The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-11-25
PROFESSOR RgYYcips's EXPLORATIONS IN rHs
SHENANDOAH vALLEY-aELIcs OF DhPAhI'
KID RACES POUND ~ the MOUNDS.
,a,,,,.,r,rn 20 ,be New York TrIbune.I

In company Win Bit UNIV LUIS ""N
son and Mr.. Benton =. siebbiDss OF Luray,
undertook TO open
THE CENTRAL MOUND (No. p.
We first removed the sod on be surface and
made an obIong opening five feet by six, eX-
tending east and west. Eighteen lnches be-
low the surface we found pine charcoal,
which Mr.. Long concluded must be The re-
mains OF resinogs stump which be had
burned in former years. The soil now
changed from a sandy loan TO tenacious
com pound OF sand and clay. We met Win
few stones in our progress, ana tnese were
probably thrown m at random when Tue
mound was constructed. The day was quite
hot, and when we bad reached depth OF
thirty inches concluded to discontinue
work on this mound until the SUD went
down behind The mountain. AT this point
The ground was so hard and dry that we
could scarcely cut it with pickaxe.
We next began digging 10 Mound No. 3,
and as we had experienced so much labor
with The former | concluded to abridge the
work by making
NARROW EXCAVATION.
Accordingly we dug trench seven Feet
long east and west. and twenty inches wide.
The earth changed in character and degree
OF hardness as we descended. TWO feet
below the surface we came 10 layer OF
riyer-wOrn boulders crossing the trench at
right angles. AS these appeared 10 have
been placed in position with particular
degree OF care, Ne naturally concluded that
we were approaching the sanctuary. After
removing the boulders we found that they
formed the upper portion OF an arch.
Below this came another STRAIT I'm OF
hard clay, which descended between
two walls OF stone 10 the bottom OF
the sepulchre. FJrty-two inches below the
outer surface and eighteen inches below the
arch of the vault stratum Of red clay and
charcoal appeared. The clay was intensely
hard. and required a considerable effort to
break il up without iuiuring the contents
OF the vault. The fist object brought to
light in this stratum was
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES TABLET
of a bulsh-gray stone, three inches in
ierpth by one aud half inches in breadth,
with two perfOratIOUS near the centre. In
consequence Of crossing The vault at right
angles it became necessary 10 enlarge the
opening by a crOSs-Secl0n or continue the
excavation by tunneling. Owing 10 the
hardness OF the soil | preferred the latter
course, wi ich evidently proved much easier,
as the rocks in The vault were readily Dis
lodged after the soil had been cut away be-
meath.
After the opening had been sufficiently
enlarged and the loose earth and stones re-
moved | continued 10 dig with small
and carefully examined the
ear tt a. it was taken out. After a few min
utes' work large mass OF arrow. and
knives was uncovered. They were all
placed in the clay points downward. Many
had become broken and faxed by the in
tense heat Of
THE CREMATION FIRE.
There were forty-ibree arrows, knives. and
spears in ALL Forty OF them were Of black
Jasper and three of 'quarizite." In size
Ihey ranged from one and a half to two
inches in length. Some OF the jasper arrows
had been turned TO light reddisb.brown
color by the fire. Below the arrows an ul-
finished slate-stone tablet was found. This
was also about three inches in length, and
plainly showed the coarse grain OF the
stone en- which it was ground. The
next object was an oblOug "grind-
stone" two and bali inches in length
by one ard three quarters wide. One end
had been broken of-prObably 10y the beat
and The whole bore strong tokens OF the
heat it was subjected 10. Two deep and
well-worn grooves on the under side showed
the manner ia which it had been used to
sharpen bone avis and her implements OF
kindred Use. Pine charcoal was found
somewhat sparinely, which was matter of
surprise, inaSmuch as strong fire was I'M
doubtedly required TO car0onize the bones
and olher perrshsble objects.
Three pieces Of
ROuGHLY-DREsSED "QUARTZITE
were next found They we're probably in.
tended for ornaments. but never finished.
rhs stone is not found in Page Valley, and
must have been brought from long dis
lance by the savage>. who undoubtedly
pIlzed 1t very highly. The fragments
weigh from three TO SIX ounces each. Six
pieces Of translucent rock crystal were
next uncovered. With them no attempt at
a change by grinding or boring seems to
have been made, unless, perhaps, the clear
age may indicate an attempt at improve
ment. This feature, however, may have
been due 10 the action OF the fire. One piece
Only-a heXagOn, about an inch lOng-ap-
pears TO have been worn as an ornament. The
others were either designed TO be finished
or kept as relics. Several unfinished fakes
OF jasper were found among the cinders.
Four irreguar.shape scraperS OF "quariZ"
and "quarizite were found in group
Following these were three other scrapers
about two inches in length. One was OF
jasper, one OF hornstone, and the third of
Opaque. milky chalcedoDy, which in shape
was similar 10 the oiJsiGian knives OF the
Azlecs. The next objects were roughly
made arrow Of "quarizite." "qnarizte"
>pear-bead, broken, and a "Celt knife"
three and half inches long, with The point
MISSING.
All OF these objects appear 10 have been
grouped around he head Of
THE DEFUNCT CHIEFTAIy,
for the next find consisted OF four plates OF
mica, from three to Tour inches in length by
two to three inches 10 breadth. Under
these plates was found a section OF Jaw
bone, the inferior maXIIary, with three we'll
worn teeth still in position. No portions OF
the skull were to be found, nor could de-
termine definitely whether any portions
OF the yertebia or ribs bad escaped
the fire. Following The natural po-
sition OF the body In the vault. por-
tons OF the long bones could be
observed, but with one exception no
amount OF patient care was sufficient TO
separate them from The surrounding clay
without destroying their identity. BY re-
moving n large mass OF clay with tie bones
in situa l was able 10 preserve about six
inches OF a tbi9, which possesses in a
degree the peculiar fattening so
OF the true und-Bulders,
and which also has been noticed by PROBES.
sor jeffrey WymaD among the aucient re-.
mains on the 81. Johns river, in Florida.
This feature will be discussed al length in
a forthcoming paper on the Osleology OF
the Potomac Indians.