Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-10-09

Curl Gus Aboriginal Mound at Ac.
COtincks

C0t1nCks
The win ter session of the Anthropoloc,cal
Society was formally inaugurated on Tuesday
evening In the regents room. Smithso MAN In
stitution. Major j. w. Powell, the president,
occupied the chair. with Profs. Otis T. Mason
and Elmer r. Reynolds secretaries.
Col Mallory read an elabo rate paper on "The
Scheme Of the Tenth Census for the Enumera-
ton OF the Untaxei Indians
secretary Reynolds read paper OF mu CHI In
Ierest on an Aboriginal OSsuary near Aquo
pac ee hng george COUNT Va He
Smithsonian Institution, through the society,
collection of copper discs, plates, beads
and eosbe sns nss ~
and baked clay, pierced tablet, and
handsome pipe made of serpentine.
the mound or osslary In question was dlscov-
ered on the 10Th OF April, 1862 by party of
gentlemen from the South Shenandoah Valley,
VINO had come over on business TO the fishing
banks near Accotink. The party consisted or
F. Lucas, Il. Bixler and A. j. Huffman. The
oSsuaIy was discovered on the farm OF Lewis
Ashton, esq, OF King George county, near the
at Marlborough. The discovery was caused by
the washing away OF the bank. Human re-
mains and implements were seen projecting
beyond the surface. Mr.. Print and his COM
panions set TO work, and in short time sue
ceeted In digging out the bones OF twelve very
large indians. They had been buried with their
feet deep. The skeletons appeared to be between
SIX and seven feet long, ana correspondiugly
large IN other respects Around the head of
one Of the skeletons were four obiong shells set
vertically in the soil and tapping past each other
like the scales OF IiSh. Each Shell was about
SIX inches long by four inches wide. human
| lace, Id tolefaDly high relief, was carved upon
each, and also FIVE grooves or "taliies,r In adj.
! ollOn 10 these, fifth shell was found lying
| near the head. 1t was about four inches 10
diameter and nearly circular In shape, with a
m nd In fnln
| ably high relief Next to this semi-clrcle of
shells We're found four round shells smoothly
carved and polished. Each was about four
inches In diameter, and had several perfora-
tions Another perforated shell was found;
this, however, was only an inch and a half in
diameter. Next, six circular. disks OF copper
| to six inches in diameter. These were also per-
! forated like the shells. In another direction
they found six oblong plates OF copper, varying
from three to four inches In width and from five
to seven inches In length. Four small shells each
| about four inches In length were found In an
| other pile near the central skeleton, and near
| by about quarts OF beads made OF rolled copper
| cylinders, bone, clay and shell. The copper
| beads were from i to 2 inches long, and were
| strung upon what appeared TO be a thread
having coarse linen texture. The thread was
| In good state OF preservation, and the frag-
| ments exhibited still show the character OF the
| material used.
In another part of the mound or ossuary six
| small triangular pieces OF copper were found,
| two earrings made Of rolled brass tubes, beau
| tiful pipe made of stone with copper ornaments
attached, then other finely finished stone pipes.
| Two small copper bells shaped like modern
| sleigh bells and an earthen dish were found in
| rear OF the head and other objects named. A
cross OF white metal and OF rude construction
was found In an erect position, sustained by the
| earth between the thumb and foretnger OF the
| skeleton. The other eleven skeletons had moth
| lug about them but beads. All were In an ex-
| cellent state OF preservation. The mound has
| since been washed entirely away by the fresh
cts, and nothing remains to mark It's former
| position.
Prof. Mason read highly interesting paper
| on the late meeting OF the American ASSocia-
| ton for the Advancement OF Science. in which
| he reviewed the field OF American anthrop0logy
| since the session OF the association In 1879.
The several papers were discussed at length
| by the president, Col Mallory. Prof. Mason, DR..
| Toner, Mr.. Bigelow, PrOfS. Ward and Wilson,
| DR.. Reynolds and others.
The meeting, altogether, was one Of much In
| tereSt and promises we'll for the future. The
| proceedings Of the society for 1879 are now 10
| the hands OF the printer and Will soon be ready
| for exchange, after which the publication of q
monthly journal Will be commenced.