The native American., 1839-11-30
AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES.

The following interesting facts are novel on the
subject Of American Antiquities, and from the
clearness and minuteness of the details, may lead
to more correct conlusons OIL the subject of the
ancient races Of this continent than any research
es which have yet been brought to light respect
ing the object and purposes of those remarkable
mounds in the west:
some time ago that large mound had been opened
at place on the Ohio River. about IL miles be-
low Wheeling. Since then full and scientific
description of it has been preparation Cincinna-
Il paper, from which abridge few Of the
facts. The mound, which is the largest in the
United States, is composed of black mould and
yellow clay, and appears to have been erected by
carrying earth from the surrounding plain. Accor
ding to measurement lately made, its diameter at
: the base is two hundred and nine,y-fve feet and
at the top sixty feet, whilst it is about sixty mine
feet in perpendicular height. By means of ex-
cavations recently undertaken, the interior is found
to be divided into two vaults.
In the bottom of the lower vault there were
two human skeletons. They were found with
their heads nearly together in the centre and their
feet near the outside in opposite directions, or
nearly SO, and in such an irregular position as to
induce the gentlemen engaged in exploring it to
suppose that they had been placed in standing
position, and at some subsequent period previous
to the falling in of the vaults they had fallen down
from their position at the sides toward the centre
of the vault. The bones were much decayed and
broken, so all that remained of both skeletons
would not weigh more than one perfect entire
skeleton. None of the bones of the pelvis of
either were sufficiently perfect to enable any pei
son to form any accurate idea to the sex-I lie
inferior maxillary bone or lower Jaw was large
and strong, and the teeth all perfect and sound
,,b Id i.
With this skeleton found some large and rude
ivory beads, and one rude ornament of stone. As
Indian females we're not decorated with ornaments
until long since the discovery of America by Co
lumbus, and indeed very few even at this day, it
has been conjecturrd that this skeleton was that
OF male, while the other was that Of female,
and probably the wife of the former. This, how
ever, is mere conjecture, founded on the circum-
stances of the absence Of all ornaments, and the
much greater delicacy of the bones compared
with the other; the nferiorjaw being much small
err, and likewise the bulk much smaller, and more
delicate. The teeth were all remaining and per-
fectly sound.
There was one peculiarly about the teeth of
this last skeleton, which is believed to be very
unusual and that is, the fangs of the moar or
double teeth, instead Of separating and diverging
from each other, like those OF mankind in gem
eral, were all united at their points like those of
the biscupid teeth, which gives them quite con-
ical appearance. Both of these individuals had
been like some we meet with in the present day,
whose teeth, instead of having the front ncissors
of the upper jaw project and overlap those in the
lower jaw, met square upoi each other by which
they were worn down until their crowns were al
mos; worn away. | have seen no individual of
the present generation whose teeth were as much
worn at less age than sixty years. Hence it
may he inferred that these were both elderly per-
sons. The bones of the head of the last skeleton
remained attached by their sutures, except the
temporal bone of one side, and were in a better
state of preservation than any other part. And
what is very remarkable, the turbinated or spon-
gy bone OF the nose are nearly perfect. Itwould
seem that, notwithstanding the extreme thinness
OF these bones, in this instance, they have with
stood the effects and operations of all the decom-
posing agents to which they have been exposed
during many centuries.
In the upper vault was found one skeleton, but
the bones were in such state Of decay that thew
could not be taken out without being broken into
small pieces, so that no more than hat.crown
full of them were preserved. The teeth, full
SET (32,) were all sound. But the Uranium broke
into small pieces the largest not more than two
inches square. With this skeleton were found
great number Of ornaments. There were seven
teen hundred ivory beaks, five hundred small