The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-09-13
MEASURES FOR RELIEF.
Arohaologist Discoveries.

Long before the pale-face began to
build his pretty red and green cottages
on the shores of Lake MinHetonka,
says the Minneapolis Journal, indeed,
long before the forefathers OF the red
men invaded with bow and tomahawk
and war dance the wooded slopes and
heights that surround it's waters-there
lived in Minnesota a race OF men OF
whose civilization we Eoderns know
but little, except that it was far in ad-
vance Of the Indian civilization.
Fresh proof of this interesting fact
was Enthusiastically unearthed-
on the shore OF one OF upper Mime
tonka's numerous bays on the I'd inst.
The find was so valuable III a sclen-
tific sense that the three enterprislng
delivers WHO were the principals in the
affair are not, it is understood
| ready to disclose either their
identity or the spot where the digging
was done. 1t is learned, however, that
the archaeological discoveries were
made by n local artist, an architect
and prominent local divire. These
gentlemen have demonstrated that
| the Mound Builders were in bygone
ages inhabitants of Minnesota and
dwellers on the banks of its most
| beautiful lake.
The mound which these gentlemen
explored is about 80 feet in diameter
and rises about seven feet above the
surrounding land and 18 feet above
the lake toward whose edge one side OF
it gently slopes. Near by it is another
mound of about the same size. On
these monnds grow large trees, which
are from $50 to 200 years old, show
ing that the making OF the mounds
| antedates the present by at least that
period. When one side OF this mound
was opened some very interesting de
velopments followed. Below tht
mould was found earth very tightly
tramped in, almost like soft rock
By this means, and building on hll
where the drainage was perfect, this
ancient race sealed up their graves
almost hermeticaly. When this
hard dessicated earth was removed
there was found at a depth o
from 3 to 6 feet the graves of the
mound builders full Of their bones anC
their crockery True specimens o
both bones and pottery were secured
A casual examination OF the bone
showed from the teeth and processes
to which mucles were once ATTACHED
that these men were "a huge and Draw
nv race. One huge skull was obtained
very different in type from the moderl
skull. The bodies were all buried witt
heads toward the mounds center
Evidently the bodies were doubled u
when buried tor skulls were fouD
touching the upper leg bones. TIL
teeth are long, strong and sound an,
with the nerve cavities much deepe
than in the modern teeth which age
of civilization have caused to deter
iorate.
The pottery is very interesting to-
, in the side lights it throws on this ar
cient and hoary civilization. Th
markings seem to be made on the jar
with bowstring, and they stand on
in relief as il cast III mould. Abou
one OF the fragmentary jars is wrappe
a closely woven cloth, which had bee
imbedded in the clay before baking
This shows that the mound builders
% unlike the Indians, were weavers
: considerable ability.
Alto@ther the discoveries are YER
, important in an archaeological sens'
and will create great interest in tn
scientific world. Further researcht
! are to be made.