Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-04-17
Relics of the Mound Builders.

Col. P. W. Norris. assistant United
States ethnolog.St, left last night for
Little Rock ana Texas after 4 very sue
cessfuI search for prehistoric relics in
this section. He is accompanied bv
Professor Middleton. VINO is engaged ia
the same work. The Colonel was
found ut the Southern Express compa-
NY office engaged in packing away the
fruits OF his laborS, which viii find q
place in the ethnoiocical department
Of the National museum at Washing
ton. An -4Ca GHche reporter called up
on him and examined number OF the
relies. There were five barrels OF an
cient pottery, etc. obtained from
mounds at Pecan Point, Ark, about
forty miles north OF this city, and near
" two barrels OF 4 5 III lar class of rel
les found on Tyronza river. in Arkan-
sas. Among those dug up Mt Pecan
Point are some OF especial value from
an chronological point OF view. Thus, a
human head nodded in .carthenware,
about two-th;rds life-sizl, and evidenc-
inc no little skill in the plastic art. is
believed by Col. Norris to be the only
specimen of its kind and degree of per-
lection ever obtained in this country.
1t forms q vase. rs do, in fact, nearly
all the pieces of earthenware obtained
from prehistoric remains. The face,
apparently 4 womai's 5, is almost round,
with small nose and well-shaped fea-
lures. The ears are pierced with five
punctures, and traces of pierces are
visible on the nose. Did the prehistOr-
10 mound h1,i1Jirc.
and earrings? Peculiar ornamentation
in the way of straight lines interlacing
each other run across the face from ear
to ear, producing fine effect when the
head is viewed from 4 slight distance.
On the forehead appears what ethnolo-
glsts term q crown, but what to the I'M
initiated is only slight protuberance,
and running from it backward to the
nape of the neck is ''headdreSs" re-
sembling those found in Egyptian and
other antiquities, and probably intend
ed to represent 4 cloth head-covering
of triangular shape. The last-named
feature was painted a bright red, and
marks of this color were visible on the
lips, through which the teeth were seen
plainly. The remainder of the head
was OF q yellowish brown color. Two
smaller heads were also found at Pc
can Point, bearing 4 close resemblance
to the larger one just mentioned, and,
like it, having marks of pierces through
the ears and nose. All these heads
were very evidently fashioned by the
same people, and possibly by the same
hand. Among the other relics obtained
were 4 large number of vases, skulls,
etc, and mortars and pestles, probably
used for grinding corn. Some of the
vases were OF q high degree of finish,
having been cnameled and painted. A
few were surmounted by heads of ami
mails. one Of the finest of the collection
having what is probably q hooded SER
pent, another 4 turtle, and one very
plainly duck. Heads of bats, mice,
and other tOtems were found in abund-
ance. The collection obtained at Pc
can Point is q valuable one, and the
carthenware head described above will
no doubt add to the perplexity of those
engaged in this broad field of study
MenlDhiS 1UuI0Rcbe.