The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-01-28
AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES,

The Now York Sta4osraaa1s osn4a;as -
memoir from Turner Lane, Esq. communi-
eating some interesting information on the
subject Of certain remains Of antiquity, late
ly discovered in White county, Tennessee.
the above named gentleman prosecuted his
discoveries upon and in the neighboIhood
of lis own farm, situated in Hickory Valley,
about seven miles from the town OF Sparta.
The objects that first attracted his atten-
ton were buTylng places; the entire length
of the skeletons found therein did not eX-
coed from 81 to "a inches-some, perhaps,
might have measured 30 inches. lie sx-
amined many graves, all of which appeared
to be uniform in their construction.
"The grave is dug about IL or 10 inches
deep, four smooth thin flag stones are then
SET up on edge two at the sides, and one at
tie head and foot of the grave, thus lining
the grave neatly all around; the corpse is
then deposited, and another thin stone laid
over the grave the earth is then drawn
over the whole, about the depth Of or 4
inches. forming level with the surface OF
the earth.
( The graves are uniformly about Is or 10
inches long, and from 10 to III inches broad /:
the corpse being longer than the grave,
shows the necessity of bending the corpse
that the grave may receive it; consequent
| ". the skeleton is rarely, if ever, found ly-
| ING straight in the grave, but sometimes the
! head and shoulders will he found elevated
sometimes the knees will be drawn up, so
| as to shorten the length of the corpse: they
are sometimes laid i'll the grave on their
! back, and sometimes on their sides."
| There is no uniformity in the Longitude
! nal direction Of the graves. In them he
found little vessel, and in some instances
two. These are made of q composition Of
pounded shells mixed with potter's clay
( ana were so lender that rIIauy Vvuld not be
lifted without breaking. Some of these
were ornamented and some plain, capable
If containing from half pint to a quart
and formed like bowl. In the graves
we're also little shells and trinRets in per
feet sound state. One OF these was THU
flat shell, as white as ivory, round and
smooth, about two inches in dldmeter, with
a large Cross cut upon one OF It's sides.
At the request of the keeper of the Nash
Vile Museum to procure him one ofthe skei
etons, after great care and attention, MIR
Lane succeeded in sending him the frag
mepts of four imperfect ones, together witt
specimens of the vessel, &c. The larger
Ibones. skulls, and teeth, were in tolerablt
state of soundness the parts which lay
next to the ground being in the most per
feet state Of preservation.
On their arrival at Nashville, board o
musicians pronounced them to be the bones
and teeth Of adult persons. Mr.. Lane further
: states that to this day there are visible ap
pearances Of many towns and places of resi-
dence, some of which are fortified and do
Tended by entertainments
From information derived from many very
respectable men, mfr. Lane asserts tina
bones. skulls, and teeth, have been found il
saltpctro caves, so large as to warrant th'
belief that they belonged TO persons from
to 8 feet high. These latter are neve
found in graves.
= L. L