Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-09-13
THE OHIO MOUNDS.
Interesting Paper Relating what a Careful
Exploration Has Disclosed.

y
| A Montreal letter to the New York
I Erca;Bq faa gives the following interesting
! information concerning the prehistoric
| mounds found in many parts of Ohio, and
/ which have been an object of marked in
terest 10 scientists during many years past.
The correspondent says:
One OF the most interesting papers read
before the British Association to-day was
by Professor f. W Putnam. of Cambridge,
Mass, who gave summary of long paper
which he is TO present ut the Philadelphia
meeting next week. where It will he illus
tratcd by large diagrams and many photo
graphs This was notice of the eNpiOra-
tion of the group OF mounds IN the Little
Miami Valley, Ohio. where Professor Put
nam and DIR. Metz have been as work for
the past three wears, under the auspices of
the Peabody Museum of American Arch
,eology at Harvard College. Professor Put
nam called attention To the imperfect man
ner in which the mounds have generally
been explored, and to the importance of
thorough work lie then, by eXtemporized
diagrams and blackboard sketches, showed
the singular structure of the largest mound
of the group in question, which was one
hundred feet in diameter and twelve feet
high. This mound was surrounded by q
wall of stones which was continued around
five other adjoining mounds. The stone
was four feet high and was below
the natural surface. Inside OF this
wall were many stony structures
\ system OF thIty-two pits, each
about two feet in diameter and five feet
deep. was found From each OF these pits
tubes Of clay from eight to eleven feet long
and about a foot in diameter extended
toward the center of the mound, each tube
or fue, as they have been called. terminal
ing in one or three upright chimneys about
two feet in hight, or, aS III several instances,
opening into i large pit six feet deep. which
was covered hv a dome OF clay. Around
these singular structures there had evil
IDENTITY been frame structure, rs traces of
many parts were found, the wood of some
having been changed to iron by the infiltra-
ton of the metal. The pits also showed
similar traces of having been lined with
wood The contents OF the HueS and pts
were described. but until the chemists now
engaged upon an analysis of the singular
white. asi-like substance found in the
fumes have completed their work. PROBES
sor Putnam thought that It would not be
safe to make conjecture as to the probable
use of the pits The absence of burning on
the sides OF the pits showed that fires had
not been built in them, and the so-called
ashes may be something else. over these
pits was 4 lavcr of hard material formed by
cement of iron and gravel, and on this
were several bUrnt-Clay hearths.
On one of the burnt places a large number
of objects of various kinds We're found.
These had been all thrown on 4 fire and
were mixed with ashes and charcoal and
more or less injured by heat. Among
these objects were over 10000 pearls, thou
sands of shell beads, ornaments ana beads
made OF native copper, several ornaments
made of or covered with meteouc iron ana
native silver, many objects OF stone, orna-
ments of mica, etc. Several photographs
were shown of some of the more interesting
of these things.
Over this part Of the mound was first a
layer of clay mixed with charcoal, then a
LAYER of pure clay, then thin stratum OF
sand. followed by one OF pure clay, above
which was another layer of clay mixed
with charcoal; then one of clay, on which
was a covering of stones and finally over
this covering Of clay In one part of this
mound large pit had been dug seven feet
deep. at the bottom Of which were two full
human skeletons, around which were ar
ranged Is skulls without other bones OF
the Skeletons Six OF these skulls had
| been bored with from two 10 nine small
holes and nearly ali showed signs OF
scraning. as if the flesh had been cut or
scraped from the bone.
Altogether rs Professor Putnam stated,
| this mound and its contents were most re-
markable. and the careful manner in which
| the work had been conducted at an expense
| OF nearly a thousand dollars for labor. was
appreciated 10y the auditors.