The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1884-05-22
Che 9aiIg $mltetim.
THURSDAY, MAY %, 1884.
A PREHISTORIC CITY.

AlOASoSOl L = W. ANOlllS, ASSlSgttuO
Uniued States Ethnologist, has re-
Gently discovered the ruins of an
ancient city, five miles in extent, in
rhe Kanacoha valley near the city of
Charleston. The Professor COM
menced his explorations of the
ancient mounds in August last, and
has just completed them. During
the process of the excavation of these
mounds he has collected upwards of
1000 fine specimens of various ar
ticles, which he intends to place in
the National Museum at Washington.
Seven of the mounds which he
opened were from 20 to 35 feet in
height, and from 800 to $40 feet in
circumference at the base. He
opened altogether fifty-six mounds
in the Kanacoha valley. The ar
ticles he procured consisted princi-
pally of about thirty specimens of
steatite and sandstone pottery and
pipes, many lance and arrow heads,
hatchets, fish-darts, celts gorgets,
hematite iron paint hatchets and
paint cups, several hundred pieces
of shell money, bone and horn
punches used for dressing the flint
arrow heads into proper shape,
twenty-one bracelets made of copper,
one copper brest-plate, copper
crowns, and many copper heads.
All the copper was heavily coated
verdigris. In mound 35 feet high
and 545 feet around its base was q
vault II feet square and 10 feet high,
the walls of which han been sup
ported by black walnuts timbers.
In the centre of this vault, lying
horizontally on it's back, was giant
skeleton, z feet and inches long,
and measuring 10 inches througnt
under the arms. On each wrist were
large copper bracelets, four of which
had been enclosed in cloth or dressed
skin. Under the skull was stone
lance head. There was copper
gorget upon the breast with two holes
in it. This gorget, which was A
inches square, is regarded as having
been badge of authority. In the
right hand was a nematite iron
Ratchet having 4-inches blade. In
the left hand were several lance
heads, 6 inches in length, of flint
manufacture Leaning backwards
in dark coffin, which stood some
what out of u perpendicular position,
was another skeleton, in such posi-
ton in relation to the first as to let
the left hand extend over its head.
On this left hand were two copper
bracelets. In the right hand were q
bunch of lance-heads, similar to those
of the giant. In each corner of this
vault was a warrior, enclosed in his
dark coffin, and standing nearly
erect, with stone stone Ratchet
and lances in OF near his hands.
Nearly 100 various specimens of
arms aed ornaments were found in
this one vault. In mound the reg
mains of large sized warrior was
was found lying flat on his back,
with copper crown covering his
head and neck, ornamented with sea-
shell and bone heads. On one side
of this warrior lay five others, with
their feet all pointing towards the
central warrior. About this skeleton
were found various weapons and
ornaments. The question occurs,
how came these skeletons there, five
male and five female, all evidently
buried at the time with the chief?
Could they have been entombed
alive? There were ten cemented
double cisterns at the head of each
skeleton, all containing water. For
30 feet above, and more thant that
distance around this spot, there was
hard earth, dry like mortar, which
had to be eXcavated with picks.
There is another mound at about two
miles distaece, 25 feet high, and
306 feet in circumference The top
of this mound is a small fiat plane,
40 feet in diameter. Its top and
sides, to deth of about 2 feet, were
covered with the natural soil. Thir
entire remainder of the mound was
composed of burned ashes, which
had all been deposited in dark YES
sells containing about half a bushel
each. About the centre of the
mound were two large skeletons, in
a sitting posture, facing each other,
and their hands extended, palms
upward, towards one another.
Resting upon their hands was curl
GUS altar, made of stone, of about 2
feet in diameter, the concaye side
up, and filled with ashes. On its
top was fiat stone cover with two
holes in it. and having on it the an
cient totem marks. Down even