The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-03-23
Relics Of an Ancient City in Missouri
CSt. Louis Republican, Feb. I6 ]

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lSt. Louis Republican, Feb. I6
Capt. whitley has just returned
from New Madlid County with over
100 more specimens Of pottery and
relics Of the prehistoric residents of
Missouri, which will be added to the
Centennial collection Capt. Whitley
and the party who accompanied him
nave traced the remains of former
extensive city, which shows the evi-
dence Of having been densely popula-
ted. The city was surrounded by for
,iGcations,- the embankments with
covered ways connecting the outworks
of which have been traced for several
miles The remains Of mounds, serv.
ing either to watch an enemy, or as
cemeteries fer the burial of the dead,
in which are found skeletons, associa.
ted with drinking vessels, are also
found distributed about the area of this
ancient eocampnent. The indubit-
able traces Of the dwellings, streets,
aud avenues, were also traced over
large p rtions of the grounds the prop
er surveys Of which would doubtless
tend to throw new light on the origin
of these people. The houses are quite
small, from s to IL feet in diameter.
and located about 10 feet apart. They
existed in regular rows with streets
and avenues running through the city
at right angles aud at proper distances
apart. The foundations of the dwell
ings, if not the entire structure, we're
made of a kind Of adobe brick, Of
red color like modern brick, but Of
coarser material. The brick speci-
mems of which were brought up by
Capt Whitley, have transverse holes
passing through, supposed by some to
act as ventilators to the dwellings,, as,
the bricks being laid fatwise in tho
wall, the sides of the house would be
thereby pierced with multitude Of
holes for the admission of the outside
ar
Another and more probable theory
is that the bricks in mallcable state
were pierced with round sticks for the
more readily handling and burning,
and the sticks having burned out,
leave the impression of their form, in
the shape of a mole. The sites ofthese
ancient habitations are plainly observed
by sunken depression of several feet
in the ground, leaving evidence like
that seen in the sites frequently met
with in the country of modern times.
At the first sight Of these habltations,
the observer ght be led to believe
that these ancient people lived 10 GEL
lars and built their houses under
ground; but these impressions will
vanish on rejecting that the accumu-
lated debris Of ages has entombed
these dwellings beneath the surface.
Besides, on one side of the ANCIENT
city, there is still lake or marsh.
which at some remote period may
have overhowed its banks, submerging
portions of the site Of the ancient city
long after its extinctions, and added its
deposits to the accommodating debris.
The site Of the city is now covered with
trees mostly oak, of an ancient growth,
showing that thousand of years have
rolled round before the handiwork OF
these carly Missourians was exhumed
for the exhibition at the Centennial.
The pottery brought up here this time
by the indefatigable antiquarian, some
Of which was taken out on Saturday
last, consists largely of drinking cups,
culinary utensils, and bottles OF
gourd-shape. There are also rude
trowels and tools used for fashioning
and ornamenting the pottery, aud
whet s'ones for sharpening the stone
axes and other instruments in use.
But the fantastic character the orua.
mentation Of the vessels is what strikes
every one with surprise. There arc
very accurate figures of fish, frogs
hedgehogs, and such animals that exis
ted at that time; besides among the
teathered tribes are the goose, duck
owl, hawk, and probably the rooster
from lis comb.
There are miniature busts of male
heads carved out of clay, representing
type of face more resembling the
ancient Astic race than the modern
American Indian; but further and
more careful inquiry is nccessar,
before coming to any conclusion o,
this point which would tend to settl,
the orision of these early builders ant
tax. payers of the State