Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1867-12-12
Antiquarian Research = Mou
Opening.
Mound

~ts-So AA VIZ
Gallipolis have long attracted atten
ton from those interested in tn,
Archaeology of the West. About th'
year lS42, m ound of considerabl,
size was removed from the intersection
of State and Fourth streets-the par
ticulars of which were given in tn,
Journal at the time. The contents
were interesting to all who examined
them at the store of the late DR.. BUREAU
OF those. who visited and examined
them, was WM. @. PRIME, Esq, now
Editor of the N. Y.i9Journal of Com
merce, who obtained from DR.. BUREAU
me promise of consigning the collection
to his old, friend ALBERT GALtArIN, a
the time President of the American Et
iologieal Society. Mr.. GALLATIN shay.
ing neglected to call for the articles
previous to the death of DIR. B., these
interesting memorials of prehistoric
times became scattered and lost.
They consisted of human remains,
wristlets, ornaments of mica, beads
of bone. large peice Of laminated
mica, which lay over tire face Of the
departed like seal of eternal silence,
and-apeice of coursesfibrous cloth.
These we're all discovered in cist
which had been sunk beneath the sur
face and covered with wood. These
discoveries attracted considerable
attention. at the time, anda elected
from antiquarians many enquiries.
In more recent years, some exami-
nations were made in mound on the
farm of the late Col.s Stafford, near
this place, which revealed a supposed
regular arch. This, on more careful
examination proved to be simply the
fat or horizontal arch. The arch
proper has not been discovered in
the ancient mounds of the West.
Numerous articles of personal orna-
ment were found.
OF the group of Mounds which
stood where Gallipolis now stands,
one long remained CONSPICUOUS on
the lot of the late Mr.. HIRAM FISHER
1t is on the northern side of the
town, near the margin of the plain
overlooking Chickamauga creek
This mound is upwards of twelve
feet in height, conical. and very sym
metrical. The late Mr.. FISHER always
declined to have it disturbed. His
widow, however, having given per
mission, the examination has been
made by DR.. w. DEHAss, of N. Y,
whom we mentioned being in this
city prosecuting scientific researches.
In company with several Of our
prominent citizens, he cut into the
tumalus at the summit, carrying down
to the base shaft six feet in diane
ter. The mound is composed of
sand or clay, interspread with com
port of white clay, which had evil
IDENTITY been obtained from certain
depressions common on the original
town site.
Within foot of the summit an in
teresting discovery was made, con
slsting of considerable deposit of
pigment, numerous flint spalls and
scraps, large block of cretacious
flint, one stone celt or axe, several
flint knives and spear points, arrow
points of flint, and handsome stone
pipe beautifully wrought from am
phobolite, and a faultless worked or
nament or amalet of steatite. These
were all lying within limited space,
and had evidently been placed there
at the same time, possibly at later
period than the construction of the
tumalus.
These ornaments and implements
display skill, taste, and art, in their
construction. They afford a fair
specimen of the stone age in the
valley of the Ohio. They are ideE-
teal with those discovered in ether
by DIR. DeHass, numerous
specimens of which can be seen in
the choice collection of that gentle
man, made along the Ohio during
the last autumn. At the depth of
seven feet tie explorers struck upon
a heavy deposit of ashes, charcoal
and burnt clay, six feet in length,
four feet in width, and five inches
thick, bearing unmistakable evidence
of heavy fire. Intermingled with
these were particles of bone. This
was clearly a'mound in which burial
had been performed by cremation
The builders had raised small tn
malus, upon which the fire had been
kindled, and the dead subjected to
incineration. Over all arose the
more imposing memorial. This mode
of disposing of the dead was fre
quentlv practiced at the West. The
interesting archaeological fact has
been occasionally noticed of the two
distinct modes of interment being
observed in the same mound-inAu.
nation and cremation.
Further researches are proposed in
this and other mounds in the neigh
borhood.
DR.. DeHass, who is prosecuting
these researches in behalf of lead
ing scientific society, will be glad to
receive relics illustrating the antiqui-
ties of the West. Any left at our
office will be handed over to the
Doctor.
We understand DR.. DeHass has
been solicited to lecture before our
citizens, upon the interesting subject
Of American Antiquities. We hope
be may be prevailed upon to do SO,
as his great familiarity with the sub
iect, would make the occasion one of
great pleasure to our citizens,