Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-09-15
THE GAZETTE.
WEDNESDAY MORNING, snrrrN'n IS, 1854
OPENING OF A MOUND.

MIR. Robert Stafford Jr., says the G~ni!iopo!ls,
Ohio, Journal, has had 10 contemplation, Tor
the past forty years, the opening Of d mound
tha, is on his farm, about two mlles irom this
town, and last week be carried out his origi-
nal intention. The mound ID situated in the
woods about q quarter Of a mile from his
dwelling, in q southeast direction, aud the
elevation is something like six feet above the
surrounding level, and about thirty feet in
diameter at the base.
Mr.. S. commenced digging from the west
side towards the centre of toe mound, but en-
countering some heavy and rough stone,
which seemed to have been Embedded there
Tor ages, nddif6cult to remove, be abandon d
that and dug from the east side 10 a direct
line with the first cut. He bad no; long pro-
crossed before be encountered the same difh-
Guilty, which iod to a more careful amln
ton, when be discovered that he bad struck
upon q stone vault. .
Having removed the key stone, which is
about tn elve inches square Oh the top and
tapering like a wedge to about three inches
at the bottom, DO had little difficulty in re-
moving the remainder of the arch. The vault,
for the first four or FIVE feet from the top, was
filed With q yellowish clay; insermixed ocea-
sionally with charcoal. About SIX feet aoWn
alayer of ashes as discovered in q good state
of preservation, and beneath these WAS a layer
of O substance about three inches IN thickness
resembling white clay, perfectly dry, and
easily broken With the Fl, gers. In the cen
tire Of tho vault, and mbedded in this clay,
was found a stone about a quarter of an inch
in thickness, and as large round as q tin cap,
trimmed perfectly round and smooth. This
stone was lying with the fat side down. as
though to protect four strips OF rolled copper
which were found just beneath it, Embedded
in a substance resembling cement.
These strips Of copper are from three to SIX
inches long by one and a halt 20 two inches
wide, and were found sticking erdSise 10 the
cement and pointing North and South. Two
of these pieces are connected at one side Ike
the binding of a book, and between them Is
an inset Of delicately rolled copper, about
three inches long aud one and a bali wide,
yery much corroded. We examined these
strips of copper With a microscope, but could
discover no hieroglyphics except on one OF
them a perfectly formed branch Of o tree, but
whether accidentally formed by the process
of decay and surrounding objects, or human
hands, we are unable to determine. The
copper is much corroded, and after the verdi.
girls is removed by acids, there is a pcssibi-
bility that these plates may throw some light
on the heretofore hidden m~ystery-at what
period and by whom were the mounds built.
The cement in which these plates were
found extends below the surrounding Level,
and has been deg into to the depth OF two
feet. The vault is built of sandstone. and
bears the appearance of having been subject
cd to a powerful heat, as the stones on the
inside we're burnt red. The stump OF o large
tree near the centre of the mound, which
was cut q year or two since, indicates the
age as nearly 400 years. 1t is the de.ermi.
nation of Mr.. Stafford to resume the exawins-
ton of this mound from time TO time, as he
may find leisure.