or side of a southern mound, forming an ap.r.o.n-like extension (which is the only form found there), could have been so described as to convey the idea of a roadway, as the mode of estimating the width shows clearly was intended.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 39.--Large mound of Etowah group, Bartow County, Georgia.]

The broad way winding around and up the side of the Etowah mound (Fig.

39) appears to answer the description better than any other in Georgia.

It is a large mound, high, and one that would doubtless attract the attention of the Spanish soldiers; its dimensions indicate that the tribe by which it was built was strong in numbers and might easily send forth five hundred warriors to greet the Spaniards. The locality is also within the limits of De Soto's route as given by the best authorities; and lastly, there is no other mound within the possible limits of his route which will in any respect answer the description. As Garcilla.s.so must have learned of this mound from his informants, and has described it according to the impression conveyed to his mind, we are justified in accepting it as a statement of fact. I am, therefore, satisfied that the work alluded to is none other than the Etowah mound near Cartersville, Georgia, and that here we can point to the spot where the unfortunate Adelantado rested his weary limbs and where the emba.s.sadors of the noted cacique of Cutifachiqui delivered their final message.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 40.--Vertical section, small mound, same group.]

Recently the smallest of the three large mounds of this group was opened and carefully explored by Mr. Rogan, one of the Bureau a.s.sistants. As the result will be of much interest to archaeologists aside from the question now under discussion, although belonging to the southern type of burial mounds not discussed in this paper, I will venture to give a description of its construction and contents as a means of comparison and as also bearing somewhat on the immediate question under discussion.

This mound is the one marked _c_ in Jones's plate;[72] also _c_ in Colonel Whittlesey's figure 2.[73] A vertical section of it is given in Fig. 40. The measurements, as ascertained by Mr. Rogan, are as follows: Average diameter at the base, 120 feet; diameter of the level top, 60 feet; height above the original surface of the ground, 16 feet.

The form is more nearly that of a truncated cone than represented in the figures alluded to.

The construction was found, by very thorough excavation, to be as follows: the entire surrounding slope (No. 4, Fig. 40) was of hard, tough red clay, which could not have been obtained nearer than half a mile; the cylindrical core, 60 feet in diameter and extending down to the original surface of the ground, was composed of three horizontal layers; the bottom layer (No. 1) 10 feet thick, of rich, dark, and rather loose loam; the next (No. 2) 4 feet thick, of hard, beaten (or tramped) clay, so tough and hard that it was difficult to penetrate it even with a pick; and the uppermost (No. 3) of sand and surface soil between 1 and 2 feet thick. A trench was dug from opposite sides to the central core; and when the arrangement was ascertained, this central portion was carefully explored to the original surface of the ground.

Nothing was found in the layer of clay (No. 2) except a rude clay pipe, some small sh.e.l.l beads, a piece of mica, and a chunkee stone. The burials were all in the lower layer (No. 1), of dark rich loam, and chiefly in stone cists or coffins of the usual box-shape, formed of stone slabs, and distributed horizontally, as shown in Fig. 41, which is a plan of this lower bed.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 41.--Plan of burials in small mound.]

According to Mr. Rogan's field-notes, the form and contents of these graves and the mode of burial in them were as follows:

Grave _a_, Fig. 41.--A stone sepulcher, 2-1/2 feet wide, 8 feet long, and 2 feet deep, formed by placing steat.i.te slabs on edge at the sides and ends, and others across the top. The bottom consisted simply of earth hardened by fire. It contained the remains of a single skeleton, lying on its back, with the head east. The frame was heavy and about 7 feet long. The head was resting on a thin copper plate, ornamented with stamped figures; but the skull was crushed and the plate injured by fallen slabs. Under the copper were the remains of a skin of some kind; and under this, coa.r.s.e matting, probably of split cane. The skin and matting were both so rotten that they could be secured only in fragments. At the left of the feet were two clay vessels, one a water-bottle, and the other a very small vase. On the right of the feet were some mussel and sea sh.e.l.ls; and immediately under the feet two conch-sh.e.l.ls (_Busycon perversum_), partially filled with small sh.e.l.l beads. Around each ankle was a strand of similar beads. The bones and most of the sh.e.l.ls were so far decomposed that they could not be saved.

Grave _b_.--A stone sepulcher, 4-1/4 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 1-1/2 feet deep, differing from _a_ only in size and the fact that the bottom was covered with stone slabs. The skeleton was extended on the back, head east. On the forehead was a thin plate of copper, the only article found.

Grave _c_.--A stone sepulcher, 3-1/2 feet long, 1-1/2 feet wide, and 1-1/2 deep; the bottom being formed of burnt earth. Although extending east and west, as shown in the figure, the bones had probably been interred without regard to order and disconnected, the head being found in the northeast corner with face to the wall and the remaining portion of the skeleton in a promiscuous heap. Yet there was no indication of disturbance after burial as the coffin was intact. Between some of the bones was found a thin plate of copper that had been formed by uniting and riveting together smaller sections. Some of the bones found in this grave were saved.

Grave _d_.--A small sepulcher, 1-1/2 feet square by 1 foot deep, contained the remains of an infant, also a few small sh.e.l.l beads. The slabs forming the sides and bottom of this grave bore very distinct marks of fire.

Grave _e_.--Simply a headstone and footstone, with the skeleton of a very small child between them; head east. On the wrists were some very small sh.e.l.l beads. The earth on the north and south sides had been hardened in order to form the walls.

Grave _f_.--Stone sepulcher, 6 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 1-1/2 feet deep, with stone in the bottom; skeleton with the head north. There was a lot of copper about the head, which, together with the skeleton, was wrapped in a skin. The head rested on a large conch-sh.e.l.l (_Busycon perversum_), and this on the remains of a coa.r.s.e mat. Sh.e.l.l beads were found around the neck, each wrist, and ankle. On the right was a small cup, and on the breast an engraved sh.e.l.l. The copper had preserved a portion of the hair, which was saved; portions of the skin and matting were also secured.

Immediately under _b_ was another stone grave or coffin, 3 feet long, 1-1/2 feet wide, and as deep, extending north and south. The head of the skeleton was toward the north, but the feet were doubled back under the frame in order to get it in the allotted s.p.a.ce. The only things found with this skeleton were some beads around the neck.

At _g_ the remains of a child were found without any stones about them.

Some sh.e.l.l beads were around the neck and wrists and an engraved sh.e.l.l on the breast.

Grave _h_.--A stone sepulcher, 1-1/2 feet square and 1 foot deep, stone slabs on the four sides and top; the bottom consisted simply of earth hardened by fire. This contained only a trace of bones and presented indications of at least partial cremation, as all around the slabs, outside and inside, was a solid ma.s.s of charcoal and the earth was burned to the depth of a foot.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 42.--Copper plate from Etowah mound, Georgia.]

Grave _i_.--A stone sepulcher, 4-1/2 feet long, 1-1/2 feet wide, and as deep, the bottom earth; contained the remains of a skeleton resting on the back, head north, and feet doubled back so as to come within the coffin. On the breast was a thin plate of copper, five inches square, with a hole through the center. Around the wrists were beads, and about the neck rather more than a quart of the same.

At _j_ were the remains of a small child, without stone surroundings; under the head was a piece of copper, and about the neck and wrists were sh.e.l.l beads.

These graves were not all on the same level; the top of some being but two feet below the clay bed (No. 2), while others were from two to three feet lower.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 43.--Copper plate from Etowah mound, Georgia.]