The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-10-20


AN ANCIENT FIESHPOT
and etc. Colonel Haskins took the urn
HON, with him. and washed from 1t
the dirt which had accumulated in its
irterstices during the long years that II
had laid buried in the bosom Of the earth,
and found Il to be n vessel ab)It four and
a half inches in height and four and "A
half inches in diameter.
In color IL resembled clarified beeswax,
darkened by age. or a sort of very dark
cream color. outside 1t was curiously
wrought by hand, the delicate figures
upon it reminding one Of Corinthian cary
ing, ami the inside was evidently taken
out by picking it with a sharp tool. for
the marks II left are plain, and at the
bottom inside the round plug left after
digging around il was broken out. leav-
ing it rough for about an inch in dame
ter.
Colonel Haskins kept this curious find
for many years, thinking it was an ar
ticle manufactured by the Indian tribes
which infested that locality. and finally
gave it TO Colonel Burnett, who, as above
stated, presented it to Colonel Townes in
1856 The Colonel realized that il was
something of a curiosity, but had no idea
that 1t was anything out of the usual run
of relics left by the departed Indians.
and he kept it upon the centre-table
in his parlor, where it made pretty re-
ceptacle for visitng-cards and bric-a-
brac. There it remained for a consider
able time, until one day it was seen by
Professor VI. X. Arm, a noted ecologist
of Roanoke Va. who at once recognized
1t as a curiosity of great value.
PROF. anNN's OPINION.
Upon examining II the Professor al
once affirmed that ii was iieshpot, ana
that il was brought TO this continent in
the unwrtten past by the fire-worshipping
ancestors of the Alound-Builders. from
whom il was taken by some powerful
Indian chief and buried with him. 1t
was composed, said Prof. Arm, OF the
fat OF human flesh, solidihed by some
process known 20 the ancient TREVOR
shippers, and was used by them for the
reception Of dismembered portions Of the
bodies OF the worshippers, who were ac-
customed, as the urn was passed around
at their religious exercises, to cut OH
pieces Of themselves, such as toes, fingers.
ears, or even portions OF the nose, and
to drop them into the vessel. which. when
breathed upon by the priest, was an
atonement for sin. according 10 their be
lief. Prof Arm stated that fun des-
crlption Of this Peculiar vessel could be
found in Stephens persecution of the
Saints" a book which is now extremely
rare. The Professor strongly advised
Colonel Townes TO have the vessel eX-
amined by experts and its claim 10 being
a iire-urn fully established.
in conformity with this advice the urn
was sent to Washington. and an eminent
ethnoogist there suggested that IL came
from PhocgiciI, having been brought
here by the ship Of Hiram, King OF Tyre.
Its origin cannot be of recent date a.
the vessel bears upon il the marks OF
having been made entirely by hand, and
il could not have been the work of In
dams for il is totally different from the
class of work done by them, OF which so
many traces remain. The carving upon
the outside Of the urn is done by mas
ter's hand. every line being perfect, and
the proportions true TO a hairs breadth.
HrLIrvTs 1T Is ALABAsrER.
Colonel Townes does not profess to be
un ethno.ogist or archaeologist, but he is
firmly convinced that the opinion express
ed by Professor Arm is correct, and that
his treasure cannot be less than ten
years old. He believes, how
ever. that the Professor is mistaken IN
supposing the urn to be composed of the
fat Of human flesh. He thinks IL is COM
posed Of pure elabaster. a?l its appear
ance oears out the belief that IL is made
Of this costly Material.
In proof that at one time the fire.
wcrshippers inhabited this land, records
show that a tribe once dwelt in the prai-
les west Of Lake Michigan, who were
Known as the Mascomtins or Nation de
cen" Nation Of Fire. The earliest French
accounts speak OF the Fire Nation" as
he dominant tribe.
The descendants of these people are
he Foxes. and they still call themselves
NJ ashkooteaki," or Fireland. These rec
,rds then. seem to locate the origin of
he Mound Builders. Their wandering
life made out of the necessities of ire and
II Night. first an object of reverence and
hen Of worship That they possessed
4 rtain objects dear and sacred TO them
nay well be supposed. ana il Is also
easonable and probable that they should
nave been lost and found again.
IL these records arr true, and there
Gems TO be no reason TO doubt that they
re, the explanation of the finding OF the |
ire-urn in an Indian grave is lucid and |
II is shown that the vessel. |
made, no r1an knows how many years |
go. was handed down 10y this tribe OF |
ire-wo. shippers. TO their descendants, |
he Foxes, and was finally buried. as an |
bject of veneration. with some great |
hief. where II remained until the action |
L the river again brought il 10 light.
IL Is interesting TO speculate upon the |
history of this old vessel. which Sas |
doubtless seen the changing seasons OF |
thousand decades: which has reeked |
With human blood. and witnessed the /
avings OF misguided religious fervor. 1t /
:. doubtless, rare and wonderful relic. |
nd the world will bear more OF II when 1
Investigated by the proper authorities
While In Richmond last week. before |
hipping his precious relic to Atlanta.
'olonel Townes permitted several OF his
riends to view II. and all agreed that
hey had seen nothing even approaching