Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-02-05
A Pre- historic Dungeon ar Tomb

| Singular Dt>cCr0y ia De,iadl3, -HcrsS "A i;gs-
ferrous SuGIeTTGrtdH apartment, Archetl aoiih
STONES.
| DEDHAM. Jan. "A. ls7G.-This old town has
lately been considerably excited over the
uIearthlDg OF an cid cell or tomb, witch
Sc ms 10 he OF a pre- historic origin. The
Charles TlNeI, after flowing by the town,
~lnCs through some two miles of meadow
| or swamp land, consisting nearly entirely of
peat, which il somet mes found TO be 10 or
| even 80 feet in depth. In this peat arrow
| heads and stone hatchets have often been
| found, causing considerable interest to he
| attached TO d series of singular hilIocks.
which rise suddenly from the swamp at in
terVals, Learly regular, and of symmetrical
| proportions. These have often been Thought
10 be artificial-indeed, the oldest inbabi-
tants have tradition that they are burial
mounds. But. be that as il may, the dlscoy-
cry of veritable tomb of unknown age will
certainly add 10 their interest.
THE DISCOVERY.
On the side OF a bare hill, opposite one Of
the mounds, and some two hundred feet from
the river bank, some workmen have recently
been engaged in excavating for a race course
On thursday last, while grading for that
purpose, their progress was stopped by A
peculiar stone, which seems to be a kind OF
tufa, but Is certainly not Identical with any
rock formation near the spot. This rock
although some three feet In diameter was "a
light as TO be easily lifted by one man: and
ON rolling IL aside regular arch way was
discovered d. leading horizontally into the hIlI
side. The mouth of the arch was of Roman
shape, some two feet high by three broai; The
walls and floor were evenly aud carefully
built OF unhewn stone, cemented with a spe.
cies of mud plaster, no lime cement being
1ouEd Ia The whole structure. The passage
way WiGened until, after some ten feet Of
length, IL expanded into wide cell some ten
feet in diameter; one wall of this Was artI-
fetal, The back OF natural rock and theoth.r
side also artificial, ont OF IRREGULAR shane
The cell was some five feet high and carr
fully HooTeu throughout. On the tlpnr was A
Pile OF chalky white dust, which crumbled
chaheto color ana hardened on being posed
10 Inc arr On the top OF The pile was spf
bIacR substance, which would appear 10 be
pure lampblack or carbon, as the wOrkmrl
describe II as being "smeary. like soft black
putty but, unfortunately, hone OF this SUB
stance was saved. The cell has now b en-
exposed 10 The open air, SO that Only two of
The sides and the floor remain intact: the Ia
borers employed in the work are anxiouSIy
searching Tor old coins, but 10 coin. implS
ment or weapon of any Kind has vet bee1
discovered. Specimens OF the hardened yr,IirG
dust, cf the mud mortar aud of the lava like
nation.
THEORIES.
Ineorles are numerous regarding the cause
OF such subterranean structure, but its orr
gin Is wrapped in mystery. Probably IL was
tomb, and the heap of ashes was all that
remains OF some early cremation, for surely
III was the work of 10 Anglo Saxon settlers
The land on which IL was found has bcsn
waste land ever since the settlement of me
town; besides, the Puritans never built suo-
terranean tOmhS, never practiced cremation
and were far too good masons not To know
the value of lime mortar in building an arch
way of round stones. Was 1t the Norsemen?
But If they ever ventured SO far inland, what
was their object in building so permanent "A
structure? The Indians? But they never
built stone tombs; were totally unacquaint-
ed with the principle OF the keystone and
would have buried a brave with his pipe
and arrows, in order to place him in suit .ble
attire for the happy hunting grounds. The
walled roof OF the Tomb was some three feet
below the surface OF the ground which con-
sists OF gravel The length of the tomb. ia
clucing tie entrance, is some eighteen feet
placed exactly east and west; in the wide st
part il is about ten feet In diameter. TIE
verdict of the Cambridge savants is a waited
with great interest.